Oscar Volley: Best Picture in the final days...

Team Experience is discussing the various Oscar categories. Here's Baby Clyde, Elisa Giudici, Abe Friedtanzer and  Eric Blume to discuss Best Picture. We're not saving it for last. This conversation began BEFORE the PGA went to CODA but ends afterwards...

the five films with the most nominations this year.

ABE FRIEDTANZER: I'm thrilled to be talking the top Oscar prize with my esteemed colleagues Eric, Elisa, and Baby Clyde. I do think there's plenty to discuss here, but I believe that one film is very far out in front. That's The Power of the Dog, of course, which some may doubt after it missed out on an ensemble nomination from SAG. There is absolutely momentum for CODA after its win there and its triumph the night after that with the Hollywood Critics Association. But Dog also underperformed with nominations from the latter group, so the comparison isn't all that helpful. There just isn't enough going against Jane Campion's western for it to lose, in my opinion. But there are nine other nominees, and at least a few of those will siphon votes. Aside from CODA, King Richard gets a boost from its ACE Eddie win, and Drive My Car is worth considering since it hasn't been in competition with many other groups. What films do you think are still in the mix?

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The PGA goes to 'CODA' but we still have a race and here's why...

by Nathaniel R

CODA is still riding high on that SAG wave but will cresting during Oscar voting give it the win? If it does a LOT of records will be broken. No film since the current slate of categories was in place (many decades now) has managed a Best Picture win with only 3 Oscar nominations. Most film with 12+ Oscar nominations (like The Power of the Dog has) have won more than three Oscars though sometimes they've lost Best Picture (examples include Mary Poppins, The Song of Bernadette, and La La Land) . No films without either a Directing or an Editing nomination (since all the current categories were in place), and CODA has neither has won Best Picture. Finally no film by a streaming company has won Best Picture though this last stat was bound to fall sooner or later and will next Sunday whether CODA or Power of the Dog wins. Unless of course something else entirely surprises. Winners are after the jump...

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Producers Guild Awards say 'You can't sit with us!' to the blockbusters

by Nathaniel R

The Producers Guild of America has spoken and even though in past years they've shown a fondness for superheros and blockbusters nominating films like Star Trek, Wonder Woman, and Deadpool, this year they've dashed the Oscar dreams of the 8th Spider-Man movie and the 25th official James Bond movie and selected only Dune to represent big franchise filmmaking. The "surprise" nomination, though it really shouldn't be considered a surprise given that they even nominated Molly's Game, was Aaron Sorkin's Being the Ricardos. Their nominees are as follows...

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With the PGA win Nomadland is probably locked up. But what to make of Best Documentary Feature?

by Nathaniel R

If Nomadland was going to show any weakness before Oscar night, now just 31 days away, it would probably have been at the Producers Guild Awards which were held last night. Sorry to its rivals (though not really because we love Nomadland) there appears to be no vulnerable spots in its golden armor. Or maybe the Producers Guild just wasn't feeling frisky about throwing curveballs this year since with the exception of the Best Documentary (which still feels wide open in terms of the Oscar win) ALL of their prizes went to frontrunners in their Oscar categories or TV shows that have already cleaned up at other awards shows or even previously at the PGA...

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PGA Nominations: Wa Wa Wee Wa! "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" made the list.

The Producers Guild of America has spoken and has named these ten pictures as nominees for its top category.

Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Producers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Monica Levinson, Anthony Hines
• Judas and the Black Messiah Producers: Charles D. King, Ryan Coogler, Shaka King
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Producers: Denzel Washington, Todd Black
• Mank Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth, Douglas Urbanski
• Minari Producer: Christina Oh
• Nomadland Producers: Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Chloé Zhao
• One Night In Miami… Producers: Jess Wu Calder & Keith Calder, Jody Klein
• Promising Young Woman Producers: Josey McNamara, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell
• Sound Of Metal Producers: Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche
• The Trial of the Chicago 7 Producers: Marc Platt, Stuart Besser

This is great news for Judas and the Black Messiah as a late breaking contender as well as Sound of Metal which has had a lot of buzz for Riz Ahmed but less so for other awards categories.  The PGA choices are a tough break for News of the World and The Father. But all is not lost for the latter two hopefuls as Oscar does often change things up a bit. Stats and more PGA nominations after the jump...

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