From IMDB: Former Eurythmics star Annie Lennox will only perform her Oscar- nominated song at this year’s ceremony – if her family don’t need her at home. The Scottish singer – whose track Into The West from The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King is up for the Best Song gong at next month’s Academy Awards – has two daughters Lola and Tali with ex- husband Uri Fruchtman, and puts them before anything else, even the most exciting night of the showbiz calendar. She says, “I will if I can, it depends on what’s happening with my daughter. It looks like fun, yes? But I’ll definitely be at the Grammys!”

Some years you can’t predict the Oscars, but other years, oh boy, it’s a lead-pipe cinch. For “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” 2004 will be much like 1998 was for “Titanic.” It’s a done deal. The third chapter of Peter Jackson’s astonishing trilogy got 11 nominations this morning. On February 29, it will take home most of those statues. [More]

I can only chalk this up to vying for a bit of attention. It seems Michael Wilbon & Tony Kornhieser bashed LOTR today on their show, ‘Pardon the Interruption’ on ESPN. They both admitted they hadn’t seen any of the movies, but still proceeded to call it a “stupid hobbit movie”. Go figure…

Now that the last installment of The Lord of the Rings saga has reaped 11 Oscar nominations and appears a shoo-in for best picture, there is another concern on the minds of its fan fellowship. When can we expect the extended DVD version of The Return of the King? Director Peter Jackson just edited the four-hour, 10-minute longer cut, due in November. The theatrical version will arrive in May or June. [More]

Lord of the Rings stars Orlando Bloom and Billy Boyd have survived a surfing scare off America’s west coast. The duo thought they were heading for a gruesome end when they saw a fin swimming towards their surf boards in shark-infested waters, reports the Teen Hollywood website. [More]

Aaron writes: There’s a poll out at BCC asking which films should win an Oscar – ROTK of course! [More]