As Oscar nominations are announced today, the entertainment industry will begin its month and a half long media blitz. And, as usual, the masses will hum with giddy anticipation until March 23, while people like you and I sit back lamenting that our personal favorites inevitably got overlooked by the petty corporate scheme that is Oscar. The year 2002 seems likely to become an exception to the rule though, as this year Hollywood offered a surprising number of quality, critically-acclaimed films that folks of more discriminating tastes will not despise being lauded by the Academy.

It's next to impossible for the Academy to completely ignore such celebrated and original films as "Far from Heaven" and "About Schmidt." This year's grab bag of nominations is sure to be an odd medley of studio-marketed critical favorites as well as original works by some of today's leading peripheral director/writers.

This year's likely nominations for best picture are some of the most predictable in recent history. While the award trend, as always, tends to favor late year studio releases, 2002's last minute offerings were prolific in quality and originality. Oscar's menu will almost certainly mirror the Golden Globe nominations (which included "Gangs of New York," "The Pianist," "The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers," "About Schmidt" and winner "The Hours") with the substitution of either "Chicago" or more likely "Far From Heaven" in place of "Gangs."

Popular favorite, "Lord of the Rings: Two Towers" is likely to garner many nominations and, as expected, should sweep the technical categories. While many "Lord of the Rings" enthusiasts saw last years' proceedings as a populist rebuke by the Academy, they are convinced that 2002 will be the year for Peter Jackson and his second Hobbit outing.

Personally, I think "Lord of the Rings" is bound to return to Middle Earth empty handed; the Academy Awards is no place for a Hobbit. Instead, this year most likely belongs to the writing and directing forces of Alexander Payne ("About Schmidt") and Todd Haynes ("Far From Heaven") who both turned out some of their finest films in 2002.

An impressive show of foreign cinema this year will duke it out in the foreign film category, but the shoe-in for an Oscar is Pedro Almodovar's "Hable con Ella." Other popular candidates include "8 Women," "Fast Runner," "Y Tu Mam* Tambin" and "City of God."

Unfortunately, like every year, the Oscars will have its share of big-money, big talk popular losers which make the cut. This year's obvious choices are Miramax's "Chicago" and Paramount's "The Hours." Two disappointing and blatant critical nods, they are sure to inject this year's list with a dose of estrogen via Rene Zellwege and Nicole Kidman.

Of course, Oscar time is also a time for mass unfairness to many genuine quality films in release, especially to the foreign market. "Punch Drunk Love," P.T. Anderson's finest film to date, will unfortunately be snubbed because of its unavoidable kookiness. Even Spielberg's "Minority Report" and "Catch Me if You Can," two very popular yet incredibly dense and well-crafted films are only guaranteed technical nods.