Roger Ebert offered this yesterday:

"I suspect Justin Timberlake has an excellent chance for “The Social Network,” not only because he was wonderful, which he was, but because in some sense Academy voters consider themselves as the default casting directors for the Oscarcast and would like to add a hot young pop star."

Can you imagine what it must have been like for Pipsqueak before bedtime last night? Dreaming he’d be woken up by That Phone Call?

Please.

John Hawkes got the motherf-cking phone call.

The King’s Speech got the most phone calls, and on the heels of the film’s Producers’ Guild win, boosted by the Santa Barbara Film Festival recognition as the Best Motion Picture Ensemble, announced yesterday, many are now predicting that TKS will take the SAG, making a mighty and very well-timed charge towards Oscar. Harvey Weinstein has this sh-t down to a science. And making this race a tight one is what everyone needs. Because right now, 3 of the 4 acting categories are pretty much decided, with Natalie Portman looking like she’ll edge out Annette Bening simply by virtue of wanting it more.

I posted my predictions yesterday. Didn’t suck too hard. Sarah from Cinesnark is gloating at me today very publicly that she called a lot of affection for True Grit early, and she was right – 10 nominations, second only to The King’s Speech, and two more than The Social Network though TSN obviously has the marquee director and screenplay categories virtually locked up.

As for Javier Bardem over Robert Duvall and Ryan Gosling…

Well…

JULIA ROBERTS was pulling for him remember? She’s been campaigning HARD for him. I like the look of her name in all caps. Seems appropriate, non? Perhaps from now on…

Um, what did Christopher Nolan do to the Academy? That guy gets no love.

And I am heartbroken that Waiting For Superman was completely overlooked. Of the five nominated documentaries, I’ve seen Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop (BANKSY + Oscar still cracks me up) and Inside Job which made me want to take all my savings out of the bank and put it in my tampon jar because HOLY F-CK those banking people and those banking politician people are disgusting pricks. Waiting For Superman however stands up to both of them. And maybe more.

And now we start the countdown. Just over four weeks to go.

Oscar nomination thoughts through the day. For now, click here to see the full list. Here’s reigning Best Supporting Actress Mo’Nique making the announcements this morning.

PS. Felicitations Denis Villeneuve!


Photos from ROBYN BECK/Kevin Winter/Gettyimages.com