Among Oscar touts, the consensus is that it'll be one of the two top nomination-garnerers, with "Avatar" the heavy favorite.
Among the best musicals, though, "Once" – which was staged by the British artists John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett, based on an indie Irish film – emerged as the top nomination-getter with 11. — PATRICK HEALY CBS honchos can't be too thrilled with the lack of Hollywood star power among the Tony nominees.
"Cider House," playing on only about 800 screens at the moment and just beginning its wide theatrical run, now stands to capitalize on the momentum of the nominations and could suddenly become a serious contender for best picture as well (although the top nomination-getter, "American Beauty," with eight, remains the narrow betting favorite in Hollywood).
Perennial winners that failed to receive top nominations this year included aging shows like NBC's "E.R".
Spurred by a wide-open competition for some of the top nominations, the most aggressive studios have mounted campaigns that by some estimates have already cost more than $10 million, easily double what a successful effort totaled only two years ago.
That film's omission in 2008, when oatmealy dramas such as "Frost/Nixon" and "The Reader" nabbed top nominations, furnishes convenient "proof" of the academy's alleged anti-commercialism.
Last year, it went with another race-themed film, "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which also scored top nominations.
Is a Telluride bow Reitman's lucky Academy charm, at least as far as getting multiple top nominations goes?
But the contender with the best chance of getting several top nominations is Jason Reitman's Up in the Air.
A number of major artists, many of whom are no doubt in line for some top nominations, are set to perform, including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Lorde.
Although Bruce Norris' "Clybourne Park," the Pulitzer Prize-winner about race and real estate, received a best play nomination and enthusiastic reviews, it failed to dominate the Tony announcements, picking up just three top nominations, as well as a fourth for scenic design.
