Comedy is tough to do well. Smart comedy is a true gift. If you don’t know already (which means you’ve just returned from a long trip in space), The 40 Year Old Virgin is a very funny film. The film deserves its accolades as one the best comedies of last year. If you missed the film in theaters as I did, the DVD released in December has a decent collection of extra scenes and outtakes one would expect with this type of film.
So after seeing Turtles Can Fly (which you really should do), if you’re in the need for some comic relief (you will be), Steve Carell’s performance as the man for whom “it hasn’t happened” should be the perfect salve. Carell seems to know what many of his colleagues do not: that even if a comedy revolves around the lead character’s flaw, making that character outrageously one-dimensional does not enhance the film. Carell’s Andy is funny because his combination of strengths and shortcomings make him believable. Relying on a smart script supplemented with improvisation, Carell and his truly supporting cast, including Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, and the beautifully understated Jane Lynch (Best in Show), hit almost every mark.
Here are this morning’s Oscar-nominated films, alphabetically. The nominees for foreign language film and documentary feature are compiled at the end of the list. (Short format nominees are listed in a 
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