Awards Round-Up: BAFTA Favors Its Own
· Rejoice! The results for the first round of the British Academy Film Awards, in which preliminary voting narrows down each category to a mere 15 nominees, have arrived. Look deeply into these scattered tea leaves and you shall surely foretell Oscar future. The Queen and Casino Royale lead the pack with 14 nominations each. [The Envelope]
· Director Bill Condon's Dreamgirls may have been somehow left off the BAFTA's best picture list, but how many of those 15 other directors can say they are the winners of this year's Santa Barbara Intl. Film Festival Montecito Award? None, that's how many! [Variety]
· The Scientific and Technical Academy Awards recognized 15 for their contribution to the technical advances that allowed Johnny Depp to overact opposite a face full of writhing calamari, including FX vets Ray Feeney and Richard Edlund. [Variety]
· Guilds and critics don't always agree, but if you're looking for Oscar predictions, best to ignore the opinions of those four-eyed, snot-nosed stuffed shirts, and stick to what the Hollywood working class has to say. [THR]