Composer-conductor Ennio Morricone will receive an honorary award at the 79th Academy Awards. Morricone, who has composed more than 300 film scores throughout his 45-year career, has earned five nominations for original score, most recently for “Malena” in 2000.

On December 10, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (of which I am a member) chose Greengrass as the Best Director of the Year. Here are some thoughts about the impact of WWII on the Oscars from 1941 to 1946.

As of December 1, 20066, the strongest candidates for the Best Actress Oscar are: Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, and Penelope Cruz.

Nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture, Director (Levinson), and Actor (Warren Beatty), Bugsy won 2: Art Direction and Costume Design; the big winner in 1991 was The Silence of the Lambs.

November 12, 2006–These are my predictions for the the Best Actor in the 2006 Oscar race (in Alphabetical order): Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond), Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson), Peter O'Toole (Venus), Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness), and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland).