(CNN) -- "Dreamgirls" received a leading eight nominations for the 79th annual Academy Awards, but was shut out of two of the biggest categories -- best picture and best director.

The nominees for best picture are "The Departed," "Babel," "Letters From Iwo Jima," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Queen."

The nominees for best actor are Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("Blood Diamond"), Ryan Gosling ("Half Nelson"), Peter O'Toole ("Venus") and Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness").

The nominees for best actress are Helen Mirren ("The Queen"), Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal"), Penelope Cruz ("Volver"), Meryl Streep ("The Devil Wears Prada") and Kate Winslet ("Little Children").

The nominees for best supporting actor are Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls"), Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine"), Jackie Earle Haley ("Little Children"), Djimon Hounsou ("Blood Diamond") and Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed").

The nominees for best supporting actress are Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls"), Adriana Barraza ("Babel"), Cate Blanchett ("Notes on a Scandal"), Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine") and Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel").

The nominees for best director are Martin Scorsese ("The Departed"), Clint Eastwood ("Letters From Iwo Jima"), Stephen Frears ("The Queen"), Paul Greengrass ("United 93") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel").

ABC will broadcast the Oscars live February 25 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Ellen DeGeneres is hosting the show.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/...ions/index.html

Who do you think will win?

I think the winners will be:

Best Picture: Lettters from Iwo Jima

Best Actor: Forest Whitaker

Best Actress: Judi Dench

Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson

Best Director: Martin Scorsese

Hey TO. Agree with you with one exception. Best Actress will go to Helen Mirren for "The Queen."

I'm afraid the momentum is for "Babel" for best picture though.

I am seeing Babel this weekend. I heard great things about it but have yet to be interested to see it at all. I have decided to give in and give it a try.

Saw Babel few weeks back. For some reason, I was not really impressed with it. It was a great idea but I did not feel it really hit the mark. :(