With Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day” effectively out of the awards conversation — with good reason, in my opinion, though it has its admirers — Paramount evidently thought it wasn’t worth subjecting the film to the commercial pressures of the Christmas rush. The Kate Winslet-John Brolin drama hasn’t shifted out of the race entirely: it’ll have a one-week qualifying run, beginning December 27. But regular US audiences will only be able to see it from January 31, when it goes wide — one week before George Clooney’s “The Monuments Men.” Makes sense for a film that might connect more with adult (particularly female) audiences starved for higher-end mainstream fare in the winter lull, though those peek-a-boo qualifying releases have their detractors. [Hollywood Reporter]
Vanity Fair launches their weekly Oscar chat column: Is the “Saving Mr. Banks” the Academy bait it wants to be, and is “Philomena” the “hanging curveball” of the race? [Vanity Fair]
Bilge Ebiri sees how “12 Years a Slave” stacks up against Gordon Parks’ 1984 TV adaptation of Solomon Northup’s memoir. [Vulture]
Pete Hammond reports from the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards, where David O. Russell won for directing a film that hasn’t been seen yet. [Deadline]
Playwright Annie Baker’s essay for the Criterion edition of “Frances Ha” is, much like the film, lovely. [Slate]
Among other subjects, George Clooney discusses his issues with Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. And hey, did you know he likes Brad Pitt? [Esquire]
Tim Brayton looks back to the 2003 race for Best Animated Feature, when even a three-nominee limit couldn’t ensure the strongest lineup. [The Film Experience]
Rebecca Keegan looks at the rise of Hollywood production in the UK. [LA Times]
Are PG-13 movies outdoing R-rated one for gun-related violence? [Variety]