Producers Guild goes with Oscar's expected top ten... no box office deviations this year.

The Producers Guild have announced their nominations for the film and television year. Unlike in some previous years they've ignored unexpected non-prestige-ready blockbusters this time, focusing exclusively on films expecting to do well on Oscar nomination morning.

Little Women isn't down for the count yet in the Best Picture raceOutstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

• 1917 Producers: Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne‐Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall
• Ford v Ferrari Producers: Peter Chernin & Jenno Topping, James Mangold
• The Irishman Producers: Jane Rosenthal & Robert De Niro, Emma Tillinger Koskoff & Martin Scorsese
• Jojo Rabbit Producers: Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi
• Joker Producers: Todd Phillips & Bradley Cooper, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
• Knives Out Producers: Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman
• Little Women Producer: Amy Pascal
• Marriage Story Producers: Noah Baumbach, David Heyman
• Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood Producers: David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
• Parasite Producers: Kwak Sin Ae, Bong Joon Ho

In short, it's Best Picture predictions again. I know people have issues with the MCU but since this award is for producers, it seems strange to shun the gargantuan producing effort that worked so hard for 12 years to culminate in Avengers Endgame. Thinking it should have been here. Also strange to ignore the in-no-way-a-sure-thing success of The Farewell and Hustlers which just as easily could have been a indies that everyone ignored but for their success in execution and delivery. But then, those films are about women and most of the mainstream awards bodies prefer stories about men (sigh)

But all is not lost for films that didn't make this list and all is not secure for films that did make this list. Here's a trivia list for you...

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BAFTA lacks diversity (in all sorts of ways) and goes all in on "Joker"

by Nathaniel R

I've made it no secret over the years that I think BAFTA is the worst of the major awards organizations. They always appear to have watched an extremely limited pool of films (even less than Oscar's tunnel vision screener stack) and they regularly ignore British fare unless it's tipped to be hot at the Oscars (like 1917). This year is no different. They threw all their weight behind Joker (an astounding 11 nominations) and three of the films which feel like possibilities to win the Oscar for Best Picture: The Irishman, Once Upon a Time..., and 1917 (their one UK-produced love). Those four movies handily dominated the nomination count.

We also have to call bulls*** on BAFTA executives blaming the film industry for their lack of diverse nominations this year. Their acting nominees are all white this year and their directing nominees all male. They've responded saying:

"We'd have liked to have seen more diversity in the nominations, it does continue to be an industry-wide issue. I think more films need to be made, and entered, giving people a chance to see them. We'd absolutely like to see more diversity, but I also don't want to take away from those celebrating today."

As you all know, since I've been chastised for it before, I'm not always happy about where the complaints about diversity are focused. In some years the Oscar voters have been (I feel) wrongly targeted when there just weren't a lot of options for them. This year however there is no excuse as there are multiple lauded actors of color from films like Us, Dolemite is My Name, Waves, The Farewell, Luce, Harriet, Hustlers, and Parasite. And it's also been a great year for female directors given Little Women, Hustlers, Atlantics,A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and The Farewell.

The full list of nominations with commentary are after the jump...

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How often do two top Globe victories translate to Oscar gold?

by Abe Fried-Tanzer

Sam Mendes had a great night on Sunday when he took home both Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Drama for his war epic 1917. That two-hander worked out very well for him exactly twenty years ago for his debut feature, American Beauty, since he went on to repeat at the Oscars. Winning both prizes at both ceremonies, however, doesn’t actually happen often. 

Between Mendes’ two bookends, that feat has only occurred twice...

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WGA nominations don't tell the whole story

This week is huge for precursor nominations (Visual Effects Society, DGA, PGA, and BAFTA all hit tomorrow) but today was the Writers Guild of America's turn.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• 1917 -Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
• Booksmart - Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katie Silberman
• Knives Out - Rian Johnson
• Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach
• Parasite - Bong Joon Ho & Han Jin Won

A strongish lineup even if we wouldn't single out 1917's strength as its writing. Curiously, both The Two Popes and Hustlers were eligible for Original with the WGA (and missed) but they're both competing in Adapted for Oscar voters where they actually belong since they're based on a play and a magazine article respectively. Did the confusion cost them votes?  This WGA lineup is bad news for critical darlings like Honey Boy, Uncut Gems,  and Dolemite is My Name, any of which might have made headway in a weaker year for Originals. But the three strongest alternate threats for an Oscar nomination weren't eligible...

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Golden Globes Men: Pick a Trio

by Nathaniel R

Men's fashion continues to be a bit more interesting than it was in previous decades though it's hard to fault a dapper classic tux. Herewith some men who caught the eye on Globes night.

Let's play a variation on do dump or marry. You can meet one of them for a drink at the bar, nab one for a quick selfie, and take one home in your limo. Who is it gonna be and why? 

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