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Annie Jones Little Miss Sunshine: Thi5. staff writer film's very talented en emble ca t won a SAG award for their col- It's that time of year again - ｴ ｩ ｭ ｾ for Holly- lectively heartfelt performances. wood hunks and silver screen starlets to squeeze Two of its actors, Alan Arkin and into designer eveningwear and pile into limos to the adorable Abagail Brc lin, arc gather and congratulate them elves yet again at nominated for their supporting the pinnacle of the wards season - the Oscars. roles. Little Miss Sunshine, a semi- ety of characters ranging from Ryan Go ling's tum as Arguably the most important night of the year for comcdy, is the underdog, but an Oscar win would a drug-addicted middle school teacher in HalfNelson the film industry, the Academy Awards has come cement the hopeful message of the movie itself. to Hollywood veteran Peter O'Toole's performance to represent the glamour of movies and provides The Departed: This crime drama set in Boston as an aging actor in Venus. The oft- nubbcd Leonardo us common folk with an oppor- DiCaprio received a nod for his tunity to drool over and dream work in Blood Diamond, but not about our favorite stars, ju t m for The Departed, a wa widely case there wasn't enough celeb- expected. The frontrunner here, rity worship already. This year's however, is Fore. t Whitaker, who ceremony should prove to be an portrays a Ugandan dictator in The especially exciting one, thanks Last King ofScotland. His pc or- to the plethora of worthy film mance earned him both a Golden and actors nominated. Globe and a SAG award. . In perhaps the mo t competi- As for directors, the Academy tive race in years, several out- seems to hate Be t Director nomi- standing films are nominated nee Martin Scorsese he has en for best picture honor . nominated six times and ha yet to 1'110 IOS (2) ('(){ RITS\ CH \Mr\S Babel: This seriou drama Both Babel (left) and Letters from lwo Jima (right) are nominated for Best Picture. win. On the other hand, Clint East- featuring Brad Pitt and Cate wood has two Be. t Director wins Blanchett (also up for e t Sup- under his belt a well a two Best porting Actress for h r role in Notes on a Scan- boasts some impressive performance as well as Actor nominations and the Irving G. Thalberg M mo- dal) took home the Golden Globe for Be t i ture some undeniable ye candy for the ladies thank to rial Award in 1995. 0th r nominee include Stephen Drama, but e film may be too depre ing to nag Leonardo DiCapno, Matt Damon and the nominated Frears for The Queen, Paul Grecngras for United 93 an Oscar. Mark Wahlberg. A word of caution: no matter how and Alejandro Gonzal . lnarritu for Babel. Letters from Jwo Jima: Director Clint Eastw d she protests, d not take grandma to ee thi. one; the In spite of all thi peculation, no predictions is nominated for bringing thi tale of Japane e ol- f-word and its derivatives ar aid 237 time . Martin will make a hit of differenc when they open th diers duri g World War 11 to life. Th film Wa5 criti- Scorsese is als nominated for directing thi film. nvelopes. One of th main rea on to tune into cally accl · ed but not widely relea ed, which could A notable o ission from thi list is Dreamgirls. the Academy Award is the potential for. urprises hurt its chance . With eight total nominations, it wa the mo t n mi- (and the dresses). I additi n to b ing film' big- The Queen: Helen Mirren love playing Qu n natcd film overall. Nominee Eddie Murphy and gest night of the year this i al o one f Am rican' Elizabeth._ both of them. ot only did he win the American Idol ca toff J nnifcr Hudson both took biggest nights in fas ion. o pour your elf a gla best ac es Golden Glob and Sere n Actors' Guild home SAG wards for their upporting performanc- o hampagnc, throw on an old prom drc and revel Award for her perfonnance in thi film, but she also e , and Hudson, who is al o fresh off a Golden Globe in the magic of the movie.. on a SAG award for portraying Queen Elizabeth I win, i the frontrunner in the Academy Award Sup- The 79th annual Academy Award will air Feb. in an HBO mini eri . The Queen will certainly be porting Actress category. 25 at 7 p.m. on ABC and will be ho ted by New riding Mirren's royal wave of momentum. The Best Actor category exemplifies a wide vari- Orlean ··native Ellen DeGenere .

8 02.02.07