The Queen – This is a fine movie, with excellent performances, but frankly, an Oscar nomination? This movie should not be on the list. It will not win. Period.

Letters from Iwo Jima – Shot in black and white and spoken in Japanese, this movie has some uneven acting, good war scenes, but boy, was I glad when it ended. It’s a movie that feels twice as long as it’s actual running time. And let’s face it; Clint Eastwood’s directing is boring, boring, boring.

The Departed – There are many good things about this movie but the few irritating things about it remove the film from contention. I know that Martin Scorsese enjoys strong support and for many of his fans this movie marked his return to greatness. I’m not one of those but there may be enough of them amongst Academy members to push this movie over the top.

Little Miss Sunshine – A gem! Comedies of this caliber are rare. The reason is simple: they are very difficult to make. It really is movie magic when we get a combination of such a wonderful script, clearly defined characters, fantastic acting from every single cast member, a perfect pace, and so many wonderful comedic moments mixed with the occasional touching situation. I don’t think it will win the Oscar, but if it does, I’ll be happy.

Babel – This is the Oscar winner. A truly excellent film with some of the most memorable and gripping moments, made even more so by the fantastic acting. But the real stars of this movie are the script writing and directing. This is movie making at its very best and a great movie-watching experience.

I only saw one of the nominated foreign films, so I can’t comment on its chances of winning, but Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the best movies I’m seen in many years, and together with Babel, the two best films of the year. This movie is nothing short of brilliant.

Labels: Babel, Departed, letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, Oscar, Pan's Labyrinth, Queen