2013 - Great Expectations ?

 The first great film of 2013

Now that  we are all stuck with waiting for the big day with no more precursors to look forward to/obsess over , I thought it might be fun to take a long, early look at the 2013/2014 Oscar Season.

First, a few notes :

1. Sorry for the typos and grammatical errors : it was a lot to go through and English is still not my first language.
2. Don't put too much emphasis on the rankings, what the hell would I know this early in the race ? Your guess is as good as mine.
3.  Feel free to add names and titles I forgot, I'm sure there are many!

Now that we've covered all that, here are the (on paper) most likely contenders in the eight main categories :

BEST PICTURE & BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

2013 - A Hundred Films That Might Pique The Academy's Interest

THE PEDIGREE

1. The Monuments Men (George Clooney)
   In a race against time, a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them. With a great story, and a cast like this (George Clooney, Matt Damon, Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Bonneville and Jean Dujardin), it will be definitely one of the most anticipated of 2013.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese)
   A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. The Scorsese-Dicaprio duo has an excellent track record, so no reason to NOT expect this one to be a masterpiece...or at least something like it.
3. August : Osage County (John Wells)
   The Weston family overcomes certain differences when their alcoholic patriarch goes missing. Acting giants, movie stars, excellent source material, The Weinstein Company...it's hard to imagine anything going wrong here...although that's exactly what people said about Nine.
4. The Great Gatsby (Baz Luhrmann)
   Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy. Although I still can't get my head around the Luhrmann+Gatsby+3D concept, as it is clearly a remarkably unexpected one, I have high hopes that 'unexpected' will result a masterpiece here.
5. Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass)
   The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. After a few recent misses, it seems like Tom Hanks will get his mojo back this year. Greengrass is a fantastic director and the premise definitely sounds intriguing.
6. The Railway Man (Jonathan Teplitzky)
   A victim from World War II's "Death Railway" sets out to find those responsible for his torture. A true story. It sounds like something right up the Academy's alley and with Oscar winners, Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman at the front and Harvey Weinstein behind it, this could go a long way.
7. Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller)
   The story of John du Pont, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and killed Olympic wrestler David Schultz. Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) has an excellent track record and I'm fairly certain his winning streak won't end now, the material seems strong and Steve Carrell could be his third lead to make the cut in Best Actor.
8. Inside Llewyn Davies (Joel & Ethan Coen)
   A singer-songwriter navigates New York's folk music scene during the 1960s. The Academy loves the Coen brothers, and this one definitely looks great, the first trailer was excellent, so let's just wait and see how it goes!
9. Twelve Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
   A man living in New York during the mid-1800s is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep south. Steve McQueen has been an unsung hero for a while now, delivering one masterpiece (Hunger) after another (Shame) but this could be finally the year he receives mainstream recognition...and seeing that several of THE most sought after actors (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch) lined up for this, I'm assuming the script was excellent.
10. Saving Mr. Banks (John Lee Hancock)
    Author P.L. Travers travels from London to Hollywood as Walt Disney Pictures adapts her novel Mary Poppins for the big screen. A holiday release from Buena Vista directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), starring Tom Hanks as Walter Disney and Emma Thompson as Mary Poppins author, P.L. Travers ? If this makes money, it could be easily the crowdpleaser of the Oscar season.

2013 - The Leading Ladies

POTENTIAL FRONTRUNNERS

1. Naomi Watts (Diana)
   An iconic role played by someone so luminous as Watts, is promising already and if she doesn't win for The Impossible this year, she will have a lot of leftover goodwill, as well.
2. Meryl Streep (August : Osage County)
   She would be an instant contender even if she played an armchair, but the role of Violet Weston in her hands AND the film backed by The Weinstein Company, basically guarantees at least the nomination.
3. Kate Winslet (Labor Day)
   Playing a depressed single mom sounds Awards-friendly enough, add the fact that Jason Reitman is great with female leads (Young Adult, Juno), and she might just win her second Oscar in the end.
4. Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks)
   FINALLY a worthy Oscar-comeback in the makings...Thompson – who shockingly enough hasn't been part of the Oscar game for almost two decades now – plays iconic Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers in this Disney Holiday release, directed by John Lee Hancock whose previous leading lady WON the Best Actress Oscar (The Blind Side).
5. Jessica Chastain (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby)
   This film seems like a daring piece of art, and as such, it could divide critics and audiences BUT if it will be embraced, with all the Oscar-love she has been receiving lately, Chastain could win. The fact that she has her own film (Hers), so does her co-star, James McAvoy (His), just makes this project all the more unique.
6. Nicole Kidman (Grace of Monaco)
   Olivier Dahan directed one of the best female performances in recent memory (Marion Cotillard in La Mome) and now his new female lead plays another iconic role. Kidman is remarkably talented, so even if the film disappoints, she most certainly won't, what might hurt her chances, is the damaging factor of split votes : she has two VERY baity supporting roles this year (The Railway Man, Stoker), so it might just happen that she will be recognized in that category this time.
7. Jennifer Lawrence (Serena OR Catching Fire)
   Serena is an excellent role and she most certainly has the chops to nail it, so if the film will be good enough, with the inevitable buzz and success the November release of Catching Fire will bring, she could easily emerge as the frontrunner...that is IF she loses this year.
8. Carey Mulligan (The Great Gatsby OR Inside Llewyn Davis)
   Another great actress who could be up for awards in both categories. Daisy Buchanan is a legendary role, one that has 'role of a lifetime' written all over it, meanwhile she could be a memorable supporting player in the Coen film.
9. Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
   One-(wo)man shows are always risky, but I have great faith in the brilliant Alfonsó Cuarón and firmly believe this could be Bullock's best performance to date whether she receives a nomination in the end or not.
10. Judi Dench (Philomena)
    The role of a woman who searches for her adult son, who was taken away from her decades ago when she was forced to live in a convent, is baity enough, but in the hands of someone like the great Judi Dench AND directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen), it simply sounds pure gold.

2013 - The Leading Men

POTENTIAL FRONTRUNNERS

1. Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street OR The Great Gatsby)
   The fact that he hasn't been nominated since Blood Diamond (2006) even though delivered excellent performances in The Departed (2006), Revolutionary Road (2008), Shutter Island (2010), Inception (2010), J. Edgar (2011), Django Unchained (2012), is weird. In 2013 he reteams with Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet) to play the iconic Jay Gatsby, and with Martin Scorsese (Shutter Island, The Departed, The Aviator, Gangs of New York) for the Jordan Belfort biopic. Long story short, if he can't get at least a nomination now, it will be official : the Academy has a problem...with him.
2. George Clooney (The Monuments Men)
   Even though he has been nominated for Best Actor three times, he never won, and he came remarkably close with The Descendants. Could this be his year ?
3. Colin Firth (The Railway Man)
   Playing a World War II victim definitely sounds like an Oscar-role, and once again with The Weinstein Company in his corner, this might just garner him his third Best Actor nomination.
4. Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club OR Mud)
   Basically the press has already started his Oscar-campaign when they made a big fuss about his weight loss for Dallas Buyers Club. After his great work in the last two years, I have no doubt that his performance will be nothing short of extraordinary...question is will the film be fittingly great to back him up ?
5. Tom Hanks (Captain Philipps OR Saving Mr. Banks)
   After losing his mojo for the last couple of years, it seems he is about to get it back, the real question is whether he will be a contender for his Greengrass-film or his iconic role (Walter Disney)...or if they downgrade the second to supporting, maybe for both ?
6. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Twelve Years a Slave)
   He has been making the rounds for years, proving more than once his worth as a remarkably talented actor. McQueen's ambitious odyssey could be the big break he so richly deserves.
7. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Fifth Estate)
   He is heading for a brilliant year, playing Julian Assange in this, the villain in Star Trek : Into the Darkness, the best male part in August: Osage County, and a baity role in Twelve years a slave. I firmly believe he will be one of the strongest Oscar contenders next season, whether it will be in lead (The Fifth Estate) or supporting (everything else) or both, now THAT is the question.
8. Steve Carrell (Foxcatcher)
   Playing against type is something the Academy tends to respond to, and what can be more against type for this funnyman than a homicidal schizophreniac ?
9. Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale)
   He received rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and with Harvey Weinstein in his corner, he could be easily the acting revelation of the year.
10. Forest Whitaker (The Butler)
    If Lee Daniels delivers a great film, Whitaker WILL be back in the Oscar-game with the role that seems like his best since The Last King of Scotland.

2013 - The Supporting Actresses

POTENTIAL FRONTRUNNERS

1. Julianne Moore (Carrie)
   Even though we will see a lot of her in 2013 (What Maisie Knew, The English Teacher, The Seventh Son), I think her baitiest role will be Margaret White, the abusive, mentally ill, fanatically religious mother of the title character, a role that garnered an Oscar nomination for Piper Laurie. Julianne Moore is widely considered as one of the greatest actresses who has yet to win an Oscar, and though I would love to see her take the lead category, a win in supporting could be a nice start as far as her future Oscars go...
2. Cate Blanchett (The Monuments Men)
   With the two Malick-films and Woody Allen's latest, she could have a really great year, and though it is perfectly conceivable she will make the cut in lead (Blue Jasmine), it's not like she couldn't pull double duty just like she did the last time she was nominated (2007).
3. Nicole Kidman (The Railway Man)
   Her genre performance in Stoker, released in March, has been already garnering her critical praise, and she will be definitely in consideration for a lead nomination (Grace of Monaco), as well, but in the end her best shot might be this supporting wife character in a film backed by The Weinstein Company.
4. Julianne Nicholson (August : Osage County)
   Even with massive internal competition, her role is fantastic so if she nails it, she will be able to stand out, not to mention internal competition might not be that damaging in this case, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the film scored multiple nominations in this category in the end.
5. Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club)
   With few exceptions, she hasn't gotten feature opportunities worthy of her talent, but this definitely sounds like a great role and if she can bring the same sensitivity and intelligence she brought to her criminally underrated turn in Juno, she could even emerge as the one to beat.
6. Amy Adams (Her)
   Although she has several films this year (Lullaby, Man of Steel, maybe even the new David O. Russell film AND the Janis Joplin biopic), in my opinion if this Academy darling receives her fifth nomination, it will be for Spike Jonze's quirky little indie.
7. Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale)
   The extremely likable Octavia Spencer deserves praise for starring in the second (!) critically acclaimed indie since her Oscar win, and since this one was THE Sundance-hit in January AND was quickly snatched up by The Weinstein Company, it's safe to assume she might be back in the Oscar game this year.
8. Quvenzhané Wallis (Twelve Years a Slave)
   Despite her tender age, the big revelation of 2012 already has another great film in her near future, and if the role is significant enough, she could once again find herself on the shortlists. Although it's worth mentioning that Alfre Woodard and Sarah Paulson could have bigger supporting roles in this, and according to Awardsdaily-friend, rufussondheim - who unlike me, actually READ the book - we should watch out for Adepero Oduye (Eliza) and Lupita Nyong (Patsey), as well.
9. Juliette Lewis (August : Osage County)
   Since her big break (Cape Fear), she had been rarely given the opportunity to shine on the big screen, although on those rare occasions she was truly brilliant (most recently in Conviction). Internal competition won't be her friend, but if critics go crazy for the film, Harvey Weinstein will definitely do his best to secure several nominations in this category.
10. Margo Martindale (August : Osage County)
    When all is said and done, this Emmy winner could be the sole nominee of her film here, her memorable part, Mattie Fae could be the role of a lifetime for the talented Martindale.

2013 - The Supporting Actors

 POTENTIAL FRONTRUNNERS

1. Benedict Cumberbatch (August : Osage County)
   'Little' Charles (August : Osage County) is a flashy role and with the Weinstein-machine behind the film and all the great buzz he is destined to receive this year (Star Trek : Into the Darkness, Twelve Years a Slave, The Fifth Estate), I think he will be the one to beat. Also, he could pull off the rare double duty if his take on Julian Assange makes the cut in Best Actor.
2. Michael Fassbender (Twelve years a slave)
   Reunited with Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame), Fassbender is definitely in good hands, add the fact that the part is really great AND he also plays the title role in Ridley Scott's The Counselor, and he could be another underrated actor having a phenomenal year in 2013.
3. Sam Rockwell (The Way, Way Back)
   On paper he faces internal competition (Steve Carrell), but in reality if Carrell will get awards recognition this year, it will be in lead for Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher, so Rockwell, who has been long overdue for his first nomination, might just finally pull it off. If the Sundance reviews are any indication, he is (once again) a memorable scenestealer.
4. Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
   After a long break from acting, he is back and if we can believe early signs, he is back with a bang. His role is tailormade for Academy attention : physical transformation ? Check. Likable victim role ? Check. Inspirational film based on a true story ? Check. Long story short, don't be surprised if he goes all the way and wins his first Oscar for this.
5. Johnny Depp (Lone Ranger)
   I admit I don't know much about Lone Ranger, and I could be wrong considering Depp in supporting, so the two things that are worth emphasizing here are 1. in this version, he could be easily co-lead and 2. his first Oscar nomination was for a flashy role like this in a Disney tentpole like this directed by Gore Verbinski.
6. Daniel Bruhl (The Fifth Estate)
   His role (Daniel Domscheit-Berg) sounds similar to Eduardo Saverin (The Social Network), and that part was ignored by the Academy probably because it was oversadowed by the iconic lead character. Bruhl is a great and underappreciated actor and if Bill Condon's film hits all the right notes, he could be a strong contender here, though in the end might face split votes, he is up for Best Actor (Rush), too.
7. George Clooney (Gravity)
   His big Oscar film this year will be obviously The Monuments Men, and according to early reports his role in Gravity is very brief, but if he has just one memorable scene, he will be a player here.
8. Casey Affleck (Out of the Furnace)
   As many on this list, he is also up for Best Actor (Ain't Them Bodies Saints), but this role sounds very baity, so if the distributor decides to give him a campaign, he could sneak in here, too.
9. Matt Damon (The Monuments Men)
   He faces stiff internal competition from the likes of Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, so in the end they might just all cancel each other out.
10. Tobey Maguire (The Great Gatsby)
    Nick Carraway is a legendary role and if the film is a hit, he will be remembered at the end of the year, also he shares the role of Henry Wheeler (Labor Day) with two younger actors, so even though internal competition will be a factor there, as the biggest name, he might have the advantage.

2013 - The Stories (Adapted Screenplay)

1. George Clooney & Grant Heslov (The Monuments Men)
   In a race against time, a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them
2. Jason Reitman (Labor Day)
   Depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry offer a wounded, fearsome man a ride. As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited.
3. Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke (Before Midnight)
   We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna.
4. Tracy Letts (August : Osage County)
   The Weston family overcomes certain differences when their alcoholic patriarch goes missing.
5. Steve McQueen & John Ridley (Twelve Years a Slave)
   A man living in New York during the mid-1800s is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep south.
6. Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street)
   A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration.
7. Josh Singer (The Fifth Estate)
   A look at the relationship between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his early supporter and eventual colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg, and how the website's growth and influence led to an irreparable rift between the two friends.
8. Frank Cottrell Boyce & Andy Paterson (The Railway Man)
   A victim from World War II's "Death Railway" sets out to find those responsible for his torture. A true story.
9. Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce (The Great Gatsby)
   Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy
10. Jean Pierre Jeunet & Guillaume Laurant (The Young & Prodigious Spivet)
    A 12-year-old cartographer secretly leaves his family's ranch in Montana where he lives with his cowboy father and scientist mother and travels across the country on board a freight train to receive an award at the Smithsonian Institute.

2013 - The Stories (Original Screenplay)

1. Alfonso & Jonás Cuarón (Gravity)
   Astronauts attempt to return to earth after debris crashes into their space shuttle, leaving them drifting alone in space.
2. Nat Faxon & Jim Rash (The Way, Way Back)
   Over the course of his summer break, a teenager comes into his own thanks in part to the friendship he strikes up with one of the park's managers.
3. Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine)
   Plot undisclosed.
4. Cormac McCarthy (The Counselor)
   A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.
5. Spike Jonze (Her)
   A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly-purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need.
6. Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby)
   A New York couple's relationship as told by the wife (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers) and husband (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His).
7. John Carney (Can a song save your life ?)
   A dejected music business executive forms a bond with a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan.
8. Neill Blomkamp (Elysium)
   Set in the year 2159, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.
9. Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio & Darius Marder (The Place Beyond the Pines)
   A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective.
10. Pedro Almodóvar (Los amantes pasajeros)
    The plot is unknown but described as a light comedy that takes place almost entirely on an airplane.
    

PRE-OSCAR SUMMARY

	BEST PICTURE	BEST DIRECTOR	LEAD ACTRESS	LEAD ACTOR	S. ACTRESS	S. ACTOR	O. SCRIPT	A. SCRIPT
HFPA	ARGO	AFFLECK	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	WALTZ	DJANGO	-
Comedy	LESMIS		LAWRENCE	JACKMAN
GUILD	ARGO	AFFLECK	LAWRENCE	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	JONES	ZD30	ARGO
Ensemble	ARGO
BFCA	ARGO	AFFLECK	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	DJANGO	LINCOLN
BAFTA	ARGO	AFFLECK	RIVA	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	WALTZ	DJANGO	PLAYBOOK

BEST PICTURE : Based on precursors Argo is the frontrunner, but it is definitely trickier than it looks like. Only three films won Best Picture without a corresponding Best Director nomination, and the most recent was Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Long story short : watch out for the films that made the cut in BD, as well (Lincoln, Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook, Amour) !

BEST DIRECTOR : Huge question mark since the director who won EVERYTHING, didn't receive a nomination in this category, so at this point, it is basically anybody's game. Steven Spielberg seems like the logical choice, because Ang Lee's film might not appeal to the most dominant Academy branch (Actors), but I wouldn't count out Michael Haneke, either, I think he is a much stronger contender than we give him credit for, and of course seeing how madly in love the Academy seems to be with Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell is still a viable possibility, as well.

BEST ACTRESS : As every SAG winner before her Jennifer Lawrence IS the frontrunner and seems to have the edge at the moment, but the Bafta victory definitely means Emmanuelle Riva could easily surprise , not to mention that a case can be made for Jessica Chastain and Naomi Watts, as well : if the Academy wants to make up for the Bigelow-snub the same way they will probably make up for the Affleck-snub, voting for Jessica Chastain might be the best way, meanwhile if the ugly truth will be that Riva doesn't have the wide support we think she does (SAG omission) and the 'it' girls split votes, long overdue Naomi Watts could emerge and probably few would argue with such decision, she is widely considered as one of the best actresses who never won an Oscar.

BEST ACTOR : It would be the biggest upset in recent memory if Daniel Day-Lewis didn't win on Sunday, and though the career-best performances of first time nominees Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper are certain to garner votes, probably not nearly enough to come even close to the landslide win Day-Lewis is expected to pull off.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Like Best Actor, this category seems like a done deal, and even though they like Sally Field, they really like her, not to mention there is still a chance the Academy will embrace Lincoln in a big way, this is Anne Hathaway's to lose.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : I think Christoph Waltz will take this, he didn't only win the Golden Globe and Bafta, it's worth mentioning that he was basically ineligible for SAG, well, not really, but if my memory serves me well, it wasn't screened for them and no screeners were sent, either, so who knows, he might have won that too, had they seen the performance in time. Having said that SAG winner Tommy Lee Jones is definitely a very strong player, meanwhile Robert De Niro has been campaigning hard and Alan Arkin is in the Best Picture frontrunner, so once again, it seems we have a wide open race here,too, one that will end with someone's second (or in De Niro's case third) Oscar...and I am still frustrated it couldn't end with at least the first NOMINATION for Ewan McGregor who arguably delivered the most powerful supporting performance in 2012.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY : Quentin Tarantino won every award he was eligible for (hint, hint WGA), so he is definitely the frontrunner and despite the WGA victory, it's unlikely Mark Boal would win his second so soon AND with all the controversy surrounding his work, so my guess is that if anyone can get in Tarantino's way, it will be Michael Haneke (Amour), especially if he doesn't win Best Director.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY : Another category that is all over the place which once again proves that this is probably THE most unpredictable Oscar-year in a very, very long time. Chris Terrio (Argo) is the frontrunner, and though he would make a worthy winner, I am rooting for Tony Kushner (Lincoln) whose work I consider superior to every screenplay this year (or decade), meanwhile it is perfectly conceivable that the Academy will give it to David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) as a consolation prize for not giving him Best Director. IF Life of Pi emerges as the one to beat on Oscar night, of course David Magee could shock, but at this point, it's highly unlikely.

Awards Chart 2012 (Updated)

	BEST PICTURE	BEST DIRECTOR	LEAD ACTRESS	LEAD ACTOR	S. ACTRESS	S. ACTOR	O. SCRIPT	A. SCRIPT
NYFCC	ZD30	BIGELOW	WEISZ	DAY-LEWIS	FIELD	MCCONAUGHEY	-	LINCOLN
NBR	ZD30	BIGELOW	CHASTAIN	COOPER	DOWD	DICAPRIO	LOOPER	SLP
BOFCA	ZD30	BIGELOW	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	JONES	-	LINCOLN
BSFC	ZD30	BIGELOW	RIVA	DAY-LEWIS	FIELD	MILLER	-	LINCOLN
LAFCA	AMOUR	ANDERSON	RIVA	PHOENIX	ADAMS	HENRY	-	ARGO
			LAWRENCE
NYFCO	ZD30	BIGELOW	RIVA	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	JONES	ZD30	-
WAFCA	ZD30	BIGELOW	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	LOOPER	SLP
SDFCS	ARGO	AFFLECK	WILLIAMS	DAY-LEWIS	WATSON	WALTZ	MASTER	ARGO
LVFCS	PI	LEE	LAWRENCE	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	JONES	LOOPER	-
SFFCC	MASTER	BIGELOW	RIVA	PHOENIX	HUNT	JONES	ZD30	LINCOLN
KCFCC	MASTER	LEE	LAWRENCE	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	MASTER	ARGO
CFCA	ZD30	BIGELOW	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	ADAMS	HOFFMAN	ZD30	LINCOLN
IFJA	SAFETY	TARANTINO	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	JONES	SAFETY	PERKS
				COOPER
SEFCA	ARGO	AFFLECK	LAWRENCE	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	KINGDOM	ARGO
SLFCA	ARGO	AFFLECK	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HUNT	WALTZ	ZD30	LINCOLN
					DOWD			SLP
DFCS	SLP	RUSSELL	LAWRENCE	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	DE NIRO	-	SLP
AAFCA	ZD30	AFFLECK	CORINEALDI	WASHINGTON	FIELD	PARKER	MIDDLE	-
TFCA	MASTER	ANDERSON	WEISZ	LAVANT	GERSHON	HOFFMAN	MASTER	-
DFWFCA	LINCOLN	BIGELOW	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	FIELD	JONES	-	-
FFCC	ARGO	AFFLECK	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	LOOPER	ARGO
AFCA	ZD30	ANDERSON	LAWRENCE	PHOENIX	HATHAWAY	WALTZ	LOOPER	ARGO
UFCA	ZD30	ANDERSON	CHASTAIN	PHOENIX	HATHAWAY	HENRY	LOOPER	PERKS
			LAWRENCE
NFCS	ARGO	AFFLECK	LAWRENCE	HAWKES	FIELD	JONES	-	-
		BIGELOW	HUNT
OFCC	ARGO	AFFLECK	CHASTAIN	DAY-LEWIS	HATHAWAY	HOFFMAN	KINGDOM	ARGO

December 23

Critics from Utah, Nevada and Oklahoma announced their winners and so far the most surprising development has been the unexpected Argo-love from these groups. It is a great film, one that deserves all this recognition, I simply didn't expect the critics to go so studiofilmy (Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Life of Pi etc.) on us this year, even the 'edgy' choice (The Master) has a 40M pricetag. What is still a mystery - especially with this rather mainstream path the critics embarked on - how Lincoln is still constantly overlooked in BP/BD. The ones who seemed to gain the most buzz in recent days are Ben Affleck, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rian Johnson (Looper) and Chris Terrio (Argo) who shockingly enough, now has more wins under his belt then presumed frontrunner Tony Kushner (Lincoln).

December 18

Toronto went with The Master and some inspired choices in the acting categories, Gina Gershon (Killer Joe) in particular has been spectacularly under the radar so far. After several runners-up honors, Denis Lavant won his first award of the season...it was about damn time. Also, Dallas announced its winners and was the first group of the season to recognize Lincoln as the Best Picture of 2012, meanwhile Florida went with Argo.