Brokeback Mountain is the early favorite for nominations in the Oscars race, dominates in Golden Globe nominations, and is the darling of critics. Brokeback Mountain looks like the film to beat.

With the bulk of the critics awards and Golden Globe noms behind us, the SAG and guilds noms are next up. Check out my 2005 awards season schedule for details (and the LA Times schedule too).

BREAKING NEWS

Brokeback wins top prize at the 2006 Producers Guild Awards

Awards Summary

Oscars

© A.M.P.A.S.

The 78th annual Academy Awards race in full swing. Ballots are due on January 21, and the Academy will announce the nominations on January 31. Most of the odds makers put Brokeback Mountain at or near the top of the list of movies to beat for nominations. Brokeback Mountain launched right in the heart of that first big window of heavy activity/publicity, platforming in three cities on December 9, and expanding in the wake of the first awards rounds on December 16. It continues to expand in through the Oscars nomination and final balloting, providing maximum credibility and publicity as Brokeback Mountain tries to crack the Red States.

* The Gurus o' Gold Oscar rankings from roughly a dozen of leading "experts," from Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, etc. Sort of the rottentomatoes of Oscar predictions.
* The latest from David Poland at MovieCityNews: 20 Weeks To Oscar
* Scoreboard of critics' Top 10 lists for 2005
* Oscar Beat at LA Times site
* Gold Derby, by Tom O'Neil (now part of LA Times--new address)
* Oscar Watch site
* Critics Top 10 compilation of critics' favorites
* Oscar predictions from The Film Experience (Nathaniel R, 07-Jan-2006)
* Nominations list in the St. Louis Movie Review Weekly (06-Jan-2006)
* 'Capote,' Hoffman, Witherspoon cop top critics nods ("...the association of prominent film critics notably snubbed 'Brokeback Mountain') (YAHOO/Reuters, Chris Michaud, 07-JAN-2006)
* BBC: Brokeback Mountain has gained further momentum in the build up to the Oscars, after being shortlisted for four Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards. (06-Jan-2006)
* David Poland with 8 Weeks to Go calls Brokeback Mountain a best-picture nomination lock (06-Jan-2005)
* Yahoo News: Brokeback Mountain rides high in Oscar race (Bob Tourtellotte, 05-Jan-2006)
* New York Daily News Oscars prospects (Jack Mathews, 04-Jan-2006)
* Fox News on the Oscar race heating up (Roger Friedman, 03-Jan-2006)
* USA Today's Oscar Oracles declares Brokeback Mountain firmly in control of Round One (Anthony DeBarros, 27-Dec-2005)
* USA Today poses 10 Questions for Oscar (Scott Bowles, 22-Dec-2005)
* A wonderful piece on why Brokeback is the Oscar contender to beat, and just a wonderful piece on why Brokeback is so great (Emanuel Levy, 14-Dec-2005)
* Newsweek on the Best Actor race: "Nominations for [Hoffman, Ledger and Phoenix] are considered guaranteed, according to the Academy voters, strategists and industry insiders interviewed for this story." (Sean Smith, 28-Nov-2005)
* Jack Matthews of NY Daily News ranks the top ten Oscar favorites, and puts Brokeback Mountain at #2 (06-Nov-2005)

Oscar Buzz...

* It's Oscartown, Jake: What A Difference A Day Made (10-Jan-2006)
* 'Brokeback Mountain' gallops to head of Oscars race – comments from Tom O'Neil (NINEMSN [Australia], 21-Jan-2006)
* Odds on Best Picture for 'Brokeback' (READABET, 20-Jan-2006)
* 'Brokeback' beefing up at Award Central (VARIETY, Ben Fritz, 19-Jan-2006)
* Keep these fine performances in mind (USA TODAY, Claudia Puig, 19-Jan-2006)
* Oscar Spotlight: Brokeback Mountain (OSCAR SPOTLIGHT, James Schamus, 20-Jan-2006) The Buzz on OSCAR WATCH(20-Jan-2006)
* Cowboy Film High in the Saddle After Globe-trotting Victory (ABC NEWS, Buck Wolf, 20-Jan-2006) Circle the wagons?
* A 'Line' in the sand? (USA TODAY, Scott Bowles, 17-Jan-2006)
* 'Brokeback Mountain' looks unstoppable after four wins at Golden Globes (INDEPENDENT [UK], Andrew Gumbel, 18-Jan-2006)
* Flirting With the Oscars Before the First Scene – a rather curious article that was published in several sources; it seems to have an 'agenda' rather than valid points (NY TIMES, Caryn James, 15-Jan-2006)
* Brokeback Edges In Front Of The Pack (SKY [UK], 13-Jan-2006)
* It's Oscartown, Jake: What A Difference A Day Made (10-Jan-2006)

Golden Globes

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN: BEST DRAMATIC FILM – BEST DIRECTOR
BEST SCREENPLAY – BEST SONG

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association hosted its 63rd annual Golden Globe awards ceremony on January 16. 'Brokeback Mountain' walked away with four important wins.

Brokeback Mountain dominated the Golden Globe noms with seven: nominations for everybody except Jake Gyllenhaal (ouch!). The next most nominated film was Good Night, Good Luck with only four. Interestingly, most of the big-contender films snubbed.