In his annual pre-Oscar column, LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan has called a vote for "Michael Clayton" a vote for Hollywood itself, and "Thoughtful, adult studio films."  He says a vote for "No Country for Old Me," on the other hand, is a vote for the Hollywood art film, and in writing as much, he has me wondering if there might be an upset in the works after all.

Take a look:

A victory for this smart and suspenseful legal thriller would be more than a vote for the only one of the five to be distributed by an actual studio. It would be a vote for a beautifully remodeled classic studio picture, an impressively updated version of the kind of movie "they just don't make anymore."

All the elements of vintage Hollywood filmmaking are present and accounted for in "Michael Clayton," starting with writer-director Tony Gilroy's heightened and dramatic dialogue. Add to that the ability of a peerless cast, including George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, to animate characters who are at once familiar archetypes and completely individual. Finally, there's Gilroy's instinct for the emotional jugular, a storytelling panache that is almost a lost art all by itself.

Is Turan predicting "Clayton" here?  I'm not sure.  However, I must say, I still don't understand this mentality that Tony Gilroy's film, though expert in its genre, is anything more than passable as a work of "great" cinema.  Perhaps I'm alone, and regardless, the industry has proven itself head over heels for the effort, so maybe...just maybe...Warner Bros. can catch the world off guard tomorrow night and steal one away from Miramax, the Coen brothers, Cynthia Swartz and Scott Rudin.

We'll see.

The truth is, this has been the race since day one following the nominations announcement.  All other comers are mere pretenders in the face of a battle between big studio and modest specialty division.  This is the race.  These are the players.

Check out the rest of Turan's column.

From the official website for "The Dark Knight":

Just kidding.  Kind of.  We can never forget the potential power of these technically savvy efforts.  Director Roland Emmerich isn't championed for the artistic subtlety of his films by any means, but he sure knows how to blow stuff up good!  Then again, there was no gunpowder in 10,000 B.C., so I guess he'll be sticking to breaking stuff good.

I don't know.

Anyway, Warner Bros. announced the official site for the film yesterday, which has all the expected bells and whistles.  It kind of seems like "Apocalypto" pumped full of Bonds-level steroids, but we'll see.  Emmerich's last effort, "The Day After Tomorrow," didn't exactly win over the critical community (though with a domestic box office tally of over $180 million, the masses sure disagreed).  Films like this don't necessarily need a positive critical reception to come up strong in certain technical categories, however.

"Independence Day" and "The Patriot" managed five nominations between them, Best Sound Mixing being a shared quotient.  And this film sure does promise to be a loud one.  Pic releases March 7.  Emmerich will follow it up with "Fantastic Voyage" in 2010, at which time you might expect a ditto post along these lines.

Check out the 10,000 B.C. official website.

The press release in part:

BURBANK, CA, JANUARY 16, 2008 - On the heels of widespread critical acclaim and awards season recognition, Warner Bros. Pictures is planning a theatrical re-release of Tony Gilroy's drama "Michael Clayton," starring George Clooney in the title role. The film will return to theatres on January 25 in approximately 1,000 locations in North America. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution.

Originally released in October 2007, "Michael Clayton" was immediately met with praise from both critics and audiences. In recent weeks, it has been named to more than 100 critics' top-ten lists, including those of the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, New York Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, the Miami Herald, The Philadelphia Inquirer, People, and Time, as well as the American Film Institute, to name only a few.

Among the film's other distinguished honors, director/screenwriter Tony Gilroy has been recognized by his peers with Directors Guild of America and Writers Guild of America Awards nominations. Cast members Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton each received Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. Most recently, the film's producers were honored with a nomination for the Darryl F. Zanuck Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award from the Producers Guild of America. The film's behind-the-scenes creative talent earned American Cinema Editors Award and Art Directors Guild Award nominations. In addition, "Michael Clayton" garnered five BAFTA Award nominations, for Best Actor (Clooney), Best Supporting Actor (Tom Wilkinson), Best Supporting Actress (Tilda Swinton), Best Screenplay (Gilroy) and Best Editing (John Gilroy). It also received four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Picture - Drama, Best Actor (Clooney), Best Supporting Actor (Tom Wilkinson) and Best Supporting Actress (Tilda Swinton). In addition, George Clooney won Best Actor Awards from several critics groups, including the National Board of Review.

•  "Lust, Caution" and "Warlords" tops list of Asian Film Award nominations. [Variety]

•  Not Oscar related, but let us all take a moment to thank Warner Bros. for letting "Justice League" die a silent death.  Boy was THAT giving me an icky feeling inside. [Variety]

•  Anne Thompson responds to the BAFTA nominations, wonders whether "Atonement" can manage peripheral nods with the Academy, even though Best Picture is looking like a tough sell. [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  But Jeffrey Wells wants to make sure you realize the film is "dead." [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  David Thompson, meanwhile, thinks the coast is clear for director Joe Wright.  Back and forth, back and forth. [Guardian]

•  The Times of London wonders if the BAFTAs could one-up the Oscars for once, given the hammer-lock AMPAS is in. [Times Online]

•  But, mind you, the show will go on.  In what capacity, well...we'll see. [Variety]

•  But if it's business as usual, the ceremony WILL BE PICKETED. [Scribe Vibe]

•  Scott Foundas is pretty pissed about that AMPAS snub of "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days."  But "Academy Awards infamy" is typically reaching. [LA Weekly]

•  So is Nancy Vialatte. [Hollywood Wiretap]

•  Tom O'Neil rounds up a provocative list of thesps nominated for the "wrong" performance. [Gold Derby]

•  The Gurus o' Gold check int, post-Globes and, assumably, for the final time before next week's Oscar nominations announcement. [Movie City News]

•  New York Magazine wants the Academy to remember "The Host" in the Best Picture category. [Vulture]

•  Anne Thompson talks up the new trailer for "Miss Petigrew Lives for a Day" starring Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  The WGA picks and chooses yet again, denies awards shows waivers for its members to write on telecasts. [Variety]

•  Meanwhile, sources tell Tom O'Neil that the Golden Globes may go on without a telecast at all. [Gold Derby]

•  Adam Baer claims that Tim Burton has "re-invented the movie musical" with "Sweeney Todd."  Really? [Los Angeles Times]

•  Jeffrey Wells is not-so-stealthily anticipating the release of "The Dark Knight" and Heath Ledger's maniacal portrayal of the Joker. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  Speaking of Batsy, Matthew Dessem decides to smack Warner Bros. down for the exhaustive PR campaign behind the film. [Vulture]

•  "Live Free or Die Hard" actually makes a top 10 list. [Gold Rush]

•  As expected, "No Country for Old Men" is walking away with the title "critics' favorite" this year. [Movie City News]

•  Speaking of top 10 lists, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" tops David Edelstein's at New York Magazine. [The Projectionist]

FYI, I added the "Why So Serious" poster to the "Dark Knight" item below, now that a high res version is available from the studio.

Remember when "Batman" was on the way in the summer of 1989, and people were stealing subway posters left and right?  The anticipation was through the roof!  Well, things are close to that level of anticipation for Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" sequel, "The Dark Knight."  Or I could just be speaking for myself.

Anyway, this isn't Oscar related -- well, not YET anyway (we can hope) -- but Warner Bros. released these two teaser posters for "The Dark Knight" today (in addition to the creepy "Why So Serious?" Joker poster that's at theaters as we speak).  I'm LOVIN' it:


  

More viral marketing from Warner Bros. for 2008's "The Dark Knight."

•  The Hollywood Reporter is ripping off the web as they work on rebuilding their Oscar coverage sections. [In Contention]

•  The Buzzmeter finds new love for James McAvoy and Tim Burton. [The Envelope]

•  Rachel Abramowitz talks to Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman about the upcoming "The Bucket List." [The Envelope]

•  Having attended Monday night's screening of "There Will Be Blood," Todd Mrtens digs a little deeper into Jonny Greenwood's score. [Extended Play]

•  Anne Thompson on the twisted road of Oscar publicity, and Sunday night's Behind the Camera awards. [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  Elizabeth Snead adds her two cents on the awards. [The Envelope]

•  Jeffrey Wells thinks Oscar handicappers are hindered by an "obeisance before established power" when predicting the outcome of the awards season -- as if they have any real say in the proceedings. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  He also has a recording of Monday nights snooze-fest Q&A with David Ansen, Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  David Poland talks to Best Actor dark horse Frank Langella about "Starting Out in the Evening," among other things. [The Hot Blog]

•  Sasha Stone gives in to Nikki Blonsky, observes a nomination for Best Actress is a possibility. [Awards Daily]

•  Ramin Setoodah thinks there are two lonks in the Oscar race for Best Picture: "Atonement" and "No Country for Old Men." [The Gold Digger]

•  Lou Lumenick's chart of ten for Best Picture. [New York Post]

•  Stephen Galloway previews a bleak Oscar slate. [The Hollywood Reporter]

•  But Sam Adams sees politics instead.  I hope the irony isn't lost on you.  [The Hollywood Reporter]

•  Diseny has an "Enchanted" music video starring Carrie Underwood in four formats. [Quicktime, Flash, Windows Media Player, iPod]

•  Warner Bros. kicks "I Am Legend" marking into high gear with a new website. [I-Am-Immune.com]

•  The Spirit awards go green. [Variety]