'Dreamgirls' proves the forecasters wrong

David Carr, Carpetbagger blog, NYTimes.com, Nov. 16, 2006: Think of the Bagger as a monkey out a limb with a very sophisticated ten-key calculator. But he is willing to bet, based on his vast history of Oscar coverage — okay, it was one season, but still — that "Dreamgirls" will become the film that ate the 79th Annual Academy awards. Best Picture? Settled.... Directing? Done. Art direction? Natch. Costume design? Can't touch this. Sound? Please. Adapted screenplay? Send the hardware.

Tom O'Neil, Gold Derby blog, TheEnvelope.com, Nov. 16, 2006: Bill Condon and crew blasted the roof off the joint. We now, officially, have a best picture front-runner ... that's going to be tough to beat.

Stephen Galloway, the Hollywood Reporter, Jan. 10: Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Departed," Miramax's "The Queen" and Paramount/ DreamWorks' "Dreamgirls" are almost certain announcements on Jan. 23.

Joel Siegel, "Good Morning America" film critic, ABCNews.com, Jan. 23: Oscar predictions: Best Picture: "Babel," "The Departed," "Dreamgirls," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Queen."

David Poland, the Hot Blog, MovieCityNews.com, Dec. 29, 2006: Dreamgirls will win Best Picture. And part of that is that there really is no other candidate that has the weight or whim to beat a box office winner with a muscular presence in all of the guilds, two actors who are expected by most to win the two Supporting categories, and which is, first and last, a story about making it in show business.

Dave Karger, Entertainment Weekly, Nov. 17, 2006: (a best picture best bet, "Dreamgirls.") ... the sassy musical is the perfect antidote to all the tougher stuff in this race.

Tom Charity, CNN.com, Jan. 22: Best Picture shoo-ins: "The Departed," "Dreamgirls," "The Queen." Best Director shoo-ins: Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls"), Martin Scorsese ("The Departed").