The Black Dahlia
The Black Dahlia may be James Ellroy's most beloved book, which is a strange descriptor to apply to a novel that focuses on the grisly murder of wannabe starlet Elizabeth Short. Director Brian De Palma was one of Hollywood's young lions in the 1970s and '80s, and even though his career has been as hit (Carlito's Way, Mission: Impossible) and miss (The Bonfire of the Vanities, Femme Fatale) as a one-eyed sniper since then, he can still deliver the goods when involved in the right project. With a talented cast (Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson) and a script by Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), The Black Dahlia could and should fall under that heading. Plus, as L.A. Confidential proved, Oscar voters love movies derived from Ellroy novels and movies that take place in and around Hollywood. Two potential red flags: The last time De Palma helmed an adaptation of a much-loved book, The Bonfire of the Vanities, it was such a debacle, a book was written about it, Julie Salamon's 1992 best seller, The Devil's Candy: The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood. And Josh Hartnett, who still hasn't shown he can carry a movie, plays the lead role in Dahlia.

Children of Men
The latest from director Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) has a premise that is immediately intriguing: In the distant (but not too distant) world of 2027, man has mysteriously lost the ability to procreate; the population, as a result, is slowly dying off, and that population, naturally, has panicked itself into chaos. Clive Owen, doing all sorts of Clive-Owen-y-type things, must help escort to safety a woman who is pregnant with a miracle baby so that scientists can literally save the world. Sure beats an alien attack, huh? Beyond Owen, the cast is filled with reliable players such as Michael Caine and Julianne Moore, who also happen to be Academy favorites. So expect a few nods here, unless the sci-fi elements scare Oscar voters off. From what I've seen so far, it would be their loss.