you have not mention much about the Foreign Language Film category... from what you've seen what's the best one so far?

is volver still the frontrunner?

could we see another Amelie vs No Mans Land...Volver vs The Lives of Others?

or will Pan's Labyrinth knock them all off...

I guess Pan's could slip in here, but there is a lot of support for Lives. I don't think Volver is the frontrunner by any stretch.

I've thought "The Departed" would take Picture and Director here ever since the critical lovefest back in October. As much as this group and city loves Clint, I'm going to stick by that.

I think "Pan's Labyrinth" perfectly fits the mould of a Production Design winner here.

I agree with the Lubezki prediction though I feel score is totally up in the air and may go to Desplat for his two films.

As for the majors, Jack and Mirren seem like easy gets. Actor is tougher though I think they might follow the NBR's lead and go with Whitaker.
Gosling should take NYFCC and NSFC, though, so if someone original is going to show up (DiCaprio, Watanabe), this is the place.

I think Hudson and Kihuchi will battle it out for the Supporting Actress award with the loser battling it out with Gosling for the New Generation Award.

They only have one screenplay award, Kris. "Little Miss Sunshine" would seem the favourite.

They gave two screenplay awards last year, didn't they?

That's because it was a tie.

Ah, well I guess I just assumed, given that one was adapted and one was original. Hey, I try to forget the 2005 Oscar season as often as possible.

I'd go with Little Children, then. Seems a bone ought to be tossed that film's way sooner or later.

The thing about them awarding Iwo Jima is that that would make it the first movie since Schindler's List to win Best Picture.

I think they'll throw a bone to The Queen after the NBR snub.

Are they really going to resist giving Gore the documentary love? Inconvenient Truth seems like the ideal film for LAFCA to reward.

Jon, I think you forgot a word? First WWII movie?

If Eastwood and his movie start charging through the season again purely because Flags flopped then it's just gonna be frustrating.

If the movie is so good (which it apparently is) then why was the studio all set to dump it in February before Flags died?

Camel, you make the mistake (as most keep making) of assuming that the studio was fully in control of that decision. Not true. It was all Clint.

Flags was supposed to be the box office and awards hopeful this year, with Letters the companion piece for February in the heat of the Oscar season. When Flags opened and didn't garner box office traction, it looked as though it wasn't going to grab awards attention. Clint then yanked Letters into the 2006 fold to assure that it woul dbe seen, and at least bring in SOME money. As it stands, if he had left the film in February, no one would have seen it, it would have opened and closed. It really is a smart move.

And I've written about this already...