Category: Precursors

Expectations were both met and subverted this year with Anthony Hopkins showing what the home field advantage looks like and Frances McDormand bringing the total of televised awards to Best Actress nominees to 4 of 5. Poor Vanessa Kirby. Other than that, the British effect may have pulled The Father over the finish line in…

Chloé Zhao now becomes in the insurmountable leader for the Oscar. The Awards Best Director Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas) Best First Feature Darius Marder – Sound of Metal (Wesley, Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas) Best Documentary Director Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw – The Truffle Hunters Directors Guild of America Data Year Founded: 1936…

Mank continues as the frontrunner with also-nominated Tenet sneaking in a win that likely won’t repeat at the Oscars. The Awards Best Period Art Direction Mank (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas) Best Fantasy Art Direction Tenet (Thomas, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp) Best Contemporary Art Direction Da 5 Bloods (Thomas, RU:Tripp) Best Animation Art Direction Soul (Wesley, Peter, Tripp,…

And just like that the Oscar race for Best Visual Effects gets upturned. Whether Tenet can now win the Oscar is questionable. We shall see. It almost seems like this season has been about snubbing Christopher Nolan because he refused to let his film stream alongside its theatrical run. Who knows for sure, though. Awards…

The slow-building popularity gave Minari a boost in the Best Picture race. Other selections were pretty well expected. Award Tallies (7) Promising Young Woman (9 with poster/trailer nominations) (4) Minari (3) Nomadland, One Night in Miami, Soul, Sound of Metal (2) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom The Awards

Two frontrunners retained their leads, one category may have been clarified, and another was muddied. SAG/AFTRA has a larger number of television actors in their membership, which might explain Viola Davis’ unexpected victory in a category that has had too many ups-and-downs this season. Awards Tallies (2) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1) Judas and the…

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Birds of Prey were the big winners at this year’s Make-Up Artists Guild Awards, but Pinocchio took the prize that could translate into an Oscar win. Awards Tallies (2) Birds of Prey, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom The Awards

Precursors to the Academy Awards come in many different types and they can appear all year from festivals and national awards to critics groups and other organization. Each month, we’ll take a look at all of the upcoming events that could have some small impact on the Oscars so you can plan out what to…

Giving Bad Boys for Life a single award, the NAACP Image Awards selected a sometimes odd, often predictable set of selections. Some Oscar contenders were given awards while others were ignored. Not sure it helps much with Oscar predictions, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Awards Tallies (3) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Soul (2) Jingle Jangle: A…

The last big hurdle for both Nomadland and My Octopus Teacher was the Producers Guild of America. If they love the films, then the Academy generally will as well. It’s more important for an indie film to win at PGA than it is a broad-release one, so Nomadland likely has this thing all sewn up…

This award matters most to Promising Young Woman going into the Oscars, which reminds me of films like Her and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, films with original concepts that utterly bowled over viewers. The Trial of the Chicago 7 isn’t out of the race, but you have to wonder if Aaron Sorkin, who…

It really seems like the later in the season awards groups are giving prizes, the more frequently they are ignoring season leader Nomadland. Is it a concerted effort or just happenstance? Awards Tallies (6) Minari (3) Nomadland (2) The Invisible Man, Promising Young Woman The Awards

An obvious love of Minari doesn’t translate into a large number of awards with most films going home with a single award. Awards Tallies (3) Minari (2) Soul The Awards

Film Independent always announces its grant winners prior to the awards. Below are the winners. The Awards Producers Award Gerry Kim Someone to Watch Award Ekwa Msangi Truer Than Fiction Award Elegance Bratton Spirit Awards Data First Awards: 1985 (36)

Only Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Sound of Metal managed to overperform expectations while nearly ever other Best Picture contender managed to underperform. We have history in Directing where we have two women nominated for the first time in history. Further, respected filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg popped up in Directing pushing out…