Cruz cruising to Oscar

This is the time of year when the major film critic groups get together and announce their year-end awards. And tomorrow, of course, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will announce the nominations for its much over-hyped Golden Globe awards. So far, many of the recipients of these awards have been all over the place. "Slumdog Millionaire" has won a pair of best picture nominations and the Los Angeles Film Critics, in somewhat of a surprise, named "WALL-E" the year's best.

The major surprise, to me, is the absence of "Revolutionary Road" and its co-stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in any of the critics' discussions because both received considerable support in polls I have conducted of Oscar voters.

One thing seems certain, however. There is a consensus on Penelope Cruz as the best supporting actress for Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." She was the leading vote getter in my poll and, as I recall, she has won every single honor in this category handed out so far this year. Thus, she has to be considered the first front-runner for an Oscar.

Update at 11:20 a.m. The New York Film Critics Association has named Sean Penn as best actor for "Milk." Combine that with his other wins in that category and the fact that he was the leading vote-getter in my poll makes him the Oscar favorite in this category.