TLK

Updated List : I think Hooper is done. Replacing him with Bigelow.SpielbergAffleckLeeBigelowTarantino

Wow. Playing For Keeps 0% RT (0/53). I have never seen a romcom crash and burn so bad with the critics. If it completely dies at the box office as well then I don't see how this won't affect the careers of lead actors Butler and Biel. It is one thing for a supposed mainstream movie to get bad reviews, it is another to get completely murdered everywhere.

If ROTG has similar increases as last week then I can see it being #1. It increased by 320% Friday and 110% Saturday.

If Les Miz crashes and ZDT cannot keep up its momentum then will it be possible for The Master to stage a comeback? I am actually very curious about BAFTA if Les Miz isn't up to par. Other supposed frontrunners are very American movies and may not be able to win over the BAFTA voters.

I can see that but I am expecting the unexpected from LAFCA. There is Boston Critics awards too later this week. Maybe they'll go with Argo. Actually, Argo may not be a bad pick for LAFCA either as it did very well with LA critics.

Playing For Keeps 0% RT (0/27). This is bad. Romcoms don't do this poorly with critics.

Playing For Keeps is at 0% on RT (0/15) with a 3.3 rating and as of last week it was tracking to open at $5 million.

Expectations don't figure into this at all. Bradley Cooper will not beat out DDL for Oscars. Maybe Denzel or Phoenix but Cooper isn't winning it. Who knows why they awarded Bradley Cooper and Ann Dowd but neither of them are going to win Oscars this year.

This isn't special olympics. People shouldn't be rewarded just because there are low expectations for them. DDL is better than Bradley Cooper. Period.

Skyfall $1.506 million

Jon Weisman thinks Argo is being helped by ZDT winning critics awards. Not sure I agree because his central argument is that Les Miz is getting hurt. I think Les Miz is almost guaranteed to make a comeback in january/february because of GG and BAFTA regardless of what happens in the first week of December. Is 'Argo' winning without winning? By: Jon Weisman Published: Wed, December 05, 2012, 4:19 PM A passing thought ... "Zero Dark Thirty" has topped fellow Thanksgiving weekend awards-season entry "Les Miserables" as the flavor of the moment, emerging as the pride of the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review. But should the momentum of "Zero" flag in similar fashion to "The Social Network" two years ago when it grabbed both those honors, what will step in? At Hollywood Elsewhere, Jeffrey Wells posits the alternative as "Silver Linings Playbook" — which earned NBR recognition today in screenplay and lead actor — but it's not clear to me that the David O. Russell film is the most logical place for the pendulum to swing. "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," and "Life of Pi" also lurk ... as do their detractors. At http://weblogs.varie...l#ixzz2EE8RFZHf To become a Variety subscriber visit: https://www.variety.....asp?screen=sc1

Ok. Where are the Skyfall numbers ?

BD2 and Skyfall fight will be very, very close. I think it comes down to how Skyfall survives TH1's opening and its loss of IMAX theaters.

There are facts, there are opinions and then there is just plain nonsense. Bradley Cooper over DDL is just nonsense.

I don't think theater increase will help Lincoln that much now. Skyfall will be #1 this week.

Ok so what about Hobbit now? I don't think it is going to win because HFR just isn't going to go down well with all those 60+ year old AMPAS members but is it possible that it won't even be nominated?

He will be directing this one. Although, Orphanage (GDT produced it as well) is a damn good movie and I always recommend it to anyone who hated Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, which was awful.

Good news. I have had it with found footage horror movies. At this point it is just another excuse for making awfully produced, poorly acted and very cheap movies.

I agree with everyone on the list except for Denzel and maybe Sandler. They are paid a ton of money but both of them are very consistent actors at the box office so studios know what they are getting 9 out of 10 times.

Here's the list - 1. Eddie Murphy ($2.30 for every $1 paid) 2. Katherine Heigl ($3.40 for every $1 paid) 3. Reese Witherspoon ($3.90 for every $1 paid) 4. Sandra Bullock ($5 for every $1 paid) 5. Jack Black ($5.20 for every $1 paid) 6. Nicolas Cage ($6 for every $1 paid) 7. Adam Sandler ($6.30 for every $1 paid) 8. Denzel Washington ($6.30 for every $1 paid) 9. Ben Stiller ($6.50 for every $1 paid) 10. Sarah Jessica Parker ($7 for every $1 paid) http://www.forbes.co...r-in-hollywood/

I think Field has a much better shot if Samantha Barks gets a nomination too as there will be some vote splitting.I don't know about Hathaway being desperate. She isn't doing anything out of ordinary to win some recognition. Her part in the movie is apparently so small that it doesn't even qualify as Oscar-bait.

I think the only important stories are Weisz and MM. This will give AMPAS members and other voters something to think about. That's it. It doesn't change the equation with regards to movies like Lincoln, ZDT, Les Miz, Argo etc. as almost every voter will probably end up seeing these movies and they will make up their mind regardless of what critics think. Even DDL and Field's wins won't change anything as they are top contenders and everyone knows it.

Sally Field can win if Les Miz Supporting Actress vote is split between Hathaway and Barks.

First round of Oscar voting is before GG awards but the final round is after the awards are held. Oscar voting will still be open when BAFTA takes place (February 10th). SAG and GG nominations will be announced next week before Oscar first round voting begins so GG is going to be influential no matter what.

I was expecting Les Miz to be acknowledged in some way but I still think Les Miz has the upper hand over ZDT in the real awards race. If ZDT wins GG then I will be on board but not before then.