ACCA's Best Picture category is back up...

...after a minor issue (and we'll keep it open longer than Friday to make up the difference), so vote away!

We begin our coverage of the 2011 Oscars with our first set of Predictions!

Yes, Clayton has kicked off the new season of coverage at The Awards Circuit with new predictions for all of the main categories. Start with Best Picture here and check them all out, as we begin the new year of Awards coverage!
We also have Clayton's reaction to the Oscars here, as well as John's take on Oscar night here and our Post-Oscar podcast here, so for all your "after the fact" coverage, make The Awards Circuit your home!
-Thoughts on the new predictions?

An interesting graph on Book Adaptations that have won Best Picture...

I found this pretty cool...thoughts?

Final Oscar predictions, a Preview of tonight's Spirit Awards, and the next in the Will Win/Should Win series!

Yes, it's a busy day at The Awards Circuit. We start off with our fearless leader Clayton's final Oscar predictions. Kick it off with Best Picture here and check them all out! (We've also updated the staff chart predictions here, so see how we all forsee the night going on Sunday!)
Tonight is the last awards show (not counting the Razzies) before the Oscars, and it's the Independent Spirit Awards. To get a sense of how the night might play out, and what, if anything, this means for the Academy Awards on Sunday, check out the article here. Be sure to let us know what you think!
We also have the next in the series of Who Will Win/Should Win articles on the Oscars. Check it out here and tell us what you think!
Finally, there's more American Idol commentary to be found here, so take a look and stay abreast of the happenings on the show!
-Thoughts on all the updates?

Want to see that Preferential Ballot that we've all heard so much about?

Steve Pond has an interesting article here that details how ugly the race has gotten, but I mainly wanted to call everyone's attention to the new ballot system. Pond gets into the voting process in case anyone isn't sure, as well (essentially, you just fill in those bubbles with 1-10, according to your preference...hence the term "preferential ballot"). Thoughts?

We continue with the Who Will Win/Should Win series, and more on the Main Page!

Indeed, we have the second in our series on Who Will Win/Who Should Win the Oscars. The newest article can be found here, and keep your eyes open for more in the coming days!
We also have an article detailing some of the worst winners of the Best Picture prize in the history of the Oscars. The article is found here and is a good jumping off point for debate, so take a gander and let us know your picks.
Finally, we made sure we sought out The Secret of Kells to give the mysterious film a review, and we now have one for you here. Enjoy!
-Thoughts on the updates?

The Gurus give their thoughts on the Oscar race...

...in all the categories here, but that above is how they see Best Picture. Thoughts?

Too late, I know, but would Shutter Island have cracked the Best Picture list last year?

It's after the fact, but since it was originally a 2009 release, and a lot of people have said (not myself) that a number of the films were just "filler", it's interesting to think about how Scorsese's latest would have fared This article here from Cinematical goes into the idea of it in the current race (including how Leo would have done in the Best Actor category), and it's a solid read.
-As you see Shutter Island today/this weekend, do you think it would have been one of the current 10 best Picture nominees, and if so, what film would it have knocked out?

10 Best Picture nominees is here to stay...

...at least for now, according to this talk with the President of the Academy. The story can be found here, but this is the highlight:

It should come as no surprise given how generally well-received the Best Picture lineup has been, but the move to 10 nominees will likely continue for another year, Academy president Tom Sherak said on Wednesday. Some changes, he added, might be made in an attempt to broaden the field.

Speaking in his office after the morning mailing of final Oscar ballots, the first-term AMPAS president said that the Academy was happy with the results of the expanded field … for now.

“I don’t know if it’s a success yet,” he said. “But so far, yes, we’re happy. I don’t think there’s any question about that. So far. And I expect we’ll do it for another year.”

He laughed. “Some people have said, ‘Well, they got lucky.’ I love that comment. In fact, the voters gave us everything we were hoping for when we made the change, except a foreign film or a documentary.”

On that count, Sherak says he’s determined to find a way to get those films into the Best Picture race, and to increase their visibility.

“There are things in the works to address that,” he said. “I don’t know how much I can achieve, but I’m going to keep working on it.”

One key to the Oscar show, he said, is getting viewers “invested in these movies – the big ones and the little ones. So how do you get something from Peru into Des Moines? We have to work on that.”

-Thoughts?

Interested in seeing all of the Best Picture nominees (again) together on the big screen?

Well, as usual, AMC Theaters is working on making that happen. From The Hollywood Reporter:

AMC Entertainment will program all 10 best picture Oscar nominees in select theaters nationwide on Feb. 27 and March 6.

Special ticket packages will allow patrons to select from among the 10 films at discount rates. Patrons who purchase a pass for the event will get free popcorn and unlimited refills for the day.

Details will be announced in coming weeks on the company's Web site. AMC has promoted its Best Picture Showcase for the past four years.

-Thoughts?

Curious about the Preferential Balloting System for Best Picture this year?

It's still somewhat of a mystery how this will affect the race, but those less mainstream voters will be more important than ever this year...thoughts?

Was the expansion to 10 a good idea? Plus, Oscar predictions have begun again, and more at The Awards Circuit!

Indeed, the Main Page of The Awards Circuit has a lot going on today for everyone. We begin with an article focusing on if the expansion of Best Picture from 5 nominees to 10 was a successful endeavor or not. The article can be found here, so check it out and let us know what you think!
The site has also begun official predictions as to how the Oscars will go down. So far we've got Best Picture (found here) and Best Director (found here), but keep your eye out for more updates in the coming days.
We've also got another Music Review, this one on the soundtrack to Nine. It's found here, so check that out as well.
Finally, keep voting in the 2009 Awards Circuit Community Awards. You've seen the nominees you chose, now go here and pick who will win! Happy voting!
-Thoughts on the article, predictions, music review, and ACCA?

Entertainment Weekly begins charting the contenders in the last days of the Oscar race...

EW has a whole bunch of these, but this is for Best Picture...thoughts?

Our annual Scenario Series begins with a look at Best Picture and Best Director!

Indeed, the first in this series of articles is now up, focusing on what might happen with Best Picture and Best Director. While by no means covering all bases, this is about as good a look at what might happen with these categories as it gets. Check out the article here and be sure to let us know what you think!
-How do you see Best Picture and Director shaping up?

Are voters having trouble coming up with 10 films to nominate for Best Picture?

Pete Hammond certainly thinks so in his article here. I held off a few days on posting this, but it's got some real traction, so I figure I'll let you guys and gals chime in on the situation. If the article holds water (and I'm not 100% convinced that it does), then besides the movies that EVERYONE knows of, the smaller titles that in other years would have no chance certainly now have a chance, and perhaps a larger one than we realize. Here's a little piece of the article that sort of sums up his point:
-However, as the 5 p.m. Saturday deadline for turning in ballots listing those 10 choices looms for voters, there are a remarkable number of academy members who have yet to make up their minds and actually send them in to the PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants.-
-Do you think this is a situation that will make for some interesting nominations come February 2nd? If so, which?

Updated Best Picture predictions and a new interview on the Main Page of The Awards Circuit!

Indeed, the season is winding down and we have a new set of predictions for Best Picture for you to check out. They can be found here, so look them over and let us know what you think!
We also have a new interview in our continuing series of them, this one with producer. screenwriter, and WGA member Larry Gross. The interview can be found here, so definitely read that and give us some feedback.
-Thoughts on the new predictions and interview?

New Predictions everywhere and an article on what the DGA might do highlight the latest updates to The Awards Circuit!

Yes, there's some very interesting new stuff to take note of. We start with new predictions in all categories. Start with Best Picture here and go all the way to Clayton's Golden Globe predictions here. Be sure to let us know how his predictions stack up with your own!
We also have a prediction/analysis article on the upcoming Director's Guild awards nominations. That article can be found here, so check it out and let us know what you think.
Finally, we're continuing to test out the New Blog, so try it out here and tell us which you prefer...
-Thoughts on the new predictions, article, and blog?

An article on if The Hurt Locker can win Best Picture...

...can be found here, and I think it's a good read. I put it to all of you...regardless of if it should or not, do you think it actually has a legitimate chance to win the big prize? I do...but do you?
-Thoughts?

Curious how Best Picture is shaping up according to the Gurus of Gold? Well, just look...

I meant to put this up a few days ago, but Turkey Day threw me off, so apologies. In any event, how do the Gurus compare to your predicted 10 nominees?

In case you still doubt me when I say that at this point, everything is still in race...

I rest my case....(that's from Variety, by the by)