http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4911850709001

The Screen Actors Guild announced this year’s nominees for the 2014 SAG Awards. The winners will be announced during a live telecast on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 18. The nominees are as follows…

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

BRUCE DERN / Woody Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
TOM HANKS / Capt. Richard Phillips – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)
FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines – “LEE DANIELS” THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)
 
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

CATE BLANCHETT / Jasmine – “BLUE JASMINE” (Sony Pictures Classics)
SANDRA BULLOCK / Ryan Stone – “GRAVITY” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JUDI DENCH / Philomena Lee – “PHILOMENA” (The Weinstein Company)
MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)
EMMA THOMPSON / P.L. Travers – “SAVING MR. BANKS” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

BARKHAD ABDI / Muse – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)
DANIEL BRÜHL / Niki Lauda – “RUSH” (Universal Pictures)
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
JAMES GANDOLFINI / Albert – “ENOUGH SAID” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
JARED LETO / Rayon – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld – “AMERICAN HUSTLE” (Columbia Pictures)
LUPITA NYONG”O / Patsey – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)
JUNE SQUIBB / Kate Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)
OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines – “LEE DANIELS” THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

12 YEARS A SLAVE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Ford
PAUL DANO / Tibeats
GARRET DILLAHUNT / Armsby
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps
PAUL GIAMATTI / Freeman
SCOOT McNAIRY / Brown
LUPITA NYONG”O / Patsey
ADEPERO ODUYE / Eliza
SARAH PAULSON / Mistress Epps
BRAD PITT / Bass
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / Robert
ALFRE WOODARD / Mistress Shaw

AMERICAN HUSTLE (Columbia Pictures)

AMY ADAMS / Sydney Prosser
CHRISTIAN BALE / Irving Rosenfeld
LOUIS C.K. / Stoddard Thorsen
BRADLEY COOPER / Richie DiMaso
PAUL HERMAN / Alfonse Simone
JACK HUSTON / Pete Musane
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld
ALESSANDRO NIVOLA / Federal Prosecutor
MICHAEL PEÑA / Sheik (Agent Hernandez)
JEREMY RENNER / Mayor Carmine Polito
ELISABETH RÖHM / Dolly Polito
SHEA WHIGHAM / Carl Elway

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (The Weinstein Company)

ABIGAIL BRESLIN / Jean Fordham
CHRIS COOPER / Charles Aiken
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / “Little” Charles Aiken
JULIETTE LEWIS / Karen Weston
MARGO MARTINDALE / Mattie Fae Aiken
EWAN McGREGOR / Bill Fordham
DERMOT MULRONEY / Steve
JULIANNE NICHOLSON / Ivy Weston
JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston
SAM SHEPARD / Beverly Weston
MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston
MISTY UPHAM / Johnna

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (Focus Features)

JENNIFER GARNER / Dr. Eve Saks
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof
JARED LETO / Rayon
DENIS O”HARE / Dr. Sevard
DALLAS ROBERTS / David Wayne
STEVE ZAHN / Tucker

LEE DANIELS” THE BUTLER (The Weinstein Company)

MARIAH CAREY / Hattie Pearl
JOHN CUSACK / Richard Nixon
JANE FONDA / Nancy Reagan
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Carter Wilson
TERRENCE HOWARD / Howard
LENNY KRAVITZ / James Holloway
JAMES MARSDEN / John F. Kennedy
DAVID OYELOWO / Louis Gaines
ALEX PETTYFER / Thomas Westfall
VANESSA REDGRAVE / Annabeth Westfall
ALAN RICKMAN / Ronald Reagan
LIEV SCHREIBER / Lyndon B. Johnson
FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines
ROBIN WILLIAMS / Dwight D. Eisenhower
OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

MATT DAMON / Scott Thorson – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)
MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Liberace – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)
JEREMY IRONS / King Henry IV – “THE HOLLOW CROWN” (WNET/Thirteen)
ROB LOWE / John F. Kennedy – “KILLING KENNEDY” (National Geographic Channel)
AL PACINO / Phil Spector – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

ANGELA BASSETT / Coretta Scott King – “BETTY & CORETTA” (Lifetime)
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Elizabeth Taylor – “BURTON AND TAYLOR” (BBC America)
HOLLY HUNTER / G.J. – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)
HELEN MIRREN / Linda Kenney Baden – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)
ELISABETH MOSS / Robin Griffin – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
JEFF DANIELS / Will McAvoy – “THE NEWSROOM” (HBO)
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)
ANNA GUNN / Skyler White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
JESSICA LANGE / Fiona Goode – “AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN” (FX)
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)
KERRY WASHINGTON / Olivia Pope – “SCANDAL” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth – “ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT” (Netflix)
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
DON CHEADLE / Martin “Marty” Kaan – “HOUSE OF LIES” (Showtime)
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)

PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Sally Wheet
MARGOT BINGHAM / Daughter Maitland
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson
BRIAN GERAGHTY / Agent Warren Knox
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Al Capone
ERIK LA RAY HARVEY / Dunn Purnsley
JACK HUSTON / Richard Harrow
RON LIVINGSTON / Roy Phillips
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI / Ralph Capone
GRETCHEN MOL / Gillian Darmody
BEN ROSENFIELD / Willie Thompson
MICHAEL STUHLBARG / Arnold Rothstein
JACOB WARE / Agent Selby
SHEA WHIGHAM / Elias “Eli” Thompson
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / “Chalky” White
JEFFREY WRIGHT / Valentin Narcisse

BREAKING BAD (AMC)

MICHAEL BOWEN / Uncle Jack
BETSY BRANDT / Marie Schrader
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White
LAVELL CRAWFORD / Huell
TAIT FLETCHER / Lester
LAURA FRASER / Lydia Rodarte-Quale
ANNA GUNN / Skyler White
MATTHEW T. METZLER / Matt
RJ MITTE / Walter White Jr.
DEAN NORRIS / Hank Schrader
BOB ODENKIRK / Saul Goodman
AARON PAUL / Jesse Pinkman
JESSE PLEMONS / Todd
STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA / Gomez
KEVIN RANKIN / Kenny
PATRICK SANE / Frankie

DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)

HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Molesley
JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
SIOBHAN FINNERAN / Sarah O”Brien
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
MATT MILNE / Alfred
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
ED SPELEERS / Jimmy
DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
CARA THEOBOLD / Ivy
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

ALFIE ALLEN / Theon Greyjoy
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
OONA CHAPLIN / Talisa Maegyr
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
MACKENZIE CROOK / Orell
CHARLES DANCE / Tywin Lannister
JOE DEMPSIE / Gendry
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
NATALIE DORMER / Margaery Tyrell
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
MICHELLE FAIRLEY / Lady Catelyn Stark
JACK GLEESON / Joffrey Baratheon
IAIN GLEN / Ser Jorah Mormont
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY /Cersei Lannister
ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT / Brandon “Bran” Stark
KRISTOFER HIVJU / Tormund Giantsbane
PAUL KAYE / Thoros of Myr
SIBEL KEKILLI / Shae
ROSE LESLIE / Ygritte
RICHARD MADDEN / Robb Stark
RORY McCANN / Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
MICHAEL McELHATTON / Roose Bolton
IAN McELHINNEY / Barristan Selmy
PHILIP McGINLEY / Anguy
HANNAH MURRAY / Gilly
IWAN RHEON / Ramsay Snow
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
CARICE VAN HOUTEN / Melisandre
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark

HOMELAND (Showtime)

F. MURRAY ABRAHAM / Dar Adal
SARITA CHOUDHURY / Mira Berenson
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison
RUPERT FRIEND / Peter Quinn
TRACY LETTS / Sen. Andrew Lockhart
DAMIAN LEWIS / Nicholas Brody
MANDY PATINKIN / Saul Berenson
MORGAN SAYLOR / Dana Brody

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)

SCOTT ADSIT / Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN / Cerie
KEVIN BROWN / Dot Com
GRIZZ CHAPMAN / Grizz
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER / Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI / Jenna Maroney
JOHN LUTZ / Lutz
JAMES MARSDEN / Criss
JACK McBRAYER / Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN / Tracy Jordan
KEITH POWELL / Toofer

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Netflix)

WILL ARNETT / George Oscar “G.O.B.” Bluth II
JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth
JOHN BEARD / Himself
MICHAEL CERA / George-Michael Bluth
DAVID CROSS / Tobias Fünke
PORTIA DE ROSSI / Lindsay Bluth Fünke
ISLA FISHER / Rebel Alley
TONY HALE / Buster Bluth
RON HOWARD / Narrator/Himself
LIZA MINNELLI / Lucille Austero
ALIA SHAWKAT / Maeby Fünke
JEFFREY TAMBOR / George Bluth, Sr./Oscar Bluth
JESSICA WALTER / Lucille Bluth
HENRY WINKLER / Barry Zuckerkorn

THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)

MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O”NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

VEEP (HBO)

SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES
 
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

ALL IS LOST (Lionsgate)
FAST & FURIOUS 6 (Universal Pictures)
LONE SURVIVOR (Universal Pictures)
RUSH (Universal Pictures)
THE WOLVERINE (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
BREAKING BAD (AMC)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
HOMELAND (Showtime)
THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 50th Annual Life Achievement Award

RITA MORENO

It happens pretty much every year: some adorable animal in one of the year’s major awards titles charms critics enough that its “performance” places in various year-end polls, while others make irony-laced calls for awards recognition. Two years ago it was that craven red-carpet whore Uggie; this year, it’s the cat/s of “Inside Llewyn Davis” that has surfaced in the Indiewire critics’ poll for Best Supporting Performance. Joe Reid, albeit with his own tongue fairly far in cheek, is tired of the joke: “Handing an Academy Award to your cat is something to do when you’re eight years old and holding pretend Academy Awards in your bedroom, because you’re an only gay child who just wants to re-enact the Whoopi Goldberg-hosted 1998 Oscars, and the cat makes a better Gwyneth Paltrow than you do.” The old Billy DeWolfe song “Don’t Dress Your Cat in an Apron” comes to mind. [The Wire]

Richard Corliss offers a lovely appreciation of the career of three-time Oscar nominee Eleanor Parker, who passed away earlier this week. [TIME]

275 feature films have been submitted for BAFTA consideration. Going on past form, about 12 of them will receive nominations. [Screen Daily]

With this year’s Best Actress race unusually heavy on experienced names, Nathaniel Rogers rounds up the 10 most senior lineups  in the category’s history. [The Film Experience]

Tim Grierson on why loves the Coen Brothers most when they’re doing character studies. [Deadspin]

Screenwriters from six of this year’s awards hopefuls, including Steve Coogan and Tracy Letts, talk about the process of giving their creations away, among other topics. [Variety]

Britain’s George Mackay and last year’s Cannes Best Actress winner Cosmina Stratan are among the 10 young actors selected for the annual Shooting Stars showcase at the Berlinale. [Cineuropa]

How Disney is using its own history in its awards campaign for “Saving Mr. Banks” and “Frozen.” [Hollywood Reporter]

Keith Phipps looks back at the year in blockbusters, and declares it a brash, noisy one. [The Dissolve]

It’s not a new trick to put Oscar contenders that have mostly come and gone from the multiplex back into theaters this time of year. It can often help regain steam heading into the voting period or, better yet, rack up on extra box office dollars in the latter-year fog of awards season.

Today, Sony Classics and Sony Pictures each announced that Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” and Paul Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips,” respectively, would be heading back to screens. Allen’s film, which features a Cate Blanchett performance that has been dominating on the critics circuit and may well win the Oscar, will re-release into 300 theaters this weekend, while Greengrass’ gripping account of Somali piracy off the coast of Africa starring Tom Hanks will expand into a whopping 1,000 theaters on January 15, just one day before the Oscar nominations.

The logic can be followed for both. While it’s nice that Blanchett is building so much steam in the precursors, and that Allen will likely be nominated yet again for his work on the page, “Blue Jasmine” is a film that could translate to Best Picture or Best Director recognition from the Academy. Dragging it back out just two weeks before Academy voting begins on Dec. 27 keeps it high on the radar.

In the case of “Captain Phillips,” the goal seems to be a box office bump from any nominations the film may receive the next day. And it signifies no lack of confidence that it will be well-represented, too, because 1,000 screens is nothing to sneeze at. The film already broke $100 million at the domestic box office and, as we’ve seen year after year (particularly with Weinstein players), Oscar nominations can bring a solid revenue injection for players still in the marketplace.

We’ll see if all that logic pans out.

Those who have seen Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” have likely taken plenty of pleasure in Mark Orton’s musical compositions in the film. The heartland plucking and bowing of strings throughout carries the narrative with a helping of nostalgia and a touch of levity and you might end up humming this or that tune on your way out of the theater. But what you might not know is that the music is not original to the film.

The most memorable elements of the score are actually selections from Orton’s work on Ali Selim’s 2005 festival hit “Sweet Land.” For those reasons alone, the score would not be eligible in the Best Original Score category at the Oscars this year. But HitFix has learned that Orton has opted out of submitting it for consideration regardless.

The studio hasn’t exactly hidden from this, by the way; Academy and critics group screeners of the film note “Music by Mark Orton” as opposed to “Best Original Score.” Apparently Payne was using “Sweet Land” tracks such as “Their Pie,” “Magna Carta” and “Brownie’s Pie” as temp music for the film when he was editing and he liked them so much, he called Orton in to re-record them.

“The music worked so well that over time, we looked at one another and said, ‘Why don’t we make this temp music perm?,'” Payne told Film Journal in November. “The one thing I knew I wanted was that you feel the personality of the players. It shouldn’t just be orchestral or studio musicians. I knew it had to feel handmade somehow, and I think Mark’s music does.”

On one hand this might feel a bit strange, like lifting the identity of one piece of art and layering it onto another. But any number of previously existing musical compositions have been used in films since the beginning of the medium’s existence. So even if the tracks were originally meant for another film, they work beautifully in the context of “Nebraska” that you can hardly fault Payne for using them.

More on the Best Original Score Oscar race in Thursday’s Tech Support column.

Tomorrow, the Oscar race takes a significant turn, as we move beyond the critics’ awards — though there are still plenty of those to come, of course — and into the realm of industry opinion. The Screen Actors Guilds are the first taste we get of peer voting, and more often than not, the Academy echoes their selections with only a couple of exceptions — not least because the bodies share a not-inconsiderable number of voters.

Last year, 14 of 20 SAG-nominated film performances went on to be compete for the Oscars, and that was a lower proportion than usual; three years ago, it was as many as 19.  When they disagree, it’s usually SAG’s picks that skew a little more conservative: on the whole, they’re less likely than the Academy to spring for foreign-language performances or offbeat art films. (Among the names that missed out on SAG nods last year were Emmanuelle Riva, Quvenzhané Wallis, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams for “The Master” and eventual Supporting Actor Oscar champ Christoph Waltz.) So a SAG omission is by no means insurmountable — though when mainstream contenders miss out, it can be cause for concern.

Who’s looking good in this year’s SAG race, then? In each of the film categories, there are a handful of surefire nominees, but none is without some wiggle room — including the group’s top award, Best Ensemble. It’s ostensibly their Best Picture equivalent, and sometimes blatantly awarded as such –remember “Slumdog Millionaire?” Still, it’s still hard to imagine one of the Oscar frontrunners, “Gravity,” scoring here, for obvious reasons.

With all that in mind, Kris, Greg and I have gathered our predictions in each category for your perusal. In no category do we entirely agree on the field, which hopefully bodes well for some surprises tomorrow. Take a look and tell us what you think…  

Best Ensemble

Greg’s picks:
“American Hustle”
“August: Osage County”
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”

Guy’s picks:
“American Hustle”
“August: Osage County”
“Her”
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
“12 Years a Slave”

Kris’ picks:
“American Hustle”
“August: Osage County”
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave” 

All three of us agree on four of these. “12 Years a Slave” and “American Hustle” are surefire Best Picture contenders that are also dependent on large, star-filled casts, so those are no-brainers. “August: Osage County” and “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” aren’t quite such formidable contenders, but it’s hard to imagine SAG ignoring such hefty, old-fashioned ensemble pieces in this category. (If they nominate the two-person cast of “Gravity,” it really is time to drop the “Best Ensemble” pretence.) For the final spot, Kris and Greg agree on the Old Hollywood comforts of “Saving Mr. Banks”; I wonder if they might skew trendier (and reward a very fine ensemble) with “Her.”

Best Actress

Greg’s picks:
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Judi Dench, “Philomena”
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Guy’s picks:
Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Judi Dench, “Philomena”
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County” 

Kris’ picks:
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Judi Dench, “Philomena”
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Again, we’re unanimous on four nominees here: Blanchett, Bullock, Dench and Streep have featured on pretty much everyone’s prediction lists for months now, and all four are former SAG winners. Emma Thompson isn’t, but only because her Oscar glory days predate the SAGs’ existence; she’s widely deemed a safe bet, and Kris and Greg agree. But what of Amy Adams? She’s popular with the Guild (if not as popular as she is the Academy, given that she missed a nod for “The Master” last year), and we know “American Hustle” was well-received at its SAG screening. She’s the spoiler, but it’s no easy field to spoil.

Best Actor

Greg’s picks:
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Robert Redford, “All is Lost”
Forest Whitaker, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Guy’s picks:
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Robert Redford, “All is Lost”
Forest Whitaker, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Kris’ picks:
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Robert Redford, “All is Lost”

Another category with four agreed nominees: Dern, Ejiofor, McConayghey and Redford (the same quartet, apparently, that competed so closely in the LAFCA vote) all look solid in the race, but in a crowded category, the final spot could go a number of ways. Greg and I are both taking a punt on Forest Whitaker: not the freshest or most acclaimed contender, but the kind of actors’ actor, in the kind of popular, middle-of-the-road film, that tends to go over well with this group. The same might be said of Kris’s pick, Tom Hanks, even if the talk around “Captain Phillips” has gone a bit quiet lately. 

Best Supporting Actress

Greg’s picks:
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”
Octavia Spencer, “Fruitvale Station”
Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Guy’s picks:
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Sarah Paulson, “12 Years a Slave”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”
Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Kris’ picks:
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
Margo Martindale, “August: Osage County”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”
Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Slightly less consensus here: everyone agrees on Nyong’o, Lawrence and Winfrey, but from there on, we all have different ideas. Kris and I are both guessing SAG types will warm to June Squibb’s tough-old-broad act of “Nebraska,” while Greg thinks a better-known indie contender, previous winner Octavia Spencer for “Fruitvale Station,” will make the cut instead. Kris and Greg disagree on which “August: Osage County” performer will make it: the former says beloved character actor Margo Martindale, the latter says leading-lady-in-disguise Julia Roberts. For my part, I’m taking a wild guess on Sarah Paulson making it a very good morning for “12 Years a Slave”; no voting group is more sympathetic to actors with a TV profile.

Best Supporting Actor

Greg’s picks:
Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
Tom Hanks, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Jonah Hill, “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Guy’s picks:
Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
James Gandolfini, “Enough Said”
Tom Hanks, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Kris’ picks:
Casey Affleck, “Out of the Furnace”
Will Forte, “Nebraska”
James Gandolfini, “Enough Said”
Tom Hanks, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

And finally, here’s where things really get interesting. Beyond the assumed frontrunner status of Jared Leto, not much else has settled in this category, and his and Tom Hanks’s canny Walt Disney impersonation are the only two performances we all agree will be nominated. Beyond that, Kris and I agree that James Gandolfini will find a place here: his tender performance in “Enough Said” is worthy on its own merits, but posthumous sentiment and his popularity with SAG (he won three times for his individual work in “The Sopranos”) are also factors. Greg and I, meanwhile, agree on Bradley Cooper (who hasn’t shown up much thus far) and Michael Fassbender; Kris, however, anticipates another SAG shutout for the latter, and a nod for Casey Affleck that would be a surprise to many.

Which of us three will be proven the most savvy? And what are your picks for tomorrow’s nominations? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments!

http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4911844473001

Several years ago, Brendan Gleeson and writer-director John Michael McDonagh scored a Sundance hit with the low-key dark comedy “The Guard.”

Sundance 2014 finds them reuniting for more bleak laughs and some religious introspection in “Calvary,” with “Bridesmaids” star Chris O’Dowd in tow.

The film’s first trailer (above) gives you an idea of what to expect from the Bergman-esque tale of an idealistic priest (Gleeson) who finds himself seeing the world in a new light after receiving a death threat during a confession.

It also stars Irish comedian Dylan Moran, Kelly Reilly (“Flight”), Isaach de Bankolé (“The Limits of Control”) and Aidan Gillen, so memorable on both “Game of Thrones” and “The Wire.”

“Calvary” will be unveiled in the Premieres category at Sundance, which begins January 16.

“Calvary” doesn’t yet have a U.S. release date, but will hit U.K. theaters on April 11.

You guessed it, another regional group has gone for “12 Years a Slave” in a big way. As noted in yesterday’s Oscar column, these groups speak to consensus more than the more “prestigious” groups that went last week. Though it’s not to say the critics groups across the country won’t be without their quirks that may not easily translate to the Academy. For instance, I find it interesting (in a good way) that “Short Term 12” has been doing so well with these groups. Here the film landed five nominations. Anyway, check out the full list below. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 11. And as always, keep track of the season at The Circuit.

Best Film
“Gravity”
“Her”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Short Term 12”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Spike Jonze, “Her”
Destin Cretton, “Short Term 12”
Joel and Ethan Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis”
Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Her”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Adèle Exarchopoulos, “Blue is the Warmest Color”
Brie Larson, “Short Term 12”
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Supporting Actor
Daniel Brühl, “Rush”
Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
James Gandolfini, “Enough Said”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Sam Rockwell, “The Way, Way Back”

Best Supporting Actress
Elizabeth Banks, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Shailene Woodley, “The Spectacular Now”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“Before Midnight”
“Captain Phillips”
“Short Term 12”
“The Spectacular Now”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Original Screenplay
“Blue Jasmine”
“Enough Said”
“Her”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Prisoners”

Best Animated Film
“The Croods”
“Despicable Me 2”
“Frozen”
“Get a Horse!”
“The Wind Rises”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Blue is the Warmest Color”
“The Broken Circle Breakdown”
“Drug War”
“The Hunt”
“No”

Best Documentary
“The Act of Killing”
“Blackfish”
“Let the Fire Burn”
“Stories We Tell”
“20 Feet from Stardom”

Best Cinematography
“Gravity”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Prisoners”
“To the Wonder”

Best Production Design
“Gravity”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Her”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Score
“The Broken Circle Breakdown”
“Gravity”
“Her”
“Rush”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Ensemble Performance
“American Hustle”
“Prisoners”
“Short Term 12”
“12 Years a Slave”
“The Way, Way Back”

Another day, another regional critics group that dives full force into the “12 Years a Slave” tank. The film dominated the Phoenix Film Critics Society nominations today with 13 mentions. “Saving Mr. Banks” was a distant second nailing down nine, while “Gravity” picked up eight. Jeff Nichols’ “Mud” also sparked for the group, picking up as many nominations as top Oscar players like “American Hustle” and “Captain Phillips.” It showed up in the group’s lengthy Best Picture/Top 10 list category as well as in Best Original Screenplay. Check out the full list below, and remember to keep track of the season via The Circuit.

Top 10 Films of 2013 (alphabetical)
“American Hustle”
“Captain Phillips”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“Gravity”
“Mud”
“Nebraska”
“Philomena”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“Short Term 12”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Paul Greengrass, “Captain Phillips”
John Lee Hancock, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”
Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”

Best Actor
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Robert Redford, “All is Lost”

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Judi Dench, “Philomena”
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
James Gandolfini, “Enough Said”
Tom Hanks, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Matthew McConaughey, “Mud”
Sam Rockwell, “The Way, Way Back”

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle
Lupita Nyong”o, “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”
Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“August: Osage County”
“Captain Phillips”
“Philomena”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Original Screenplay
“Gravity”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Mud”
“Nebraska”

Best Animated Film
“Despicable Me 2”
“Frozen”
“Monsters University”
“The Wind Rises”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Blancanieves”
“Blue is the Warmest Color”
“The Grandmaster”
“The Hunt”
“Populaire”

Best Documentary
“The Act of Killing”
“Blackfish”
“Stories We Tell”
“20 Feet from Stardom”
“We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks”

Best Cinematography
“Gravity”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Nebraska”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Costume Design
“American Hustle”
“42”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Film Editing
“American Hustle”
“Captain Phillips”
“Gravity”
“Rush”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Original Song
“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
“Young and Beautiful” from “The Great Gatsby”
“Please Mr. Kennedy” from “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Best Original Score
“Frozen”
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Production Design
“Gravity”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Oz the Great and Powerful”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Visual Effects
“Gravity”
“Jack the Giant Slayer”
“Oblivion”
“Star Trek Into Darkness”

Best Ensemble Acting
“American Hustle”
“August: Osage County”
“Saving Mr, Banks”
“12 Years a Slave”
“The Way Way Back”

Best Live Action Family Film
“One Direction: This Is Us”
“Oz the Great and Powerful”
“Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”
“The Smurfs 2”

Overlooked Film of the Year
“In a World …”
“Jack the Giant Slayer”
“The Kings of Summer”
“Much Ado About Nothing”
“Short Term 12”
“The Spectacular Now”

Best Stunts
“Fast & Furious 6”
“Oblivion”
“Star Trek Into Darkness”

Breakthrough Performance on Camera
Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”
Liam James, “The Way Way Back”
Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station”
Brie Larson, “Short Term 12”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”

Breakthrough Performance Behind the Camera
Lake Bell, “In a World…”
Ryan Coogler, “Fruitvale Station”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “Don Jon”
Jeff Nichols, “Mud”
Jordan Vogt-Roberts, “The Kings of Summer”

Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role – Male
Asa Butterfield, “Ender”s Game”
Liam James, “The Way Way Back”
Nick Robinson, “The Kings of Summer”
Tye Sheridan, “Mud”

Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role – Female
Annie Rose Buckley, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Kaitlyn Dever, “Short Term 12”
Sophie Nélisse, “The Book Thief”
Annika Wedderkopp, “The Hunt”

The editing of “The Wolf of Wall Street” has been a long-running story, as Martin Scorsese’s film scrambled to get in under the wire — with reports of various running times (one as long as four hours) along the way. Three-time Oscar winner Thelma Schoonmaker, who is probably more informed than most on this matter, talks to Melena Ryzik about the “shaving down” process, the improvisations she reluctantly had to lose, and the awkward NSFW moments she encountered along the way. “This is a lot of sex and a lot of drugs. It was a bit of a shock at first. Sometimes people would come in the editing room and there”d be some outrageous image on the screen and I”d say, ‘Wait a minute, let me move that off.”” [New York Times]

LAFCA member Justin Chang gives an insider’s insight into Sunday’s vote, offering further details of the contenders that were in the mix, and sharing his personal ballot. [Variety]

Lupita Nyong’o and “Saving Mr. Banks” composer Thomas Newman are the latest names to be added to the Palm Springs fest’s honors list. [Deadline]

Oscar-winning “Crazy Heart” musician Ryan Bingham is readying a new film project, to be directed by his wife and starring Imogen Poots. [Billboard]

Tom Huddleston traces how fantasy became cool again in the movies. [Time Out]

David O. Russell and editor Jay Cassidy discuss what they discovered in the cutting room of “American Hustle.” [LA Times]

Forbes confirms what critics have been suggesting for some time: that Adam Sandler and Katherine Heigl are overpaid. [Forbes]

Calum Marsh on the difficulties of adapting truly great prose for the screen. [Paris Review]

While considering his favourite films of 2013, Adam Batty wonders if it’s been a less auteur-driven year than usual. [Hope Lies]

A far-flung honor for “Gravity,” as it was named Best Foreign Film by the Israeli Film Critics’ Association — while the country’s Oscar entry “Bethlehem” was defeated in the top races. [Hollywood Reporter]

It’s probably not fair to say Tom Hanks has experienced a comeback over the past year. He’s always been here. His side job as a movie and TV producer has just stolen some of his free time over the past decade or so. 2013 is a watershed for Hanks, however, with acclaimed performances in two Oscar contenders, “Captain Phillips” and “Saving Mr. Banks,” now on his resume. “Phillips” has already earned over $100 million domestic, “Banks” is expected to be a major holiday hit and he could earn Academy Award nominations for both films. So on second thought, maybe it’s a pseudo comeback.

Hanks won his first Oscar for “Philadelphia” in 1994. He followed that up in 1995 with a second statue for his work in the blockbuster “Forrest Gump.” Almost 20 years later it’s hard to believe there was actually so much scuttlebutt that it was too much too soon for the former sitcom star. At this point, many wonder instead why Hanks hasn’t joined peers Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in the three-timer club yet. And if you aren’t sure he deserves it, consider some of his great performances that didn’t make HitFix’s list of his top 10 of all time: “Splash,” “Punchline,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Cloud Atlas,” “The Green Mile” and “The Ladykillers.” Those are a few modern classics with exemplary work from our modern day Jimmy Stewart.

Which of Hanks’ performances did make our top 10? Check out the story gallery below and then rank them yourself in the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.

From Michael Fassbender to Shailene Woodley to Keira Knightley to Ryan Reynolds, Sundance’s 2014 Premieres slate (full list here) is certainly a star-studded one, and you can take your first glimpse at a number of the selected films – including Gregg Araki’s “White Bird in a Blizzard,” David Wain’s “They Came Together” and William H. Macy’s “Rudderless” – in the gallery below.

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 16-26 in Park City, Utah.

As I wrote in yesterday’s LAFCA voting live-blog, GKIDS’ beguiling French creature feature “Ernest and Celestine” is making strides in the animated Oscar race. Yesterday’s win from the LA crowd, pipping early critics’ favorite “The Wind Rises” to the post, was an unexpected coup. It did well, too, in the Annie Award nominations, where it joined “Frozen” as the only films to score nods for directing and writing, in addition to the top prize. Add to that the news that the film’s English-language version — featuring the voices of Forest Whitaker and Nick Offerman, among others — has secured a shiny premiere slot at the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s clearly a viable contender.

Now, along with GKIDS’ other 2014 awards hopeful, Japanese anime effort “A Letter to Momo,” “Ernest and Celestine” is receiving another handy profile boost in the midst of the voting period — and it’s rather a sweet one. The two films have been named as part of an 18-film retrospective of the works that the independent animation distributor has brought to the screen.

“An Animated World: Celebrating Five Years of GKIDS Classics” will take place in New York’s IFC Center from December 20 to January 2. In addition to those two current Oscar players, the showcase will also include upcoming releases “Welcome to the Space Show,” “Nocturna” and “Eleanor’s Secret,” as well as a silver-anniversary re-release of Studio Ghibli’s masterful “Grave of the Fireflies” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” to which they now hold the theatrical rights.

11 of the films, of course, will be past GKIDS releases, including recent Oscar nominees “The Secret of Kells,” “Chico and Rita” and “A Cat in Paris,” as well as such films as “Summer Wars,” “From Up on Poppy Hill,” “The Rabbi’s Cat,” “The Painting,” “Tales of the Night” and “Sita Sings the Blues.” Tickets, if you fancy revisiting an old favorite or meeting a new one, are available here.

Anyway, the retrospective is a nice (not to mention timely) reminder of just how this scrappy outfit has made a name for itself — and sculpted a distinct, discerning brand in the process — in the last five years. It remains to be seen whether the Academy’s rule adjustments in this category will make life that much harder for independent outsiders. Either way, the films are their own reward — and in a year that many feel hasn’t been a vintage one for big studio animation, this couldn’t be a more opportune moment for GKIDS to, quite literally,.show everyone what they’re made of.

The American Film Institute has named their Top 10 TV shows of 2013 – and cable/Netflix dramas emerged as the big winners.

AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” FX’s “The Americans,” Netflix’s “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black” and Showtime’s “Masters of Sex” took up seven of the top ten slots on this year’s list, while only two network shows — ABC’s “Scandal” and CBS’ “The Good Wife” — made the cut. On the comedy end, the sole entry (unless you count “Orange Is the New Black”) is HBO’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus critically-acclaimed political laffer “Veep” – a significant drop from last year for the genre, when “Modern Family,” “Girls” and “Louie” all made the AFI’s Top 10.

Only 3 of the 10 entries — “Breaking Bad,” “Game of Thrones” and “Mad Men” — were repeats from the organization’s 2012 list.

(Check out AFI’s Top 10 films list here.)

AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE’S TOP 10 TV PROGRAMS OF 2013

“The Americans”

“Breaking Bad”

“Game of Thrones”

“The Good Wife”

“House of Cards”

“Mad Men”

“Masters of Sex”

“Orange Is the New Black”

“Scandal”

“Veep”

The Sundance Institute announced its highly anticipated premieres slate for this year’s 2014 Sundance Film Festival today and it features some returning filmmakers, more big stars, a highly anticipated sequel and a Nick Offerman one-man show.

While the entire festival is seen as a major acquisition hub for the movie industry, the premieres slate usually features the biggest names and films that are “expected” and, but are not always, more “commercial.” Previous Premiere category films include “The Kids Are All Right,” “The Runaways,” “Margin Call” and “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Sundance directors returning to Park City this year include Lynn Shelton, Greg Araki, Gareth Evans, William H. Macy, David Wain, David Cross and Michael Winterbottom, among others.

Park City’s famed Main Street may find notable names such as Michael Fassbender, Anna Kendrick, Nick Offerman, Steve Coogan, Keira Knightley, Mark Duplass, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Ryan Reynolds, Michael Shannon, Shailene Woodley and Nicholas Hoult trudging through the snow for after parties and interviews.

Taking into account the festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition slate, which was announced last week, the 2014 edition may be the most anticipated in years.

A selection of Documentary Premieres was also announced today.

A complete rundown of the PREMIERES category is as follows.

“Calvary” (Ireland, United Kingdom)
Director and screenwriter: John Michael McDonagh
Calvary is a blackly comedic drama about a priest tormented by his community. Father James is a good man intent on making the world a better place. When his life is threatened one day during confession, he finds he has to battle the dark forces closing in around him.
Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Marie-Josée Croz.

“Frank” (Ireland, United Kingdom)
Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Screenwriters: Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan
Frank is an offbeat comedy about a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins an avant garde rock band led by the enigmatic Frank-a musical genius who hides himself inside a large fake head.
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy.

“Hits” (U.S.A.)
Director and screenwriter: David Cross A small town in upstate New York is populated by people who wallow in unrealistic expectations. There, fame, delusion, earnestness, and recklessness meet, shake hands, and disrupt the lives around them.
Cast: Meredith Hagner, Matt Walsh, James Adomian, Jake Cherry Derek Waters, Wyatt Cenac.

“I Origin” ( U.S.A.)
Director and screenwriter: Mike Cahill
A molecular biologist and his lab partner uncover startling evidence that could fundamentally change society as we know it and cause them to question their once-certain beliefs in science and spirituality.
Cast: Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi.

“Laggies” (U.S.A.) Director: Lynn Shelton, Screenwriter: Andrea Seigel
Laggies is a coming of age story about a 28-year-old woman stuck in permanent adolescence. Unable to find her career calling, still hanging out with the same friends, and living with her high school boyfriend, Megan must finally navigate her own future when an unexpected marriage proposal sends her into a panic.
Cast: Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ellie Kemper, Jeff Garlin, Mark Webber.

“Little Accidents” (U.S.A.)
Director and screenwriter: Sara Colangelo
In a small American coal town living in the shadow of a recent mining accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws three people together-a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy-in a web of secrets.
Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny, Jacob Lofland, Josh Lucas.

“Love is Strange” (U.S.A.)
Director: Ira Sachs, Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias
After 39 years together, Ben and George finally tie the knot, but George loses his job as a result, and the newlyweds must sell their New York apartment and live apart, relying on friends and family to make ends meet.
Cast: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Darren Burrows, Charlie Tahan, Cheyenne Jackson.

“A Most Wanted Man” (Germany, U.S.A.)
Director: Anton Corbijn, Screenwriter: Andrew Bovell
Based on John le Carré”s bestselling book, Anton Corbijn directs this modern-day thriller with Academy Award–winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, and two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe headlining an ensemble cast.
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright.

“Nick Offerman: American Ham” (U.S.A.)
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Nick Offerman
WARNING: MINOR NUDITY AND NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS. This live taping of Nick Offerman’s hilarious one-man show at New York’s historic Town Hall theater features a collection of anecdotes, songs, and woodworking/oral sex techniques. The routine includes Offerman’s 10 tips for living a more prosperous life, so hearken well.
Cast: Nick Offerman.

“The One I Love” (U.S.A.)
Director: Charlie McDowell, Screenwriter: Justin Lader
Struggling with a marriage on the brink of falling apart, a couple escapes for the weekend in pursuit of their better selves, only to discover an unusual dilemma waiting for them. Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson.

“The Raid 2” (Indonesia)
Director and screenwriter: Gareth Evans
Picking up where the first film left off, The Raid 2 follows Rama as he goes undercover and infiltrates the ranks of a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and expose the corruption in his own police force.
Cast: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadewo, Alex Abbad.

“Rudderless” (U.S.A.)
Director: William H. Macy, Screenwriters: Casey Twenter, Jeff Robison, William H. Macy
When a grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles upon a box of his deceased son’s original music, he forms a rock ‘n’ roll band, which changes his life.
Cast: Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Selena Gomez, Laurence Fishburne, William H. Macy. CLOSING NIGHT FILM

“They Came Together” (U.S.A.)
Director: David Wain, Screenwriters: Michael Showalter, David Wain
This subversion/spoof/deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre has a vaguely, but not overtly, Jewish leading man, a klutzy, but adorable, leading lady, and New York City itself as another character in the story.
Cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Christopher Meloni.

“The Trip to Italy” (United Kingdom)
Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriters: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon for more delectable food, some sharp-elbowed rivalry, and plenty of laughs.
Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon.

“The Voices” (U.S.A., Germany)
Director: Marjane Satrapi, Screenwriter: Michael Perry
This genre-bending tale centers around Jerry Hickfang, a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for attention from a woman in accounting. When their relationship takes a sudden, murderous turn, Jerry’s evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog lead him down a fantastical path where he ultimately finds salvation.
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick, Jacki Weaver.

“White Bird in a Blizzard” (U.S.A.)
Director and screenwriter: Gregg Araki
Based on the acclaimed novel by Laura Kasischke, White Bird in a Blizzard tells the story of Kat Connors, a young woman whose life is turned upside down by the sudden disappearance of her beautiful, enigmatic mother.
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Eva Green, Christopher Meloni, Shiloh Fernandez, Gabourey Sidibe, Thomas Jane.

“Young Ones” (U.S.A.)
Director and screenwriter: Jake Paltrow
When a series of events is set into motion, altering his young life forever, Jerome is forced to make choices that no child should ever have to make.
Cast: Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult

The American Film Institute has announced AFI Awards official selections for outstanding motion pictures and television programs this year. And on the film side – which, remember, is limited to American productions – the year is well-represented with top tier studio and indie productions highlighted.

“AFI Awards is a moment for the most accomplished storytellers of 2013 to pause and be appreciated – not as competitors, but as a community,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “Acknowledging their collective contributions to America’s rich cultural legacy is both AFI’s national mandate – and our honor.”

On the TV side, new programs such as “The Americans,” “Masters of Sex” and “Orange is the New Black” were chalked up alongside the usual blue chip players. You can view the rest of the television selections here.

AFI will honor the creative ensembles for each of the selections at an invitation-only luncheon on Friday, January 10, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.

Check out the film selections below.

AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE’S TOP 10 FILMS OF 2013

“American Hustle”

“Captain Phillips”

“Fruitvale Station”

“Gravity”

“Her”

“Inside Llewyn Davis”

“Nebraska”

“Saving Mr. Banks”

“12 Years a Slave”

“The Wolf of Wall Street”

Remember to keep track of all the ups and downs of the 2013-2014 film awards season via The Circuit.

The Detroit Film Critics Society has announced nominations for 2013, and it’s not “12 Years a Slave” or “Her” or “Gravity” dominating the list, but indie “Short Term 12” and NYFCC winner “American Hustle,” with five nods apiece. That’s a nice change of pace. “The Wolf of Wall Street” finally shows up in a regional critics list, and it warms my heart to see Matthew McConaughey finally land some precursor recognition for “Mud” (in a truly colorful Best Supporting Actor line-up). Check out the full list below, and keep track of all the goings-on at The Circuit.

Best Picture
“Before Midnight”
“Gravity”
“Her”
“Short Term 12”
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Paul Greengrass, “Captain Phillips”
Spike Jonze, “Her”
David O. Russell, “American Hustle”
Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Robert Redford, “All is Lost

Best Actress
Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Julie Delpy, “Before Midnight”
Adèle Exarchopoulos, “Blue is the Warmest Color”
Brie Larson, “Short Term 12”
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”
James Franco, “Spring Breakers”
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Matthew McConaughey, “Mud”
Stanley Tucci, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”

Best Supporting Actress
Scarlett Johansson, “Her”
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”

Best Screenplay
“American Hustle”
“Before Midnight”
“Her”
“Short Term 12”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Documentary
“The Act of Killing”
“Blackfish”
“The Square”
“Stories We Tell”
“The Unknown Known”

Best Ensemble
“American Hustle”
“August: Osage County”
“Blue Jasmine”
“12 Years a Slave”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Breakthrough
Lake Bell, “In a World…” (Director, Screenplay, Actress)
Ryan Coogler, “Fruitvale Station” (Director, Screenplay)
Destin Cretton, “Short Term 12” (Director, Screenplay)
Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station” (Actor)
Brie Larson, “Short Term 12” (Actress)

The New York Film Critics Circle went with “American Hustle” after being gridlocked over whether to choose that film as 2013’s Best Picture or “12 Years a Slave.” “12 Years” came back around with the first wave of regional critics notices, taking Best Picture from the Boston Society of Film Critics and winning huge with the online Beantown crowd, among others. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association answered their east coast brethren by completely ignoring “Hustle” and finding its own unsettled gridlock between “Gravity” and “Her” for the year’s top honor, ending in a tie.

The chatter that has arisen in the wake of this initial precursor wave could have been predicted: it’s anyone’s game.

At this point last year, “Zero Dark Thirty” was dominating the critics groups’ superlative lists. Mid-month, that tide eventually shifted to “Argo,” but those were the two and nothing else ever seemed to be dominant. Here we are at the start and four different films have been crowned the year’s best by the most respected organizations. Two of them we knew would be in the thick of it, the other two needed the boost of early kudos to insinuate themselves into the race. We’re truly off to the races.

But the tide shifts again later this week. Wednesday, the first industry awards announcement will come in the form of the 2013 Screen Actors Guild nominations. Often more of an indicator of early-season standings, it’s nevertheless an important moment because we’ll have almost a whole month before the DGA adds to whatever cumulative effect there might be. In the meantime, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Golden Globe nominations announcement on Thursday, which given how this town gossips won’t have too many surprises, should build steam for this or that awards season narrative.

RELATED: ’12 Years a Slave,’ James Gandolfini win with Boston Society of Film Critics

Finally, a week from today, the Broadcast Film Critics Association speaks up. And say what you will about the group (I’ve certainly been critical, and full disclosure, I’m a member), it is unique in that it is a large body of people that can reflect the sort of consensus takeaway we eventually see in the Oscar nominations.

But for now, it’s “American Hustle,” “Gravity,” “Her” and “12 Years a Slave.” In the performance arenas, Cate Blanchett has predictably dominated for her tour de force work in “Blue Jasmine,” while Jared Leto has nearly swept the supporting actor races for his “Dallas Buyers Club” transformation (he tied with “Spring Breakers” star James Franco with LAFCA and lost out to “Enough Said’s” James Gandolfini with the Boston crew). The lead actor races have been somewhat scattered, Robert Redford, Bruce Dern and especially Chiwetel Ejiofor all staking a claim. It was Redford who probably need the boost from New York the most, however. Meanwhile, “12 Years a Slave” star Lupita Nyong’o has been pretty consistent on the circuit in the supporting actress category, though “Nebraska’s” June Squibb and “American Hustle’s” Jennifer Lawrence have gotten theirs, as well.

And as for directors, Steve McQueen and Alfonso Cuarón have kind of been going back and forth, but Spike Jonze got a tip of the hat from the National Board of Review to go along with his film’s Best Picture win there.

RELATED: ‘Her’ named best film of 2013 by National Board of Review, Spike Jonze wins Best Director

So far, nothing for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” though it came close to the Best Picture ranks with both Boston groups. It has has been playing like gangbusters to some, a total bloated miss to others, but overall it seems like critics are more inclined toward “American Hustle” of the latter-year reveals. But there are still plenty who need to get around to the Scorsese, mind you.

Also curiously low key on the circuit has been the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis.” I expect it to pick up a Best Picture win somewhere along the way, though the groups that it likely spoke to most have already spoken. Maybe the National Society of Film Critics throws it a crucial bone at the beginning of the year?

With all of these announcements, by the way, comes our brand spanking new edition of The Circuit, where you can track all of these crazy ups and downs and twists and turns on the way to Oscar. It will be linked in the right sidebar all season long, a time capsule for the 2013-2014 film awards season. And it’s on that note that I’d have to disagree slightly with my colleague Greg Ellwood, who noted that it was “not the best week” for “12 Years a Slave” in his Contender Countdown piece last night. I think more and more the prestigious critics groups like LAFCA and NYFCC have proved that they aren’t necessary beyond perhaps shining a bright light on some movie that needs to be seen. But when you look at the regional critics, McQueen’s film is clearly dominant.

This is important, by the way. I know a lot of people like to scoff and act like covering each of these announcements as they come in is pointless, but in point of fact, it’s not. Guess where “Argo” ended up surging last year? With the regional critics. In the collective, you begin to see consensus build, and that’s what the Academy vote is all about: consensus. To say nothing of the fact that these are professional film critics whose voice shouldn’t be ignored just because they aren’t located in a big city. It’s all part of the mixture, and while none of it “influences” the race (the NY and LA crowds can do that), all of it informs it.

RELATED: The 2013-2014 Film Awards Circuit

So for now, that’s about as clear an early table setting as you can get. We’ve gone ahead and updated the Contenders section to pretty much reveal that status, even though it’s worth keeping in mind that old mantra: “Critics don’t vote for Oscars.” The Academy is its own beast with its own fickle tendencies, and yes, it’s silly to speak of it like a single sentient thing, but when voting is that widespread, the most agreeable and easily acceptable rise up.

Is that going to be “12 Years a Slave?” Maybe, maybe not. Is it “Gravity?” Could be. Is it “Saving Mr. Banks,” which has been completely and totally absent from the precursors so far. Again, could be. We have a long way to go, and the critics have done their job so far: putting the pressure on to make sure certain movies are seen. Though, as ever, it would be nice if those films were, I don’t know, “Mud” or “Before Midnight” or “In a World…,” but it is what it is.

Welcome to the 2013-2014 Film Awards Circuit.

In Contention has tracked all the ups and downs of the season right here, from critics awards to industry kudos and more. Things shifted and slid en route to the Oscars, as they always do, leading to “12 Years a Slave” taking down the big win for Best Picture at the 86th annual Academy Awards (which was really just a drop in the bucket of all the kudos it picked up throughout the season as it certainly dominated the regional critics awards).

The circuit's various announcements are divided into a few different categories below to make it easier to navigate this year. We tried to be as on the ball with it as possible, but feel free to reach out via email if there's something we're missing.

***

CRITICS AWARDS

African-American Film Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

Alliance of Women Film Journalists – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Austin Film Critics Association (“Her”)

Black Film Critics Circle (“12 Years a Slave”)

Boston Online Film Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

Boston Society of Film Critics (“12 Years a Slave”)

Broadcast Film Critics Association (Critics' Choice Movie Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Central Ohio Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity”)

Chicago Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

Denver Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity”)

Detroit Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“Her”)

Dublin Film Critics Circle (“Gravity”)

Florida Film Critics Circle (“12 Years a Slave”)

Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

Georgia Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“Her)

Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globe Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave” and “American Hustle”)

Houston Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Indiana Film Journalists Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

International Film Music Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“Romeo and Juliet”)

Iowa Film Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

Kansas City Film Critics Circle (“12 Years a Slave”)

Las Vegas Film Critics Society (“12 Years a Slave”)

London Film Critics' Circle – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (TIE: “Gravity” and “Her”)

National Society of Film Critics (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)

Nevada Film Critics Society (“12 Years a Slave”)

New York Film Critics Circle (“American Hustle”)

New York Film Critics Online (“12 Years a Slave”)

North Carolina Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

North Texas Film Critics Association (“Gravity”)

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (“Her”)

Online Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Phoenix Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

San Diego Film Critics Society – Nominees | Winners (“Her”)

San Francisco Film Critics Circle – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Southeastern Film Critics Association (“12 Years a Slave”)

St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Toronto Film Critics Association (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)

UK Regional Film Critics Awards (“12 Years a Slave”)

Utah Film Critics Association (“Gravity”)

Vancouver Film Critics Circle – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave” and “The Dirties”)

Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Women Film Critics Circle – Nominees | Winners (“Philomena”)

***

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA Awards) – Australian Awards (“The Great Gatsby”) | International Awards (“Gravity”)

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

British Independent Film Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Metro Manila”)

Canadian Screen Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Gabrielle”)

César Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Me, Myself and Mum”)

Empire Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity”)

European Film Awards – Nominees | Winners (“The Great Beauty”)

Lumiere Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Blue is the Warmest Color”)

***

GUILD/INDUSTRY AWARDS

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Academy Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

American Cinema Editors (ACE Eddie Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“Captain Phillips” and “American Hustle”)

American Society of Cinematographers (ASC Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity”)

Annie Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Frozen”)

Art Directors Guild (ADG Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity,” “Her” and “The Great Gatsby”)

Cinema Audio Society – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity”)

Costume Designers Guild (CDG Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave,” “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “Blue Jasmine”)

Directors Guild of America (DGA Awards) – Nominees | Winners (Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”)

Makeup and Hairstylists Guild –  Nominees | Winners (various)

Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE Golden Reel Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity” and “Captain Phillips”)

Producers Guild of America (PGA Awards) – Nominees | Winners (TIE: “Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave”)

Screen Actors Guild (SAG Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“American Hustle”)

Visual Effects Society – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity” and various)

Writers Guild of America (WGA Awards) – Nominees | Winners (“Her” and “Captain Phillips”)

***

FESTIVAL AWARDS

Sundance Film Festival (“Fruitvale Station”)

Berlin Film Festival (“Child's Pose”)

Cannes Film Festival (“Blue is the Warmest Color”)

Toronto Film Festival (“12 Years a Slave”)

***

OTHER AWARDS

American Film Institute's Top 10 (various)

Cinema Eye Honors – Nominees | Winners (“The Act of Killing”)

Film Independent Spirit Awards – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

Final Draft Screenwriters' Choice Awards (“Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave”)

GLAAD Media Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Philomena”)

Gotham Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)

International Cinephile Society – Nominees | Winners (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)

International Documentary Association Awards – Nominees | Winners (“The Square”)

MTV Movie Awards – Nominees | Winners

NAACP Image Awards – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

National Board of Review (“Her”)

Saturn Awards – Nominees | Winners (“Gravity” et al.)

USC Scripter Awards – Nominees | Winners (“12 Years a Slave”)

***

Check out The Circuit 2011-2012
Check out The Circuit 2012-2013