You really think so? Hmm...I think it's in for sure.

I agree with Chris. I think everyone wants a late entry this year to revitalize a lackluster race. I do think Clint Eastwood is also going to win something, probably not another Oscar for directing, but it's possible he could win for best actor. It wouldn't surprise me one bit.

It wouldn't surprise me either....

Million Dollar Baby in my opinion is more of a lock than Finding Neverland.
The fact that Aviator might live up to and exceed expectations will give the Academy all the more reason to split votes between Foxx and Eastwood for Best Actor.

It's a sure fire contender in probably EVERY category it gets nominated in.

I agree everyone wants a late entry but i also expect a bit of buzz off the internet as well. While Finding Neverland and films such as that had little buzz as well, they've generally being given more and more attention as time goes by only cause they've been out for a while now. I just feel MDB is coming out tooo late

Plus in a year of so many 'good' indies and so few big movies, they might even go with a ffew bigger indie names to compensate for lack of big movies. I mean come on ... which big movie will contend? Passion? I think not. Kill Bill? I'd love it to but i doubt it? Ray?? Is that what we wish for the front runner big movie

Everything I read on the internet is buzzing about Million Dollar Baby right now. It's everywhere.

yes ... and theres a fine line between the internet and people who dont look at the internet and search out a specific movie.

bABA, remember that the average person has nothing to do with what gets Oscar nominations. It's all people in the movie industry and that's where it seems this 'buzz' is coming from. When someone like Clint Eastwood releases a new movie just in time for awards season, esp. coming after Mystic River last year, people take notice. Million Dollar Baby is going to get a lot of nominations.

At this point, in my opinion, Million Dollar Baby is more a lock for Best Picture than Finding Neverland.

Baba, what do you mean by late????
It's being released same week as Aviator is getting a limited release!!!

I would think late movies are Asassination of Richard Nixon, Merchant of Venice, The Woodsman, which are coming out on the 29th of December.

Million Dollar Baby not only has the internet buzzing, but also the film industry and no doubt the Oscar academy, a highly acclaimed rama starring an academy favorite/past winner as well as another already-won actress and one of the most 'due' actors in business. Also take into notice that it's directed, acted, composed (score), I believe edited, and produced by Clint. that always gets attention.

there is also a big diffrence between aviator and million dollar baby. aviator HAS presence .. people have seen it .. people know about it ...


Attodr.
I know the normal public doesn't matter in terms of who votes but I consider the academy less about quality and more political ... for example there is no way 5 indies will ever get nominated for best pic ...... its just one of those things ... or you wont see some movie with terrible buzz or negative reaction getting an oscar nom even when there were things about it that were good.

There is no justification for that and I, infact assume no more people have seen Aviator than Million Dollar Baby. They both had to be submitted before November 30, so they are both defintely able to be seen and there are screenings going on for Baby right now I think. I'm not sure about Aviator.

Screenings are industry events and the level of the profile that a movie has is directly influenced and generated by those screenings.

Million Dollar Baby has a high profile now because those industry screenings are going really well.

If it is not nominated for Best Picture, at this point, it is because it wasn't a good enough movie to be nominated, it will NOT be because it had no visibility.