Oscar nominations are in!!!

Yes it's been a month, who cares?

The Oscar nominations are in!

Inclusions that made me ecstatic:

• Clive Owen, Closer, Best Supporting Actor -- He was deliciously chauvinistic and deserves to win.
  
• Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine, Best Actress -- Eternal Sunshine was locked for screenplay, but its wonderful to see Kate Winslet getting a nod.
  
• Virginia Madsen, Sideways, Best Supporting Actress -- She looked stunning in the film and brought it such tender humanity. Her speech about why she loves wine is gold.
  
• Natalie Portman, Closer, Best Supporting Actress -- Her first role as an adult is the performance of her lifetime. Yes, better than Garden State. She really completely disappears into this weak/strong and (arguably) the only lovable character from the film. Her and Owen's nominations bring a smile to my face.
  

Inclusions that made me mad:

• Ray and Finding Neverland for Best Picture. You know my hatred for Ray, and Finding Neverland is the Chocolot of 2004 -- goes down easy, syrupy sweet and not at all nutritious. Both don't deserve to be here. I was hoping the Academy would surprise me with Eternal Sunshine, but I was dreaming indeed.
  
• Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland, Best Actor -- Come on. Yes, he was fine, as Depp always is. But his presence here and Paul Giamatti's absence here indicates that, even though the critics are going crazy for Sideways, Hollywood really doesn't share the love.
  

Omissions that made me sad:

• Paul Giamatti, Sideways, Best Actor -- I was really rooting for him here for his great funny-sad performance. But this was a really great year for male performances.
  
• Eternal Sunshine or Closer for Best Picture -- two of the greatest films of the year, snubbed. Not that they were favored to be included at all, of course; both were too offbeat to be considered at all. But sad nonetheless.
  
• Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine, Best Actor -- Wow, the Academy must *really* hate Jim Carrey; first Truman Show, and now this. At least Kate Winslet got a nod.
  
• Wes Anderson, Life Acquatic, Original Screenplay -- Okay, that's the stuff dreams are made of.
  

This sucks; I'm not too excited about any of the best picture nominees. It's looking like an Aviator sweep, and it may very well take the thing, unless Million Dollar Baby catches fire in the coming month (and it could). The Aviator was a fine movie, though a little to flashy and hollow for my taste; I really don't think it's best picture material. I have not seen MDB, though, and will soon. Sideways has no chance -- Paul Giamatti's exclusion from Best Actor basically kills its chances here. Ray and Finding Neverland can only sit at the sidelines here as the top two battle it out.

Jamie Foxx will (easily) take the Best Actor nod for Ray. The only threat here is Clint Eastwood, but I don't think so. Everyone else can go home.

God I would love to see a double win for Closer in the supporting categories for Clive Owen and Natalie Portman, but it seems unlikely. Morgan Freeman is looking great for supporting actor, though the supporting actress round seems pretty open. I'm torn though; Natalie Portman or Virginia Madsen? I loved both so much.

Hilary Swank has a near lock on Best Actress. Looks like she's going to snatch the Oscar away from Annette Bening again, like she did a few years ago for her performance in Boys Don't Cry versus Bening's in American Beauty.

The Incredibles will win best animated feature. Shrek 2 *may* threaten, but I don't see it as an even remote possibility, even with Shrek 2 doing tremendous business.

Clint Eastwood will probably get the best director nod, though the Academy may finally decide to honor Martin Scorsese. In fact, my bet is that MDB and Aviator will split the best picture and the best director Oscars; the more likely scenario in my head is the Aviator getting best picture, and Eastwood getting best director.

I'm really really rooting for Eternal Sunshine for best original screenplay. Charlie Kaufman's been nominated three times for writing, and it's time for him to win. The Aviator, though might unfairly interrupt.

Adapted Screenplay? MDB. Maybe it'll go to Sideways, but unlikely.

DISAPPOINTING. What a boring Oscar race!