Ann Dowd, Zero Dark Thirty and other Oscar Buzz

The award season has messed up. There are a lot critics favorite films and more award winning ones.

Katheryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty already won Best Picture nominations on: National Board of Review and New York Film Critics awards. Accordingly, ZDT is front-runner in Oscar race along Argo, Lincoln and Les Miserables. Probably it is not shoo in but nomination is absolutely guaranteed. Bigelow herself also wins all her previous directing nodes and becomes stronger contender against Tom Hooper, Ben Affleck and Steven Spielberg. She already owns a directing Oscar for The Hurt Locker and hence strives for another victory. On the other hand, Jessica Chastain is winning over most highly acclaimed Jennifer Lawrence in leading actress nomination. 

Surprisingly, Anne Hathaway loses NBR to Ann Dowd of Compliance in the supporting actress race; Bradley Cooper and Joaquin Phoenix beat Daniel Day Lewis in best actor nominations on NBR & LA Critics Award, respectively. However, both Hathaway and Lewis still are considered as biggest sure wins in their categories.

Amour of Michael Haneke is absolute winner of Foreign Language film nominations (except LA Critics that gave its nod to Holy Motors). It would not be easy to beat Amour in Oscar FLF nomination and probably it is not going to happen.

Frankenweenie wins NYFCA and LA Critics Award, and NBR honors Wreck-it Ralph.

Dwight Henry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew Mcconaughey win best supporting actor nominations on LA Film Critics, NBR and NYFCAs respectively. As for now, this nominations is leaded by Philip S. Hoffman in Oscar predictions, but he has not got any award recognition lately, which could mean less chances against other nominees (mostly with Leo).

All in all, we have:

Best Picture race: Argo vs Lincoln vs ZDT vs Les Miserables

Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis vs Joaquin Phoenix

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain vs Jennifer Lawrence

Best Director: Steven Spielberg vs Top Hooper vs Ben Affleck vs Katheryn Bigelow

Best Supp. Actor: Tommy Lee Jones vs Leonardo DiCaprio vs PS Hoffman

Best Supp. Actress: Anne Hathaway vs Ann Dowd vs Amy Adams

New York Film Critics Award / National Board of Review Winners / LA Film Critics Association Award Winners