Well, in fact there are four contenders. One is Pedro Almodovar's mystery movie Volver about the bonding between mothers and daughters while the other three are World Trade Center, United 93 and Dreamgirls .You may even say that Little Miss Sunshine, a surprise entry, was snubbed in a way.

A huge hit in Europe where it has grossed $80 million, the critically acclaimed Volver from Spain has done pretty well for a subtitled film in America, grossing $6 million. However, the film, which was expected to get at least four nominations was nominated only for one category -- best actress. Penelope Cruz deserves the nomination for her smashing role of a radiant mother, who helps her teenage daughter hide a terrible secret.

Two time oscar winner Almodovar now hopes for a third Oscar, not for himself, but for Cruz. His All About My Mother won the foreign language Oscar in 1999, and original screenplay for Talk to Her three years later.

Oscar nominations, 2007

The second film that was snubbed was United 93, which is a harrowing but sober-minded docudrama about the hijacked flight that nose-dived into a Pennsylvania field on 9/11. Though its director Paul Greengrass was nominated, the film failed to get on the best picture list.

Ditto for Oliver Stone's riveting 9/11 survival drama, World Trade Center, which had a superlative performance by Nicolas Cage.

However, the fourth film that was royally snubbed was Dreamgirls, a musical focusing on the hopes, dreams and realities of a few black young women. Ironically, it had the highest nominations -- eight. 

Earlier, it was hoped that the film, which had received the Golden Globe best picture award (in the musical or comedy category), would not only get the top nominations but could actually win the crown.

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It was not only films that were snubbed. Actors too got the cold shoulder.

Jack Nicholson failed to get a nomination for his role inThe Departed, despite the fact that the film was nominated for best picture and director (Martin Scorsese). But the Boston mob drama, which has become quite a hit in North America and worldwide, received a nomination for Mark Wahlberg. This often underestimated actor plays a bitter police officer.

However, it was great to see an independent low budget hit Little Miss Sunshine get a handful of strong nominations including best picture and best original screenplay. Commercially too, the film, which cost about $6 million, did well grossing about $100 million worldwide. But this film about a dysfunctional family did not get a nomination for best director. This film is the directorial debut of husband and wife team, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

This surprise hit of the season also earned supporting-actor nominations for the engaging 10-year-old Abigail Breslin and veteran Alan Arkin, as an irritable grandfather who ironically understands the little girl's problems while others in the family are preoccupied with their own personal hell.

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The video released by Fox Searchlight last week is emerging as one of the top video and DVD hits of the season.