You know the awards season is approaching full swing when studios send out screener copies of their awards hopefuls with a vengeance.

Fox Searchlight started the party nearly two months ago when they sent out copies of "The Namesake," "Once" and "Waitress" to the membership.  Universal came a little later with copies of "Knocked Up," aiming for some screenplay and supporting actress love no doubt.  Paramount Pictures is back on top of it this week, sending out "Things We Lost in the Fire" day-and-date of release and, now, copies of David Fincher's "Zodiac: The Director's Cut" arrive, accompanying a fresh new advertising campaign.

Maybe the film isn't as confined to the also-ran ranks of an early-year release as we might have thought?

When "Zodiac" was released in March, there were some who felt holding it until the fall awards season would have been a better course of action for Paramount.  Still one of the best reviewed films of the year, "Zodiac" was considered a clear awards hopeful in any other release pattern.  Many outlets found Robert Downey, Jr.'s performance to be particularly worthy of consideration, while plenty others were willing to drop a mention of the eerie, moonlight look of Harris Savides' cinematography.

Well with this new campaign structure for the film, hope might be renewed for those praying "Zodiac" wouldn't remain a quality product dumped in a void free of awards consideration.  Paramount clearly has plans in store.