Oscar quickie

Okay, I've only had a chance to skim over the Academy Award nominations announced this morning, but one thing jumps out at me right away - Paul Giamatti wasn't nominated in the Best Actor category for his role in "Sideways." That's baffling to me. I wonder if Giamatti is a victim of his oeuvre, which is largely composed of playing down-on-his-luck schlubs. In the eyes of Academy voters, maybe Giamatti wasn't stretching that much.

But I'm not sure who Giamatti would replace among the nominees: Don Cheadle, Johnny Depp, Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Clint Eastwood. I'd point to Eastwood, but since I haven't seen "Million Dollar Baby," what can I really say?

Giamatti's snub seems particularly glaring with his co-star, Thomas Haden Church, receiving a Best Supporting Actor nod. Maybe those same voters remembered Church as Lowell the mechanic on "Wings," and figured he made a breakthrough. By the way, Virginia Madsen was also nominated from "Sideways." Ouch.

I also noticed that the film I thought was the best of last year, "Kinsey," only received one nomination (Laura Linney for Best Supporting Actress). But more on this later, after I look over the list more thoroughly.

(Was I out of control with the links?)