Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
	Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls

The fact that Dreamgirls was stopped in its tracks for the Best Picture award doesn't mean momentum is slowing down for newcomer Jennifer Hudson -- if anything, the snubbing that Dreamgirls took should only accelerate her walk to the podium that much faster. While certainly a charsimatic screen presence, most of Hudson's performance is tied up in the five minutes in which she sings her movie's signature song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." Basically we're just quibbling to find a weakness here - she's pretty much a foregone conclusion, almost as much as Helen Mirren.

As we pitched at the beginning of the awards season, Abigail Breslin was a lock for a nomination for indie comedy Little Miss Sunshine, though she didn't appear on too many "sure bet" lists. Historically, though, the Best Supporting Actress award has made room for young girls such as winners Tatum O'Neal (Paper Moon), Anna Paquin (The Piano) and Patty Duke (The Miracle Worker). We'd love Breslin to win, if only to hear the orchestra strike up "Super Freak" as she accepts her award.

The tower that is Babel has produced two nominees this year -- Rinko Kikuchi (You're in a Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu film and you play someone who's deaf? Pick out your dress now, dear.) and Adriana Barraza (who joins the wave of Mexican filmmakers the Academy has welcomed this year). These were both slam-dunk roles, with powerhouse performances from little-known actresses. Babel is gaining surprise momentum as the Oscars approach, but then again, so did Crash, and where did that leave supporting Crash nominee Matt Dillon?

As for Cate Blanchett in Notes on a Scandal, though she hasn't been widely seen yet, she's been consistently singled out alongside fellow thespians Judi Dench and Bill Nighy for her role as an adulterous teacher. Her relentless media appearances, for both Scandal and Babel makes her look like the most aggressively non-campaigning campaigner, as Blanchett never fails come off as less than modest or humble. Still, she won two years ago for The Aviator, so this is more likely a we-still-like-you-a-lot nomination.

Overlooked Candidates:

Catherine O'Hara - For Your Consideration: This beloved comedienne should be getting paid back for all the laughs over the years in her more commercial endeavors, as well as her other biting, hilarious Christopher Guest roles.

Shareeka Epps - Half Nelson: Nelson continued to build momentum after the Independent Spirit Awards lauded it right and left, and Epps received raves for her unaffected, devastating performance.

Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada: Here's who should also be nominated from Prada alongside Meryl Streep. Blunt carries off what could be a very unsympathetic character by making her just like you when you were trying to impress a difficult boss.

Keke Palmer - Akeelah and the Bee: You would think some of the Academy members would have bought all those Akeelah DVDs in Starbucks; too bad they couldn't make room for two child performers in this category.

Julianne Moore - Children of Men: Moore, like Michael Caine, is always good and has gotten some great notices for her Alfonso Cuaron turn. She plays a woman who enlists her former husband, played by Clive Owen, to transport a miraculously pregnant woman across an England that is now barren.

Vera Farmiga - The Departed: Despite a high-profile profile in the New York Times Magazine, and much buzz about her being the Next Big Thing, the Academy opted to bestow its only acting nomination for The Departed on co-star Mark Wahlberg.