Musings

2006 Academy Award Nominees

Boy, I haven't mused in a while, have I? :)

Well, the 2006 Academy Award nominees were announced today and let me tell you, there were a few surprises.

The biggest shock of all was the hit Dreamgirls, which won a total of eight nominations, did NOT receive a nod for best picture. THis is stupid! How can you have that many nominations and not a best picture nod? This smacka of Hawaii.

Eddie Murphy, who has enjoyed a long carreer since the early 1980's, finally received his first nomination for his supporting work on Dreamgirls. The picture also received three nominations for best song, joining Disney films Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

Little Miss Sunshine was a film that probably didn't deserve it's best picture nomination, and it probably took away the nomination from Dreamgirls.

Little Miss Sunshine, an indipendant film, won four nominations including best picture and Screenplay, but surprisingly, a nod to Alan Arkin for supporting Actor (his first nomination since 1969!) and to ten-year-old Abigail Breslin, who literally steals the show with her cuteness and charm.

I was surprised that it was not nominated for direction, but then again when two people direct a film, it usually won't be nominated for direction. (West Side Story being the exception.)

Every year there is a dark horse candidate nominated; in years past it was Keisha Castle Hughes for Whale Rider, and Amy Adams for Junebug.

Clint Eastwood was nominated (for a third year in four), along with the oft-nominated Steven Spielberg for Letters from Iwo Jima. Glad to see the film get credit where credit is due.

Also happy to see Will Smith nominated for The Pursuit of Happyness, as well as Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland. Many surprises, to be sure, but we will have to wait to see just who walks away with Oscar,

23-01-07