Early Results

With the announcement of award nominees from the Producers Guild and Directors Guild, it's becoming clear what the Oscar nominations will be. Though actors make up the biggest bloc of Academy voters, they rarely stray far from these early choices.

So, if you're entering a pool, four of the five likely nominees for Best Picture are the four these two groups have in common: The Aviator, Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Baby and Sideways.

Now for the word on the street (I live just off Melrose, which is as good a street as any out here). If one of these doesn't make it, it'll be Finding Neverland. The big question is The Aviator--it's the "big" sort of picture Oscar usually loves, but the feeling this year is lukewarm. Still, some think it's time to give recognition to Scorsese. (Best Director but not Best Picture?) The main combatants, then, look to be Million Dollar Baby and Sideways. The latter gets the edge, being fresher, having more actors' moments and besides, Clint's already got his. More as this develops.