This time of year, there is enough movie news to make you bleed from the ears. On top of the actual “news” there is tons of speculation, gossip and predicting that will make your head spin if you aren’t doped up on Dramamine. That is why I am here to sort things out for you, making your Awards season a bit easier to take. It’s like having a guide to Holiday dinners with the in-laws - virtually indispensable.

On the docket this Tuesday morning are plenty of awards announcements that will undoubtedly spawn more awards speculation. Yesterday the West Side represented with some awards. AFI named its Top Ten, with Borat and Half Nelson showing up alongside Letters from Iwo Jima and Little Miss Sunshine. And LAFCA (Los Angeles Film Critics Association) announced their awards, giving praise to - Sascha Baron Cohen for Best Actor? In a tie with Forrest Whitaker? Go figure.

So while the West Coast thought Borat was “great success”, it was time to see what the folks repin’ the NYC had to say. The New York Film Critics Circle announced their awards yesterday, recognizing Paul Greengrass’ United 93 as the Best Film of the Year. This is nice, seeing as United 93 was a fantastically gripping film about something that is still fresh in the minds of New Yawk-ers. But besides saving a special place in their hearts for United 93, The NYFCC just about fell into line in most other categories. Helen Mirren took Best Actress, Forrest Whitaker took Best Actor (Sacha Baron Cohen, once again in the running) and Happy Feet took Best Animated Feature.

It was also very nice to see Martin Scorsese get some love as Best Director. He is my favorite for the Oscar, but he is also the most likely man in the world to get shafted by the Academy, especially those on the West Coast, who shunned him this week. In fact, to rub salt in his wounds, AFI put Spike Lee’s Inside Man on their Top 10 and left The Departed off. Not to take anything away from Spike’s joint, which was fantastic (and I have a huge hetero man-crush on Clive Owen), but The Departed was a much better film. Shame on you AFI, shame on you.

Speaking of feeling shame, ABC News is talking about Al Gore and a few “races” that may be forthcoming for the last man who actually stood a chance at beating Bush for the White House. Gore has been making the rounds this week (i.e. he was on Oprah, The Today Show and Leno) talking about An Inconvenient Truth, which was the most insightful and college classroom like documentary of the year. For those of you who have never been to a seminar hosted by the guy who invented the internet, I would highly recommend picking up the DVD. When asked if he would run for President in 2008, Gore said that he wasn’t planning on it, but that he hadn’t completely ruled it out. His chances of winning an Oscar however, are possibly a bit more certain.

And last but certainly not least, the BFCA (Broadcast Film Critics Association) sent out their precursor to the Critics Choice Awards to come later by announcing their Top 10 “Official Picks for 2006″. You can see the list below, as I have conveniently grabbed it from Oscar Watch:

Babel
Blood Diamond
Departed, The
Dreamgirls
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Children
Little Miss Sunshine
Notes On A Scandal
Queen, The
United 93

Yet another lists that falls in line. It is great to see Little Miss Sunshine continue to get noticed, as it is my dark horse to win it all at the end of February, but I would expect the Critics Choice to swing toward Clint Eastwood, once again failing to be a-political about the whole thing.

But whether Clint continues to win or Marty Scorsese finally gets to have his cake and eat it too, I will be constantly watching, analyzing and delivering ever moment of it on the Oscar Beat, so stay tuned.