Those are this year's Oscar nominees. Charlie's on the far left and Kate's four to his right, alongside Leonardo. Thanks to Tram and clemato for that one. [UPDATE: Messed up the link, but it works now.]

Variety thinks this might be Charlie's year for an Academy Award.

Screenplay consideration is currently divided into two categories: adapted and original works. Now may be the time, however, to add a third subgroup: everything by Charlie Kaufman.

Kaufman is up for a third time -- "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation" were also nominated -- for his off-the-wall script "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," for which co-star Kate Winslet also landed a nom.

"Adaptation" losing out to "The Pianist" was certainly a surprise in 2003 but chances are that Kaufman will make amends now, finally cashing in for a script that bends time and imagination. His works throw structure out the window -- something voters looking for originality should appreciate.

The Acad bestowed a leading 11 noms on "The Aviator" and included screenwriter John Logan on that list as well. He spent five years -- and 15 drafts -- on the Howard Hughes biopic and had to whittle it down to a specific period of Hughes' life: from the making of "Hells Angels" to some 20 years later, when his legal battles to keep control of his airline and his compulsions were consuming him.

Unlike Kaufman, Logan had to do exhaustive research on his script, needing to stay true to the authenticity of the period -- from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s -- and voters might want to reward him for all that intensive homework.

I'm hopeful. But I'm also a pessimist. Thanks to Maria for sending along the link, and these:

They're from a Q&A at the Arclight Charlie Kaufman Retrospective, October '04. Looks like he was having himself a good time, which is always swell to see. More in the gallery.