In firing the opening shot of this year's awards season, the National Board of Review went with a bit of a surprise, giving its Best Picture honor to Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima, a Japanese-language release that was originally slated for early 2007 but bumped up just a few weeks ago. The movie's English-language companion piece, Flags of Our Fathers, was released in October to mixed reviews and middling box office, and had been expected to be a major Oscar contender this year. While it didn't rate a major award, Flags did receive a spot in the group's top ten films of 2006. Two other surprises were had in the supporting categories as well, with Djimon Hounsou winning for Blood Diamond and Catherine O'Hara named for her comedic turn in For Your Consideration. As for the other major categories, heavy hitters prevailed, with early Oscar faves Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Helen Mirren (The Queen) taking lead honors, Martin Scorsese (The Departed) winning Best Director, Volver named as Best Foreign Film, and Cars and An Inconvenient Truth taking animated and documentary honors, respectively. In terms of omissions, the most notable was the absence of Dreamgirls from the group's top ten films of the year, a list that included The Devil Wears Prada, The History Boys, and Little Miss Sunshine, among others. Almost always the first group to hand out awards, the National Board of Review is made up of film professionals, teachers, students and historians.

The top ten films of the year as named by the National Board of Review: Letters from Iwo Jima, Babel, Blood Diamond, The Departed, The Devil Wears Prada, Flags of Our Fathers, The History Boys, Little Miss Sunshine, Notes on a Scandal and The Painted Veil.

The iconic black dress Audrey Hepburn wore in the 1961 movie Breakfast At Tiffany's fetched $800,000 at auction in London yesterday. The lot was only expected to fetch $135,000, with all proceeds from the sale donated to the City Of Joy Aid, which helps Indians living in poverty. The film and entertainment sale, a fundraiser at Christie's auction house, featured 277 lots, including the Christmas jumper worn by Colin Firth in Bridget Jones's Diary and a selection of decommissioned guns used by James Bond. Bidding is currently ongoing on these items and Star Wars props, including a design for Obi Wan Kenobi's costume and a test mask C3-PO.

Britney Spears has been named the most searched name on internet search engine Yahoo! in 2006 - the fifth time she's topped the annual list in the last six years. Female celebrities feature heavily in Yahoo!'s top ten - Shakira takes third spot, beating out competition from Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton, who place fourth and fifth respectively. American wrestling TV network WWE is the second most searched for item on Yahoo!. Yahoo! spokesperson Cathi Early says, "Why she keeps ranking top... is beyond me." The tragic death of Steve Irwin in September was the most searched for new item.

Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z are reportedly planning a secret wedding this weekend in Caribbean holiday retreat Anguilla, according to US reports. Dreamgirls star Knowles is reportedly planning a four-day birthday party for her man on a yacht harbored off the coast of St. Bart's, but the bash is just a cover for a wedding ceremony at Anguilla's Cap Juluca resort, according to New York Post's gossip column Page Six. A source tells the publication that guests have been told to have their passports ready by Friday for a party on a yacht in St. Bart's - but everyone knows a surprise wedding is planned. The news comes a day after Jay-Z debuted his new video "Lost One" on MTV's Total Request Live show, in which he raps about possibly splitting from Knowles. He rhymes, "I don't think it's meant to be, B/For she loves the work more than she does me/And, honestly, at 23, I would probably love my work more than I did she/So we ain't we, it's me and her/That's what she prefers."

Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly received a serious neck injury while filming a car chase with Leonardo DiCaprio on the set of their new film Blood Diamond. The A Beautiful Mind star had a hard time adjusting to the pain medication she was prescribed and embarrassed herself by attending a work dinner and drinking wine. She explains, "I got a pretty serious neck injury, which was a shock, because I've never had a real injury before - as were the meds, frankly. The pills that they give you - those were a real shock. It says on the label, 'Do not operate any heavy machinery', but, in my case, it should have been, 'Do not leave the house under any circumstances'. I, of course, took no heed and, unfortunately, I do vaguely remember talking to someone, saying I thought it would be a good idea if I, who has no experience of credentials whatsoever, edited the film. I do remember getting irritated with (husband) Paul Bettany, who was kicking me under the table, because... he could clearly see the person I was talking to was the editor of the film. I then also tried to replace the DJ, evidently, at the club, because I thought I could do better at that, as well. Paul, gracefully, dragged me home before I got pummeled."

Pop star Jessica Simpson's poor performance at the Kennedy Center Honors event on Sunday night was due to her faulty dress. Simpson performed the song "9 to 5" during a tribute to Dolly Parton and was seen awkwardly clutching her strapless gown with one arm while holding a microphone with the other. According to American publication Star, the singer was desperately trying to keep her gown up until the end of the song and became distracted while heavily relying on cue cards to read the lyrics. Simpson became visibly distraught after flubbing the song and abruptly exited the stage after saying, "Dolly, you make me so nervous!" The botched performance will not air during the televised special on December 26, as Simpson requested to re-tape the segment after the show.

The highway patrolman who arrested Mel Gibson for drunk-driving in July has fired back at his own department for the ordeal he was put through following the controversy. Los Angeles County Deputy James Mee claims he was forced into "an Internal Affairs investigation within 72 hours of the arrest of Mr. Gibson" in a letter sent to the Sheriff's Department, and obtained by news website Tmz.com. Mee's lawyer Richard Shinee, who sent the letter in October, claims his client was interrogated for five hours and the deputy "was compelled to give a statement regarding all aspects of the transaction between himself and Mr. Gibson, including questions with regard to the alleged leak of information to the press." Mee was reportedly told to sanitize his report, removing details of any anti-Semitic remarks the movie star made at the scene of his arrest. In the letter, Shinee says Deputy Mee "told the investigators that he was ordered to change his report, and further, that he did so against his will." Mee then reportedly became the subject of a criminal investigation immediately after his interview. Tmz.com has learned Mee has since been taken off patrol duty in Malibu, California - where Gibson was arrested - and reassigned. The site also claims the Sheriff's Department has recently targeted Mee in a separate investigation, allegedly for getting into an argument with a superior. Shinee says, "(This) is nothing more than ongoing harassment."

Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson hinted at the troubles in their short marriage during a candid interview regarding their big day. After posing for a series of sexy couple shots for the American edition of GQ magazine, the pair sat down for an interview and traded barbs about the friends at their St Tropez, France wedding. Recalling their July 29 marriage in the current December 2006 issue of the publication, rap rocker Rock growled the guests were made up of "whoever could afford to come," adding, "None of my friends were there." He later claims, "I'm not in charge of this relationship." When his new wife attempted to correct him, stating, "They're all your friends, baby..." Rock snapped, "None of my friends were there." Then, in a further exchange, the couple disputed the use of the word 'gay' when tough guy Rock, real name Robert Ritchie, insisted, "That just takes the gay meter right to the end" when asked to confirm he sang U2's "With Or Without You" to his new bride on their wedding day. Anderson attempted to correct him by saying, "That's enough with the gay word. That's not nice," but her husband glibly jokes, "It's a new word. All the kids are using it." The actress/model even threatened divorce, which she filed for last week, when her husband jokes about her animal rights work. Asked by the magazine if his wife's love for animals is making an impact, Rock jokes, "Now I shoot the deer and she saves it," which prompts angry Anderson to retort, "That's divorce right there. You shoot anything, it's over. That's in writing."

Hollywood superstar George Clooney is in mourning after his pet pig died at the age of 18. The Syriana actor lived with his beloved Max in his Hollywood home - and the pair even slept together in the same bed when Clooney was without a female companion. Clooney says, "He was as old a pig as the vets had ever seen. I was really sad, because he's been a big part of my life. It has been a bad year for my pets, I had a bulldog that died this year too. It's strange how animals become a bit part of your family. They really become a big issue with you." However, Clooney has no plans to replace Max. He adds, "I think Max covered all my pig needs."

Scrubs beauty Sarah Chalke is ecstatic after her long-term love Jamie Afifi proposed to her in Hawaii last week. The Canadian couple were holidaying on the US island when entertainment lawyer Afifi, 33, got down on one knee. Chalke, who plays Doctor Elliot Reid on the medical comedy, returned to the NBC studios on Monday to resume filming on the show's sixth season.