I think you can remove Jane Fonda (in "Georgia Rule") from contention in the supporting actress race.

Please remove Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart) too. She's certainly out of contention.

I've read the script for Margot at the Wedding. It certainly has lots of potential. Have you seen the script?

I think "Once" should make it onto your radar screen. It got great buzz coming out of Sundance and should contend in the Song/Score categories if nothing else. Not sure if it will have the momentum of LMS from last year but it's a wonderful film.

Also, I think 3:10 to Yuma comes out this year so that may be an awards vehicle possibility for Bale, Crowe, Mangold, etc.

Lions for Lambs script is not good, IMO. Too preachy and forced. Then again, the academy liked Crash so what do I know?

I thought I am Legend could be this years Children of Men. But the trailer makes it out to be just an action pic. A cool trailer nonetheless, but the book is more about isolation, sanity, loneliness, etc, not action. Seems weird its coming out in December, not July. Akiva Goldsman wrote the script...crap.

Angelina Jolie has gotten some good buzz out of Cannes. I say she gets a nomination.

How about Knocked Up? Maybe for screenplay?

With Alan Ball's previous track record, never count him out. Early screenings of his directorial debut with "Nothing is Private" has garnered some attention, especially for the lead actress Summer Bishil. And Thomas Newman's doing the score.

if you think the "american gangster" trailer rips off "the departed", you haven't seen the trailer for "we own the night".

Andy Griffith for Supporting Actor in Waitress. Seriously, he has two tremendously important scenes with great speeches and his performance is outstanding as well. It's exactly the sort of thing the academy will really go for if it's played the right way by searchlight.

Keri Russell also seems strong for Waitress, moreso than Katherine Heigl who did wonders with a difficult role, but Russell has the much more traditional academy banner.

Sticking in best actress I think Blanchett will be overlooked because the academy, and critics, will claim she's only repeating the same old same old. Was Depp nominated for Dead Man's Chest?

Vanessa Redgrave has nothing in Atonement that will merit any attention. Romola Garai is very good, with two good scenes (one overshadowed completely by McAvoy and Knightly), but 50% of the movie belongs to Saoirse Ronan whose tremendous performance brings off the entire film.

Likewise McAvoy is a frontrunner for lead actor, he's in more of the movie than any other role, about 80% and it's definitely very much his and Briony's story.

Knightly's role is strong enough to merit attention for her in lead actress.

Joe Wright would be a classic lone director nomination, as the film may be too complex for AMPAS.

Charlie Wilson's War will do will with the AMPAS of 'Crash' crowd, Hanks may coast in, but Hoffman has the fun role (Roberts has nothing interesting to do) and may sneak in.

I think Javier Bardem may be moved to lead, like Daniel Day Lewis was in Gangs of New York.

Great thoughts all around, though Blanchett will be far from "same old" in Golden Age. It's a completely different task as the character is entirely on ifferent terrain. She's just a kid in Elizabeth. In Golden Age, she commands an empire.

Marion Cotillard hands down for best actress. absolutely brillant as Piaf in La Vie En Rose