Mark Your Calendars

We now have our 2010/2011 Academy Awards dates.

• Dec 27th, 2010 nomination ballots go out to Oscar voters.
  I don't know if you've heard but we already have our first 'we aren't going to push this one as hard as we should' awards candidate in Blue Valentine. The marital drama has been dumped on the dread December 31st date. I'm guessing 6 theaters (max). Such an ignoble dump if you ask me. It's too bad really because the film and the performances deserve better.
  
• Fri Jan 14th, 2011 all ballots due. Polls close.
• Tues Jan 25th, 2011 nominations announced bright and early as is the tradition. It'll be a great day for _____________.
  
• Wed, Feb 2nd, 2011 final ballots go out.
• Sun, Feb 27th, 2011 The 83rd Annual Oscars with _______ as host!
  

Now that AMPAS has set its dates all the golden wannabes can claim calendar dates in the position they think will best influence voters (sigh). We can only pray that they don't all announce nominations in the same week like they did this past season. That traffic jam was such a terrible suspense killer. In previous years it's been more like a ripple effect but this year it was all tidal wave. When everyone votes at the exact same point in the season there's not much variation and no time for stories to unfold. Echo chambers are dull but call and response is more than a little dramatic.

I know I'm moving like my feet are in cement but we'll do a 2010 preview and the annual April Fool predictions very soon. Stay tuned.
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