Life is full of disappointments and the bedraggled heroine in Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s sweet-yet-slight comedy has suffered her ample share.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the final chapter in Peter Jackson’s majestic fantasy trilogy, led the Academy Awards race today with 11 nominations, including best picture and director.

American Splendor, the autobiography of a grumpy file clerk who attains cult celebrity status by becoming a comic book writer, took best picture honours at the National Society of Film Critics awards in the US.