Mt. Oscar

PEAKING

TOM CRUISE MUST BE JEALOUS: As a star in “Babel” and producer on “The Departed,” Brad Pitt has become not just a B.O. force but an awards force after the films’ collective 13 Golden Globe nominations.

CLIMBING

FUN IN THE SUN: The new year kicks off in style when the Palm Springs International Film Festival honors Kate Winslet, Todd Field, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Jessica Biel on Jan. 6.

CRITICS UNITED: After a slow start, “United 93” was named best picture by the New York Film Critics, and Paul Greengrass won best director from Los Angeles and San Fancisco critics.

AT BASE CAMP

A FAMILY AFFAIR: Warren Beatty will receive the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille award while wife Annette Bening is a nominee. Jack Nicholson is a nominee while his daughter is Miss Golden Globe.

GORE ON THE DANCE FLOOR: Al Gore danced the night away at Paramount Vantage’s anniversary party in celebration of his “An Inconvenient Truth.”

WELL COUCHED: Warner Bros.’ set of seven screeners (including “The Departed,” “The Good German” and “Letters From Iwo Jima”) arrives just in time for the holidays.

LOOKING FOR A SHERPA

‘THE QUEEN’ BEATS THE KING: The new Miramax has seven Globe nominations, while old Miramax chieftain Harvey Weinstein only managed four.

DJIMON IN THE ROUGH: After early critical praise, “Blood Diamond” star Djimon Hounsou did not receive a Golden Globe nomination last week.

REBEL, REBEL: After a patriotic “comeback” with “World Trade Center,” Oliver Stone is fined by the feds for visiting Fidel Castro. Will it hurt his Oscar chances?