January 27, 2008–Joel and Ethan Coen won the directing kudos for best feature award for “No Country for Old Men” at the 60th annual DGA Awards Saturday night in Century City. The award is a closely-watched Oscar indicator because most years the award aligns with the Oscar's helming honors.

Based on the famous Jules Verne's tale, the sci-fi picture was nominated for 3 Oscars:
Art Direction-Set Decoration, Sound, and Special Effects

Victor Buono, a 25-year-old screen newcomer, weighing 300 pounds, was cast as a mama's boy in Robert Aldrich's horror picture, “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane” in 1962.

Cate Blanchett, nominated for her role as Queen Elizabeth I, is the fifth performer to draw mentions for the same role in two different films. The others are: Al Pacino (as Michael Corleone in ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Godfather?¢¬Ä and ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Godfather: Part II); Paul Newman (as Fast Eddie Felson in ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Hustler?¢¬Ä and ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Color of Money); Peter O?¢¬Ä¬ôToole (as Henry II in ?¢¬Ä¬úBecket?¢¬Ä and ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Lion in Winter?¢¬Ä); Bing Crosby (as Father O?¢¬Ä¬ôMalley in ?¢¬Ä¬úGoing My Way?¢¬Ä and ?¢¬Ä¬úThe Bells of St. Mary”).

This year, just like in 2006, one of the supporting actress nominees is very young, 13, Sairose Ronan, for playing Briony Tallis, the aspiring writer-heroine of the period drama, “Atonement,” based on Ian McEwan's novel. The role of Briony is played in Joe Wright's film by three different actresses. She follows in the footsteps of Abigail Breslin, who was nominated last year for the comedy “Little Miss Sunshine.” At 10, Breslin became the fourth youngest actress to be Oscar-nominated.