No doubts for SAG

We were having doubts. Not about the intense is-he-or-isn't-he-a-pedophile-priest drama, "Doubt," based on the award-winning Broadway play. There's no equivocating there -- it's searingly good.

We were starting to doubt our faith in the drama being able to go the Oscar distance.

Not its performances, which have been and continue to be strong contenders, but the film as a potential best picture candidate. We very nearly dumped it off our Oscar predictions, which would've made our five picks look like this (not in any particular order): "Slumdog Millionaire," "Frost/Nixon," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight" and "Milk."

But today, thanks to the Screen Actors Guild nods, we're standing our ground. Sorry, "Frost/Nixon."

"Doubt" snagged five nominations this morning, including the top prize for the ensemble cast, which isn't really the same thing as the Oscar best picture, but it's close enough for us. It's an indication of support for the John Patrick Shanley film that we think will carry through the season.

So much for award noms validating your resident Gold Rusher. Plenty of places that didn't happen with SAG's choices, including what we consider to be the biggest mistake of the day: Leonardo DiCaprio is not among the best actor nominees for "Revolutionary Road," nor is Michael Shannon for an unforgettable turn in Richard Yates book-based drama. No Sally Hawkins for "Happy-Go-Lucky" and no Rosemarie DeWitt for "Rachel Getting Married." Boo!

Did Clint Eastwood belong on the list for "Gran Torino?" Does Angelina Jolie's inclusion for "Changeling" presage Oscar? No and unlikely. Is "The Dark Knight" still alive? Possibly.

Thrilled about? The Richard Jenkins best actor nod for "The Visitor," and supporting nominations for "Slumdog's" Dev Patel and "Tropic Thunder's" Robert Downey Jr. (Presumptive front-runner, the late Heath Ledger, is there, too).

The announcements have launched fevered chatter all over the Internets today. To wit:

Carpetbagger wonders why there was no love for Josh Brolin's uncanny Bush impression in "W." and Cate Blanchett in "Benjamin Button," and Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere unleashes, as he's wont to do, on xenophobia (where's Kristin Scott Thomas?) and celebrity butt-kissing (Brad Pitt? Really?)