Chart Updates - All Acting Categories

Is it us or are the four of the acting races murkier than they usually would be during the week of Oscar voting? We chalk this up to a bit less precursor uniformity between Critics Choice, Globes, SAG nods, and the regional critical consensus. On the other hand that regional critical consensus has been very pronounced with a clear lineup of winners that go like so: Parasite/Bong Joon Ho / Nyongo / Driver / Dern / Pitt. But what we're dealing with right now is the nomination game which is far more complex than "who wins".

BEST ACTRESS - Six women are still very much in the mix and it's quite difficult to guess who will be left out. Passion suggests that Cynthia Erivo or Charlize Theron would be in danger of the "snub" but on the other hand you're not often the snubbee if you're the one doing the biographical role... especially if there's mimicry. For now we've opted to have Saoirse Ronan be the odd woman out but that doesn't feel right either given the very current groundswell of love for that picture. At any rate we think it's between the six listed on the chart with Alfre Woodard (Clemency) and Awkwafina (The Farewell) staring to look like impossible dreams in this final decision week...

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Updates!

We know you've waited a long time for them. As a New Year's Eve gift the charts for PICTURE, DIRECTOR, and INTERNATIONAL FILM have all been updated. Plus the REVIEWS index, too. More to come obviously as these updates were badly needed given all the precursor nominations we've seen.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Be safe tonight

Why Pedro Almodovar will be nominated at the Oscars

by Murtada Elfadl

Pedro Almodovar will be nominated for best director at the Oscars. Currently Bong Joon Ho, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino lead the pack. Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, Sam Mendes, Todd Phillips and Taika Waititi are fighting for the 4th spot. The 5th is booked for Almodovar. He might not appear on any director shortlist before January 13th, but his name will be called on the day when it most matters. There are 3 reasons why he’ll be nominated...

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FYC The Next Academy President Will Be...

As you may have heard rumors are afoot about who will replace Cheryl Boone-Isaacs when her term as up as President of AMPAS and Laura Dern's name keeps popping up. Cheryl Boone-Isaacs presided with a mostly clear head over a difficult stretch of Oscar history but she can't run this year (four consecutive terms is the limit, each term is 1 year). Despite the excessive campaigning that goes on at Oscar time for nominations, the Academy doesn't like any active campaigning when it comes to this role.

In other words, don't count on David Lynch showing up with his cow on Los Angeles streets to campaign for Laura Dern as he did when she starred in INLAND EMPIRE (2006). The rumored frontrunners for this prestigious but unpaid position are...

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