I'm bummed that Kinsey didn't get in there for Best Picture over Finding Neverland. Ditto for Liam Neeson or Paul Giamatti (more so than Neeson) for Best Actor.

Best picture
"The Aviator" - haven't seen it yet and haven't really felt compelled to...
"Finding Neverland"- haven't seen it but will probably rent it
"Million Dollar Baby" - planning to see it this weekend when it's finally widely released
"Ray" - haven't seen it; another probable rental
"Sideways" - saw it, and though the acting was really good, I thought it was really overrated overall.

Rated by emoticon - where the cool smiley with a thumbs up is happier than the one without a thumb...

Best actor
Don Cheadle, "Hotel Rwanda"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Aviator"
Johnny Depp, "Finding Neverland"
Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby"
Jamie Foxx, "Ray"

Best actress
Annette Bening, "Being Julia"
Catalina Sandino Moreno, "Maria Full of Grace"
Imelda Staunton, "Vera Drake"
Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby"
Kate Winslet, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

Best director
Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby"
Taylor Hackford, "Ray"
Mike Leigh, "Vera Drake"
Alexander Payne, "Sideways"
Martin Scorsese, "The Aviator"

Best supporting actor
Alan Alda, "The Aviator"
Jamie Foxx, "Collateral"
Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby"
Thomas Haden Church, "Sideways"
Clive Owen, "Closer"

Best supporting actress
Cate Blanchett, "The Aviator"
Laura Linney, "Kinsey"
Virginia Madsen, "Sideways"
Sophie Okondeo, "Hotel Rwanda"
Natalie Portman, "Closer"

patt*

I'm wondering how a movie like "Million dollar baby" get nominated for the oscars when it was released this year? Isn't it supposed to be from 2004? I saw it last week at a prescreening in town. It was good and maybe Clint's best performance ever. I think you will like it Patt. Of course, I'm looking forward to Star Wars and the Fantastic Four. Also, where was Edward Molina for his role as Dr. Octopus? He was awesome.


Varg

Yeah, they cheese in movies like Million Dollar Baby by releasing them limitedly in like NY and LA so that they qualify for the 2004 Oscars... Pretty lame, but also, in terms of the psychology of recency/latency (you remember the first and last of things), pretty smart, too.

Poor Doc Oc...the comic book movie villains (like comic actors) just don't get their due.

patt*

I believe the Oscar rule is that it has to be shown in LA during the year under review. Thats why so many movies in January are announced as "open now nation wide"

Sweet Meat nad I saw "Sideways" together over the Christmas holiday, so my vote goes to that one. I mean, why spoil our perfect track record of predicting the Oscar winner through our own moviegoing selections? ("Deuce Biggolo" and "The Animal" were both winners, right?)