> After what seemed as long as a presidential primary season, the Oscar nominations are finally here. What do they tell us? THE ARTIST Is Still The Film To Beat. There were plenty of surprises sprinkled throughout today’s nominations, but none that seriously challenged the conventional wisdom. If Martin Scorsese were still looking for his […]

  The voting has just closed for this year’s Academy Awards, and here at Oscar Central, we are ready to make the following call: Daniel Day-Lewis is going to win the Best Actor Oscar for Lincoln. I know, way out on a limb.  And sure, Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson, nothing is certain in this […]

  Let’s face it:  anyone with an interest in the matter has been circling the same basic list of titles and names for weeks now, if not months, and the truth is that as much fun as it would be for some shocking surprise to find its way into tomorrow’s Oscar nominations–Mud or Brie Larson, […]

> The Motion Picture Academy came up with 2 great choices and a puzzler in their selections for this year’s honorary Academy Awards.  (Remember–as of last year, the honorary Oscars are no longer part of the televised ceremony, but will be presented at a private banquet on November 12.) The unoffcial lifetime achivement award goes […]

  Yesterday, we looked at the major Movies/Miniseries categories at Sunday’s Emmy Awards.  Today it’s time for the season’s honored comedies: COMEDY SERIES “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS) “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO) “Girls” (HBO) “Modern Family” (ABC) “30 Rock” (NBC) “Veep” (HBO) WILL WIN: MODERN FAMILY, unexcitinglyfor the third year in a row–more from a process […]

  Over the weekend, this year’s Oscarland acquired its first helping of Conventional Wisdom, thanks to the initial release of 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Fox Searchlight) in theatres and the unveiling of SAVING MR. BANKS (Disney) at the London Film Festival and to selected critics.  That Wisdom may very well change a dozen times between […]

  Continuing as we’ve done for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, here’s a final look at the pros and cons behind each nominee for Best Actor.  All are assumed to deserve the award on the basis of performance, and precursor wins can be counted elsewhere.  Also read about the Best Director and Best Picture races. […]

> For many years, the National Board of Review has been the self-appointed first group on the calendar to announce awards for Best Picture and other categories.  The NBR is sort of like the Golden Globes without super-powers; they’re 110 people tangentially related to the world of film whom you’ve never heard of and whose […]