Oscar Beat '08

Today brings a host of new awards nominations with both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the American Society of Cinematographers (ACE) announcing nominees for their respective 2009 awards.

Fans of The Dark Knight were pleased to find out that The Producers Guild of America (PGA) nominated it as one of the five best films of the year, right alongside Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Milk.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the names of the 7 finalist in the Visual Effects category.

Over the past two weeks, both THR and Daily Variety have been taken over by Universal and Imagine Entertainment’s Frost/Nixon, a serious Best Picture candidate. The question becomes whether or not this kind of advertising coup is fair to other films.

Are you an awards season junkie? Do you love to be able to sit there and look smart in front of your friends and family, most of whom only make it out to the movies once a year to see the latest Jim Carrey comedy, by being able to talk endlessly about all of the “important” movies of the year? If so, consider this your awards season to-do list.Fr

The Academy has announced its 15 finalists for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, and we know one film that can be eliminated right off the bat… Here’s a hint: it stars Keanu Reeves.

According to reports from inside the Academy this afternoon, they will be officially announcing shortly that actor Hugh Jackman (Australia, Wolverine) will host the 81st installment of the famed awards show.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced their nominees for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards today, laying out what is generally regarded as a relatively accurate precursor to the Academy Awards nominations.

Yesterday the Los Angeles Film Critics Association announced their 2008 awards, recognizing Pixar’s WALL-E as best picture.

The musical score from The Dark Knight is still getting play on my music list, now it’s going to get a chance at an Academy Award.

Not a necessarily large update from the awards season warpath today, but there are quite a few different stories to talk about.

First order of business is to let you know that we did not make the following Oscar advertisements. They are, however, quite funny.

It is that time of year again — time to kick the tires and light the fires on my Oscar Beat column, the official home of the chase for the little golden man.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, better known to many of us as The Academy, has announced the 14 submitted films for the Best Animated Feature Award that will be handed out next February.

Disney is looking to nab the Best Animated Feature nod and consideration for the Top Prize at the Oscars. Is it a good idea?