Mt. Oscar

PEAKING:

Britannia rules:

Vets Helen Mirren and Peter O’Toole stake early Oscar claims. But given the latest buzz, Judi Dench’s turn in Christmas Day’s “Notes on a Scandal” could climb past all comers.

CLIMBING:

Language barrier?

Penelope Cruz is drawing raves for her performance in “Volver,” but can she win an Oscar speaking her native Spanish?

Eccentric ladies:

Annette Bening might have the performance of her career in “Running With Scissors,” but is the movie too outre for Oscar tastes? Ditto for Nicole Kidman, in the offbeat not-quite-a-Diane-Arbus biopic, “Fur.”

Devil’s candy:

Meryl Streep hasn’t won an Oscar since 1983, but her unexpected turn as a magazine’s chilly editrix in “The Devil Wears Prada” has converts.

AT BASE CAMP:

Dream ticket:

Can Oscar’s dark prince, Harvey Weinstein, make a contender out of “Bobby,” which audiences get a first look at tonight at AFI Fest’s opening gala?

Dearly departed:

This year, Martin Scorsese’s Oscar momentum seems more authentic than manufactured.

Out of Africa:

Forest Whitaker, Derek Luke and Djimon Hounsou anchor three worthy films, but how many Africa movies can land an Oscar nom?

LOOKING FOR A SHERPA:

The youth vote:

Can new academy members like Dakota Fanning help the Oscars skew younger? ABC can hope, but, hey, the kid’s only 12.

The better German?

Early audiences were mixed on Steven Soderbergh’s “The Good German,” so the director took the Cate Blanchett-George Clooney pic back to the editing room.

Stop in the name of buzz:

With Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles and “American Idol” finalist Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls” is the fastest rising film that no one has seen.