February 22, 2008–According to the trades, the five best picture Oscar contenders made $97 million domestically since Academy Award nominations were announced January 22. That's more than double the $44 million pulled in by last year's class during the same frame.

In 1990, Coppola's last chapter of his mafia saga that began in 1972, “The Godfather, Part III” Competed for the Best Picture with Scorsese's crime-gangster biopic “GoodFellas,” which received 6 nominations; two melodramas, “Awakening,” with 3 nods, and the supernatural romance “Ghost,” with 5. The big winner was Kevin Costner's epic Western, “Dances With Wolves,” which was honored with the largest number of nominations (12) and Oscars (7), including Best Picture and Best Director.

The Best Picture Oscar went to MGM's all-star melodrama, “Grand Hotel,” which was one of eight nominated films in 1931-2: “Arrowsmith,” “Bad Girl,” “The Champ,” “Five Star Final,” “One Hour With You,” “Shanghai Express,” and “The Smiling Lieutenant.”

The movie was nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for George Stevens, winning three, one for Supporting Actress to Shelley Winters.

Inexplicably, “Chocolat” received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Actress for Juliette Binoche, but won none.