The State of Oscar. 120119

I guess it's time to drop some pleasure and pain. All the movies that are expected to compete for Top Eight Oscar slots (Picture, Director, Actors, Writers) have been seen. The season is short. The NY Film Critics Circle will announce on Wednesday. LA Film Critics Association will announce next Sunday, as will BFCA. The Globes a day later. SAG, two days after that. That's pretty much it until 2020 throws us all into madness.

And let me apologize for the delay of a Gurus chart this last week... still working out the functionality of the new site. The charts will post soon.

But I am not a chart. I am me. And I think the season has become a lot less complicated than it felt just a couple weeks ago.

In alphabetical order... The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit, Marriage Story, 1917, Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood seem to be in lockdown for Best Picture slots.

After that, there are five more titles that are in good position, but could use a little help from this week's voters. In alphabetical order... B…