Oscar nominations

So, after all that fuss over "Dreamgirls" at the Golden Globes, the musical collects the lion's share of Oscar nods ... but not Best Picture.

That leaves "Babel" as the front-runner, and local theaters are bringing it back on Friday. I'll have to check it out. Lots of friends have raved about it, and, of course, critics generally loved it, too.

Sometimes spending money on movies I know are going to depress me is tough. But it sounds like this'll be worth it.

Lots of other Oscar-nominated films are either staying in town or returning.

"Notes on a Scandal," which snagged a Best Actress nod for Judi Dench, is opening at Kimball's on Friday. We'll have a review in GO!

"The Departed," the best movie I saw last year, is back in local theaters. "The Queen," "The Pursuit of Happyness," "Pan's Labyrinth," "Dreamgirls" and "Letters from Iwo Jima," are still in town.

The one we're still waiting for is "The Last King of Scotland," which got an Oscar nomination for Forest Whitaker.

I think the toughest choice in the Oscar match-up is Best Director: Martin Scorcese, who's deserved it on many occasions, may get the sentimental vote for "The Departed." But how can you deny Clint Eastwood, who makes , not one, but two WWII films, the second in JAPANESE for heaven sake?!

Please send me some of your Oscar thoughts.