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By CAROL CLING
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Oscar fever once again dominates next week's video picture, with the focus on a pair of current contenders -- and one of the two most honored movies in Oscar history. (Stay tuned for the answers to this trivia quiz.)
And the first nominee is: "Almost Famous" (DreamWorks, Tuesday). Writer-director Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical tale of a precocious '70s teen (newcomer Patrick Fugit), on assignment for Rolling Stone, who goes on the road with a struggling rock group (led by Billy Crudup and Jason Lee) snagged four nominations, including those for Crowe's screenplay and supporting actresses Frances McDormand (as a stern but loving mother) and Kate Hudson (as an inspirational groupie).
Checking in with three nominations: "Wonder Boys" (Paramount, Tuesday). Director Curtis Hanson's follow-up to "L.A. Confidential" focuses on a dissipated creative writing professor (Michael Douglas), who finds his life crashing down around him at at a weekend literary festival, thanks to (among others), an eccentric student (Tobey Maguire), his impatient editor (Robert Downey Jr.) and the university chancellor (the busy McDormand), who also happens to be his pregnant lover. In addition to its screenplay (adapted from Michael Chabon's novel), "Wonder Boys' " Oscar nominations include film editing and Bob Dylan's original song, "Things Have Changed."
Definitely not in the running for any Oscars: "The Sixth Day" (Columbia/TriStar, Tuesday), which returns Arnold Schwarzenegger to action as a former fighter pilot who discovers he's been cloned -- and must fight for his life...