In a year replete with great trash, American Hustle is the crown princess of the bunch.
If I had to bet which Oscar contender will score the most nominations without a single win, I’d go for Saving Mr. Banks.
Streep has earned kudos for a performance that’s fine, but not stellar when measured against her better work.
The Butler is likely to crack the Best Picture lineup, even if claiming the big prize is all but impossible.
A buzzworthy turn overshadowing a movie’s failings is a trend this Oscar season.
It would certainly make sense to see Paul Greengrass among shoo-ins like Steve McQueen and Alfonso Cuarón.
“Young and Beautiful” might be the very best thing to have emerged from Luhrmann’s epic undertaking.
This is a film that most would agree boasts a whole lot of locks and scant few question marks.
On the visual front, it seems highly unlikely that Bruno Delbonnel will be passed over in the Cinematography field.
To many fans dismay, the arenas in which the film is most likely to fall short are the acting categories.
Steve McQueen doesn’t seem to know the difference between the unflinching and the gratuitous.
The film’s box office and critical successes probably mean that its nomination haul won’t end with Blanchett.
This is the first film year in a long while that’s made me want to applaud Harvey Weinstein.
With its Oscar clout and inevitable crowd-pleasing matched by widespread critical ire, the film is easily the year’s most divisive awards contender.
Any major-race hopes that Focus Features may have had for the film were basically dashed this week.
Consider Bigelow a virtual lock, tightening up the Best Director field alongside Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, Ben Affleck, and, perhaps, Tom Hooper or David O. Russell.
What remains in the air is just how many plays the David O. Russell film can pull off.
Though it boasts the strongest pedigree of all 2012 awards contenders, Lincoln doesn’t play like obvious Oscar bait while you’re watching it.
Biopics may have the strongest track record in currying Academy favor, but tales of overcoming physical obstacles aren’t far behind.
At this stage, the alternately thrilling and unwieldy three-hour epic is the season’s closest thing to a wild card.