Jennifer Lawrence Trades the Bow & Arrow for a Shotgun in "Joy" Trailer

Love them or hate them, Jennifer Lawrence and David O.Russell are back for their third collaboration. After the success of "Silver Linings Playbook" (which won Lawrence the Oscar for Best Actress) and "American Hustle" (which almost won Lawrence the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), it would only make sense the two would pair up again. This time, O.Russell has cast Lawrence as Joy Mangano (otherwise known as the inventor of the Miracle Mop) and cast her alongside past co-stars Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro.

Based on her success with not only the Academy, but box office wise, it would be foolish to bet against Lawrence's Oscar chances. Though the trailer is light on dialogue, it would seem there's a lot for the actress to sink her teeth into. I'm sure Lawrence will also find a way to put her signature quirky spin on the character as she's done with past O.Russell creations.

While I think Best Actress is too crowded this year for the usual favorite to sneak in, the fact she has one more "Hunger Games" film being released a month before this film may pole vault her into the awards race. It's still too early to tell, but you can make your mind up about the film's teaser, which you can watch below.

"Joy" will be released in theaters everywhere Christmas Day.

New Images from "Serena" starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

After the success of David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook", it was announced that Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence would team up (again) as the leads in Susanne Bier's "Serena".

The film is based on the novel of the same name, set in a depression era North Carolina. George Pemberton (Cooper) is struggling to manage his business while learning his wife Serena (Lawrence) cannot bear children.

The film was supposed to be released last year. A few pundits had predicted that come Oscar time, Lawrence would be a double-nominee (a Leading nomination for Serena and a Supporting nomination for American Hustle), but alas, the film was never released. It was reported that apparently several people involved with the making of the film didn't want it released (for reasons unknown) which is weird because of Lawrence's hot popularity at the moment and the overall success of Silver Linings Playbook.

Jennifer Lawrence & David O.Russell's Next Collaboration... The Miracle Mop?

It seems like Jennifer Lawrence and David O. Russell are set to become the next Burton & Depp or Scorsese & DiCaprio-esque duo in terms of collaboration. In what will be their 3rd film together (after Silver Lining's Playbook and last winter's American Hustle), O.Russell could potentially take over for Bridesmaids co-writer Annie Mumlo as the director and screenwriter of a film based centered on the creator of the Miracle Mop. O.Russell has admitted he would write the screenplay for Lawrence specifically.

Well, That's A Wrap!

Truly, this is my favorite picture from last night... I can't take my eyes off of her, she's divine. One of the best, most deserving, and most Oscar winners we've had in awhile. 

It seems like we've been following the 2013 awards season forever, hasn't it? Though last year was one of the best years in film we've had in awhile, this Oscar season seemed much longer than the others. What was shaping up to be a competitive year settled into a somewhat predictable horse race. On some levels, I'm okay with it, and on others, not so much.

7 Days Till Oscar: Rating the Best Picture Nominees' Trailers

That's right ladies and gentlemen, we're 7 days away from the biggest night in film: the 88th Academy Awards. Oscar season always seems like a never-ending circus, and it certainly feels like this season especially has been going on forever. Bur fret not! Soon I'll be able to officially move into the 2014 film season once this madness is over (and once 2014 delivers me a movie worth seeing, though admittedly I have not seen The Lego Movie yet, and probably should).

In any event, until that time comes, I've got to keep you interested in the dog and pony show currently coming to its much needed end: 2013's awards season. Next weekend, I'll be publishing my acting ballot, complete with my personal choices and winners if I were to have the ability to cast a vote. Today, however, I've decided I would rank the Best Picture nominees by their trailers (which in some cases are better than the actual movies themselves).

So, without further adieu, your 2013 Best Picture nominees ranked by yours truly!

Lupita Nyong'o vs. Jennifer Lawrence: Who Will Be This Year's Best Supporting Actress Winner?

Over the past few months, there's been talk of movement in the acting races. You'll recall that before last Sunday's BAFTA's, there was internet chatter over whether Amy Adams and Leonardo DiCaprio could overtake frontrunners Matthew McConaughey in the lead actor and actress categories. But now that Blanchett has collected yet another trophy (has she lost one this entire season?), and Chiwetel Ejiofor picked up one in McConaughey's absence, it seems a bit silly that we even considered for a second that anyone else could win in the year of Jasmine and Ron Woodroff, 2 critically acclaimed and very popular performances; one given by an actress returning from a bit of a hiatus and another given by an actor who continues to reinvent and push himself.

Looking back, however, it seems as if the true race to win was not between Blanchett and Adams, nor McConaughey and DiCaprio (with some heat from Ejiofor), but between Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Lawrence.

BAFTA Winners: 12 Years A Slave Comes Out on Top

What started out as a night for Gravity, ended with a startling comeback for 12 Years A Slave. It's Best Picture hopes just got that much better. 

It seemed like Gravity was getting ready to sweep in a style evident of past winner "The King's Speech" when it won the first 2 big awards it was up for. Then, American Hustle came back swinging hard with wins for actress Jennifer Lawrence and the film's screenplay. 

12 Years A Slave, however, seemed like it was going home empty handed. Had that tie with Gravity at the PGA simply been a coincidence? 

No. In another comeback story, almost exactly like the one at this year's Golden Globes, 12 Years A Slave nabbed the BAFTA's top honor, in addition to an award for leading man Chiwetel Ejiofor. With only a few weeks left till the Oscars, things are looking really good for the film that's momentarily on top in a very competitive race.

It can't be ignored, however, that there was obvious love for Gravity, which won 6 awards. American Hustle won 3 (1 of which, I feel was goodwill for actress Jennifer Lawrence losing to Emmanuelle Riva last year. The win, however, shouldn't be ignored, though the Oscar is still Lupita's to lose); Hustle is still a threat to 12 Years A Slave, but considerably less of a threat than Gravity is... though it now seems that with the PGA and BAFTA behind it, 12 Years A Slave is looking like our Academy Award Winner for Best Picture. 

In the acting races, Cate Blanchett continued her overwhelming (but deserving) dominance by winning Best Actress. That last minute surge for Amy Adams seems to have been just an internet trend; she will most certainly be the bridesmaid (yet again). 

Speaking of a last minute surge, it certainly seemed that Leonardo DiCaprio was on his way to picking up his first BAFTA and challenging the frontrunner Matthew McConaughey (who was not nominated here) for the Oscar. But the BAFTA's choice to go with Ejifor tells me that this is McConaughey's time to win. 

In Supporting Actor, Barkhad Abdi from Captain Phillips won with frontrunner Jared Leto being absent (the BAFTA's clearly did not like Dallas Buyers Club). While I certainly believe Leto has this all sewn up, if this season has taught me anything, it's that no one is safe. Abdi might swoop in Tilda Swinton style with some last minute support and win... but it's more than likely Leto will waltz his way to his first Oscar. 

See the complete list of winners below. You can see the updated awards tally for the entire season here.

What Could the BAFTA's Do For the Oscar Race? My Predictions

The BAFTA's are the last precursor award we hear from before the Oscars. Unlike the past few years where Best Picture has been prematurely decided before we even hear from the first voting body. 2010 was The King's Speech, 2011 was The Artist, and 2012 was Argo. This year, 3 films have been clearly in the lead: 12 Years A Slave, Gravity and American Hustle, with Her and Captain Phillips nipping at their feet.

Gravity and 12 Years A Slave, however, have the most heat, with American Hustle lurking in the background, looking to swoop in. As I've discussed before, Gravity has the box office and star power, 12 Years A Slave has the prestige and the "important" narrative, with American Hustle having not only the actors behind it, but the fact it's a "lighter" choice than the others.

Here is a breakdown of the last few months in terms of awards (in case you haven't been looking at my awards tally tab):

Toronto Audience award- 12 Years A Slave
New York Film Critics- American Hustle
National Board of Review- Her
Los Angeles- Her & Gravity
Southeastern Film Critics- 12 Years A Slave
Golden Globes- 12 Years A Slave
Critics Choice- 12 Years A Slave
Producers Guild- 12 Years A Slave & Gravity
Screen Actors Guild- American Hustle
Directors Guild- Gravity
Eddies- American Hustle & Captain Phillips
Writers Guild- Captain Phillips & Her
Scripters- 12 Years A Slave

Where will the BAFTA's figure in to all of this?

BAFTA Voter Speaks Up: Hope For American Hustle?

If you thought that American Hustle's chances in the Best Picture race were slim to none against PGA winners 12 Years A Slave and Gravity, you were wrong; it is still very much the 3 way race it's kind of been for the last month or so.

Dylan Farrow's Open Letter Specifically Names Cate Blanchett

I don't know if any of you have been keeping up with the recent explosion of bad press Woody Allen has been receiving lately, but it seems to be consuming the movie related news cycle as of late. An open later, penned by Allen's adopted daughter Dylan, was posted by The New York Times just the other day (you can read it here if you so choose).

For those of you who don't know, Dylan Farrow had accused her adoptive father of molesting her at some point. The allegations came shortly after a dramatic divorce between Mr. Allen and Mia Farrow. The allegations were explored shortly after they surfaced, with the courts ruling that (in a nutshell) Dylan Farrow had "difficulty determining fact from fantasy", and that no such molestation happened.

The open letter addresses (for the first time that I'm aware of) what happened from Dylan's point of view, in addition to her feelings and the repercussions of what transpired. It's a brave piece for someone in her position to publicize; Woody Allen is a revered public figure, and the backlash this situation received in the past has exploded ten fold with the publication of this letter. The fact we live in an internet age doesn't help at all.

In the letter, Farrow points a finger at actors and actresses who have worked with Woody, most notably, Cate Blanchett:

"What if it had been your child, Cate Blanchett? Louis C.K.? Alec Baldwin? What if it had been you, Emma Stone? Or you, Scarlett Johansson? You knew me when I was a little girl, Diane Keaton. Have you forgotten about me?"

In doing so, Farrow is not only asking the public not to support Allen, but she points the question to the people who help bring his work to life. She also addresses the fact that Blue Jasmine (the film in which Blanchett and Allen have collaborated on) is an Academy Award Nominee for Allen's writing.

So, what does this all mean for The Academy Awards? And more specifically, Cate Blanchett?

Her and Captain Phillips are Triumphant at the WGA

The Writer's Guild announced their slew of winners last night, awarding the Best Screenplays of the year. Spike Jonze's Her continued its winning streak and won in the Original Screenplay category, while Captain Phillips won Adapted Screenplay.

Like SAG, DGA and PGA, WGA is made up of voters in the writer's branch of the Academy (though there are more in the branch than they're are in the guild), so who they vote for is important. However, it's also important to remember that when choosing winners, the entire Academy votes, not just the respective categories.

So then, does this mean Her and Captain Phillips win screenplay Oscars as well?

Where Are We in the Oscar Race?

Gravity, American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave are duking it out for the title of Best Picture of the Year. Who will the DGA pick? 

In the last month, we've heard from numerous critic's groups (including the BFCA), the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild. The Directors Guild will announce their winner on Sunday, and ultimately decide the new frontrunner.

But throughout the announcements and the seemingly endless awards shows, there are 3 films that have consistently come out on top each time. These are the 3 films that are currently duking it out for the win, the big prize.

Each film has its own band of supporters, its own narrative and reason for winning; it's going to be a photo finish.

American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years A Slave have built and maintained substantial heat in the past few months, but which film has enough gas in the tank to make it to the finish line?

Screen Actors Guild Spreads the Wealth

American Hustle predictably wins Best Ensemble

The Screen Actors Guild chose American Hustle as their Best Ensemble winner, the equivalent to their Best Picture award. It was always going to win the ensemble award; the starry cast (including Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale) is catnip to voters. 

It's important to note that Hustle didn't sweep; Jennifer Lawrence lost Best Supporting Actress to Lupita Nyong'o, who has come back in a big way after losing at the Globes (she also won with the Broadcast Film Critics). 

Argo, last year's Best Ensemble award winner, went on to win Best Picture with the Oscars. Past winners who also went on to win Best Picture include The King's Speech, Slumdog Millionaire and No Country for Old Men. 

The race isn't over yet, however. The Producer's Guild and Director's Guild have yet to announce their winners; expect Gravity to win the DGA, and 12 Years A Slave could very well win the PGA. This is still very much a 3-way race. 

Read the full list of winners (including TV Actors) below:

Screen Actors Guild Award Predictions: Big Night for American Hustle?

The cast of American Hustle looks poised to con the award for Best Ensemble. 

The Screen Actors Guild is one of the most important precursor awards to have behind you or the film your in; the actors are the largest voting body in the Academy, and though SAG is significantly smaller than the AMPAS voting actors, it's very telling of which performances could win at the Oscars.

Unlike the Globes, the SAG awards take place before voting, so they have the power to influence voters. The Academy likes voting for winners, and a winner who can deliver a great speech is like catnip to them.

However, winners at SAG haven't always gone on to win the Oscar; Viola Davis not only won the Leading Actress award, but a shared award with the ensemble of The Help. Sadly, none of this was enough to conquer Meryl Streep, who went on to win her 3rd Oscar for The Iron Lady. Streep's Oscar narrative was just too strong I suppose.

So if you win the SAG award, its not set in stone that you will win an Oscar, just like being nominated does not guarantee you an Oscar nomination (.... Helen Mirren and Emma Thompson anyone?).

So where does that bring us in terms of this year? 12 Years A Slave will face off with American Hustle (Gravity has one nomination in Sandra Bullock, in no fault of its own as the cast is made up of her and George Clooney) for Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence vs. Lupita Nyong'o) and the Ensemble award (SAG's equivalent to Best Picture). Lawrence won the Globe, but Nyong'o just won the Broadcast Critics' Award, which tends to line up with Oscar more often than not, so the edge is with Nyong'o on this one. But American Hustle's starry cast is almost irresistible, and the acting is really the movie's only true strength.

Expect Hustle to take the Ensemble award, it's almost stupid to bet otherwise. If there were more support for Lee Daniels': The Butler or August: Osage County, they could surprise and win it, but those ensembles are just lucky to be there honestly. I suppose 12 Years A Slave could upset... it did land more nominations than American Hustle did, but the popularity of American Hustle is just too hard to ignore.

But this will not be the end of the Best Picture race... that will come with the announcement of the PGA, on Sunday.

Read my official predictions below:

Critic's Choice Awards: 12 Years A Slave Wins Best Picture

After a victory at the Oscars, 12 Years A Slave wins another Best Picture honor.

The fight for Best Picture isn't over yet; 12 Years A Slave is putting up a good fight against American Hustle, with Gravity hanging in the wings. 

American Hustle won another Comedy Best Picture award, but unlike the Globes, the Broadcast Film Critics have a separate award entirely for Best Picture of the year, where American Hustle was mentioned. However, Steve McQueen's epic won, giving it some much needed gas in its Oscar campaign tank.

American Hustle did win Best Ensemble however, leaving it in a good position to win the same award at the SAG awards on Saturday. 

Gravity won a bunch of technical honors, an actress award for Sandra Bullock and another award for Alfonso Cuaron. There's clear support for all 3 of these films, and it will be interesting to see how the guilds decide what their choices are.

What the Oscar Nominations Tell Us

Here are some takeaways from this morning's Oscar Nominations (if you're interested in what I think)

Golden Globe Winners: What Does It All Mean?

American Hustle won 3 of the top awards (including trophies for Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence)

The Golden Globes are a weird case of award show. They take place before the Oscar nominations are announced, but after the voting for nominees has closed. What this means, is that no matter what happens at the Globes, it has nothing to do with a film or person's chances at getting nominated for an Oscar.

Unlike SAG, BAFTA, DGA and PGA, the Hollywood Foreign Press has no association with the Oscars. For example, the members of SAG are all members of the Academy, so their choices for winners are indicative on how the much larger voting body of actors will vote come time to decide a winner. But the HFPA is their own body, with entirely different people voting. And as history will tell you, they love nominating and awarding stars over character actors.

So then, what does it all mean? If this award has nothing to do with Oscar nominations, why is it important? Is it simply just another glamorized but meaningless award ceremony?

12 Years A Slave and American Hustle Win Best Picture at the Golden Globes

It was a big night for American Hustle; David O. Russell's "comedy" won 3 awards, including Best Picture.

After being shut out from every award it was nominated for, 12 Years A Slave came back with a Cinderella story win. "A bit of a surprise" admitted director Steve McQueen. After signs of slowing down from its frontrunner status, this puts a bunch of pep in the film's chances at taking it all home, or at least giving American Hustle a run for its money.

The rest of the races were filled with some surprises, and the usual "duhs". Check them out below.

Golden Globes: Who Will (and Should) Win?

Jennifer Lawrence won last year's Best Actress: Comedy or Musical award. Who will win this year?

For better or for worse, the Golden Globes are almost upon us. The good thing is that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting again this year (they'll be hosting next year's Golden Globes too) so it's definitely not going to be a boring ceremony. Personally, I'm glad to see that some of my favorites (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, namely) will be in attendance.

It's a competitive year for awards; American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years A Slave have all dominated the attention, with Dallas Buyers Club and Her hot on their tails. The Globes don't make it easy to predict frontrunners, however, because they split the drama and comedy categories. Therefore, American Hustle's win is almost assured, but either Gravity or 12 Years A Slave could win. However, it's always good to have a win behind you, whether it happens to be in the Comedy or Drama category. Ex: Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress in a Comedy last year and walked away with the Oscar; it doesn't always matter which genre you belong to, it's all about momentum, and who has it and who doesn't.

So below you'll find a run through of the major categories (and brief commentary) on who will win, who could win, and who should win on Sunday night. Enjoy!

Art Directors Guild choose Her, Blue Jasmine & American Hustle

Excellence in Production Design- Period Film:

• American Hustle (Judy Becker)
• The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin)
• Inside Llewyn Davis (Jess Gonchor)
• Saving Mr. Banks (Michael Corenblith)
• 12 Years A Slave

Excellence in Production Design- Contemporary Film

• August: Osage County (David Gropman)
• Blue Jasmine (Santo Loquasto)
• Captain Phillips (Paul Kirby)
• Her (K.K. Barrett)
• The Wolf of Wall Street (Bob Kirby)

Excellence in Production Design- Fantasy Film

• Elysium (Philip Ivy)
• Gravity (Andy Nicholson)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Dan Hennah)
• Oblivion (Darrel Gilford)
• Star Trek into Darkness (Scott Chambliss)