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It's here folks. The time of the year, after Super Bowl, when the not-football-fans can cheer for their favorites as the Academy Award nominations are bounced around for six weeks. 2001 turned out to be a better year than people thought it would be for films and performances.

Let's begin with the nominations. For Best Film we have a study of mental illness (A Beautiful Mind), a study of class relations (Gosford Park), a study of intense anger in a marriage (In the Bedroom), a study of the mind of a novelist (Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring) and a study in music (Moulin Rouge.) And you thought you were out of school? No matter how inadequate the information about John Nash is given in A Beautiful Mind, it is no surprise that the film is nominated for Best Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Music Score, Makeup, Editing and Adapted Screenplay. Gosford Park_ is a beautifully handled ensemble piece with superb acting and a witty script. The soundtrack here is great, but no one noticed. In the Bedroom is THE drama of the group and without special effects, too. Here is a marriage that is held together by mutual hate. Moulin Rouge is a throwback to the musical, but so wildly done that audiences are still trying to decide whether they love it or hate it. The Lord of the Rings is the first of a three-parter and the first one was wonderful, indeed. New Zealand is sure to attract the tourist industry now. Films that were over looked in this category are Mememto, The Deep End, Charlotte Gray, Ali, Blackhawk Down, The Shipping News and The Others. Also, note throughout the nominations that there are no foreign language films/actors nominated in the acting categories.

Marie's Best Film Pick----The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

The contest in Best Director will be between Robert Altman for Gosford Park and Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings. Here you have the master at ensemble work with an original screenplay and doing it without special effects opposite the newcomer working from a literary masterpiece, a monumental cast and lots of special effects. Ridley Scott gave us 90 minutes of combat, Ron Howard brought the schizophrenic mind into theater seats and David Lynch gave a roller-coaster ride with no end. Directors overlooked here were Christopher Nolan for Memento, Baz Luhrmann for Moulin Rouge, and Todd Fields for In the Bedroom.

Marie's Best Director Pick----Robert Altman for Gosford Park

Russell Crowe, who looks nothing like the real John Nash, immerses himself in a role that is similar to Gladiator; against much opposition, the hero runs the gamut and obtains a sort of victory. If Crowe wins, he will certainly be Hollywood's Golden Boy. I have been touting Sean Penn for a nomination since seeing I Am Sam several months ago. Will Smith gained weight for Ali and gave his greatest performance to date, but it's just not enough. Denzel Washington as the crooked cop has an outside chance as he played against type. The one in last place is Tom Wilkerson for In The Bedroom as the quietly seething husband. Overlooked here were Guy Pearce for Mememto, Gene Hackman for The Royal Tenenbaums, Haley Joel Osment for A.I., Billy Bob Thornton for The Man Who Wasn't There and Kevin Kline for My Life As a House.

Marie's Best Actor Pick---Rossell Crowe for A Beautiful Mind

The Best Actress category had those behind the scenes wondering what film Nicole Kidman would be nominated for. I was pulling for The Others, but she got in on Moulin Rouge. Sissy Spacek's portrayal of a grieving mother is powerful. Dame Judi Dench as the dementia-stricken Iris Murdoch is touching and another version of a form of mental incapacity. She and Kate Winslet portray the same person in the film Iris. It will be interesting to see if Hollywood prefers both,  one, or neither as Iris. Renee Zellweger is the light touch as Bridget Jones and Halle Berry has the I-didn't-really-want-to-take-my-clothes-off role in Monster's Ball. Overlooked were Tilda Swinton for The Deep End and Naomi Watts for Mulholland Drive.

Marie's Best Actress Pick---Sissy Spacek for In the Bedroom

Best Supporting Actor has a surprise with Ethan Hawke as the rookie cop in Training Day. Who would have thought anyone could hold his own on a screen with Denzel Washington? Ben Kingsley was sure to nab a nomination for Sexy Beast and who could pick Ian McKellen out of a cast of thousands from Lord of the Rings? Was he was the one not moving fast or something? Overlooked in this group were Steve Buscemi for Ghost World, Ran Winstone for Sexy Beast, Jim Broadbent's role in Moulin Rouge, (but then, Hollywood thought he had a stronger chance with a musical), and Jude Law in A.I.

Best Supporting Actor---Ian McKellen for Lord of the Rings

Best Supporting Actress is favoring Jennifer Connelly as Nash's wife in A Beautiful Mind. Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith were in top form in Gosford Park while Marisa Tomei was touching with In the Bedroom and Kate Winslet is refreshing as the young-and-about-to-be-tragic Iris Murdoch. Overlooked here are Emily Watson in Gosford Park, Laura Dern in Novocaine or I Am Sam, and Cameron Diaz in Vanilla Sky.

Marie's Best Supporting Actress Pick---Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind

Best Foreign Language Film will be a toss-up between the war torn No Man's Land from Bosnia and the sprightly Amelie from France. The other films, Elling, Lagaan and Son of the Bride haven't gotten much press. Overlooked were Widow of St. Pierre and Under the Sand, but then they are French productions and apparently Amelie was thought the strongest Oscar contender.

Marie's Best Foreign Language Film Pick---Amelie (France)

The new category this year is Animation and it seems to be a tie between the original Monsters, Inc. and the adapted Shrek with Jimmy Neutron a close second. Overlooked here was Atlantis.

Marie's Best Animated Film Pick---Shrek

Best Music Score has nothing surprising. I was particularly taken with Shipping News, which wasn't nominated. So be it. Instead, there is the dark Lord of the Rings from Howard Shore. John Williams is competing against himself with A.I. and Harry Potter. A.I. is the better of the two. James Horner's A Beautiful Mind is sentimental and Randy Newman's Monsters, Inc. is definitely for the younger set.

Marie's Best Music Score Pick---Howard Shore for Lord of the Rings

Best Song also has a few surprises. For example, the fluffy Kate & Leopold had Sting doing "Until," which actually catches ones attention. Lord of the Rings is the favorite with "May It Be" by Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan. Monsters, Inc. has a poignant "If I Didn't Have You" by Randy Newman. Pearl Harbor has a memorable "There You'll Be" by Diane Warren and Vanilla Sky has (guess what) "Vanilla Sky" by Paul McCartney.

Marie's Best Song Pick---"May It Be" from Lord of the Rings