Contender Countdown Archives

‘Belfast’ Is Your Unexpected Best Picture Frontrunner…For Now [Contender Countdown]

September 24, 2021 10:16 am

The last few years have found the "industry" buzzing over when Netflix will capture its first Best Picture win. Considering the considerable effort the streamer has put into its film awards publicity and marke...

‘Nomadland’ & ‘Minari’ Get Globes PR Boost In Best Picture Race [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

March 3, 2021 11:04 am

Awards, Awards Campaign, News

As Academy members drive through Los Angeles under an onslaught of FYC banners they are only days away from voting on the nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards. And while the Golden Globes delivered the lowest...

Oh My, We Actually Have A Legit Best Picture Race [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

September 30, 2020 2:32 pm

Awards, Awards Campaign, News

A funny thing happened on the way to a COVID-delayed Oscar qualification deadline. Real Best Picture contenders showed up. That's right, anyone who thinks they are putting an asterisk on this upcoming 2021 Ac...

‘On The Basis Of Sex’ Isn’t An Overall Oscar Player But Felicity Jones Is [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

November 12, 2018 1:59 pm

Awards, Awards Campaign, Features, News

And then there were four. As we begin this second full week of November there are just four potential Best Picture contenders left to screen: "Mary, Queen of Scots," "Vice," "Mary Poppins Returns" and "The Mul...

Green-Book, Viggo-Mortensen, Mahershala-Ali

Is ‘Green Book’ The Not-So Secret Best Picture Sleeper? [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

October 19, 2018 9:27 am

Awards, Awards Campaign, News

We've made it halfway through October and, thankfully, awards season has so far avoided any major scandals. That's not something you could say at this point in the season over the past two years (and, trust, we...

‘Vice’ And ‘The Mule’ Join The Best Picture Fray [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

October 5, 2018 8:55 am

Awards, Awards Campaign, News

Just when you thought the Best Picture race was settled two new players enter the game. Granted, Adam McKay's "Vice" and Clint Eastwood's "The Mule" weren't really off the radar. Anytime the legendary Eastwoo...

The Post, Oscars-2018, Steven-Spielberg, Meryl-Streep, Tom-Hanks

World Keeps Turning And The Oscars Can Barely Keep Up [Contender Countdown]

Gregory Ellwood

November 1, 2017 12:22 pm

Awards, Awards Campaign, News

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Before we get into this let's make one thing absolutely clear. Everything that has transpired regarding the floodgates of victims coming forward about sexual harassment, abuse or rape with specific men in the e...

Contender Countdown: Only Three Locks For A Best Picture Nod So Who Else Has A Shot?

Gregory Ellwood

January 5, 2017 11:18 am

Awards, Awards Campaign

Hollywood has returned from its annual 10 day break (which is really more like two weeks) and those in the awards season game are wondering who's in and who's really out. The problem is, in the Best Picture rac...

Contender Countdown: ‘Lion,’ ‘Allied’ And ‘Rules Don’t Apply’ Arrive For Thanksgiving

Gregory Ellwood

November 23, 2016 9:31 pm

Awards, Awards Campaign

1

Thanksgiving is upon us and that means four potential Oscar contenders are hitting theaters. And we specifically used the word “potential” because, while all four of them were seen weeks ago, an unexpected crit...

donald-trump-home-alone-lost-in-new-york

Contender Countdown: Election Aftermath Leaves Hollywood Dazed

Gregory Ellwood

November 9, 2016 7:22 pm

Awards, Awards Campaign

5

This is not the column I was expecting to write today. I thought this would be an energetic kick off to award season’s post-election sprint. Instead, like much of the country (well, 52% of it) Hollywood is stun...

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