Richard sends along word that the Chicago Film Critics Nominations were announced on December 30th and King Kong was nominated for the following:

Best Picture

Brokeback Mountain
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
A History of Violence
King Kong

Best Director

George Clooney: Good Night, and Good Luck
David Cronenberg: A History of Violence
Peter Jackson: King Kong
Ang Lee: Brokeback Mountain
Steven Spielberg: Munich

Best Actress

Joan Allen - The Upside of Anger
Felicity Huffman - Transamerica
Keira Knightley - Pride & Prejudice
Naomi Watts - King Kong
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line

Best Original Score

Batman Begins - Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Brokeback Mountain - Gustavo Santaolalla
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Danny Elfman
King Kong - James Newton Howard
Memoirs of a Geisha - John Williams

Best Cinematography

Brokeback Mountain - Rodrigo Prieto
Good Night, and Good Luck - Robert Elswit
King Kong - Andrew Lesnie
Munich - Janusz Kaminski
The New World - Emmanuel Lubezki
Pride & Prejudice - Roman Osin