I accidentally neglected to mention the Hollywood Film Awards in yesterday’s roundup. There may be much skepticism in the blogosphere as to their credibility, but like it or not, they are an awards show at the start of the season — and we can expect to see a lot more of certain honorees in the months to come. Of course, the winners had all been announced beforehand: “Silver Linings Playbook” was a favorite of theirs, taking directing honors for David O. Russell, while Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro were named actor and supporting actor of the year, respectively. Others winners included Marion Cotillard, Amy Adams and Quvenzhané Wallis — but by the time “Django Unchained” wins for its screenplay, when no one’s yet had a chance to see how the script works on film, you get why they’re not taken too seriously. As usual, Scott Feinberg is the go-to man on this subject. [The Race]
With Jessica Chastain now in the lead race for “Zero Dark Thirty,” those in the know say she could be a real threat. [Gold Derby]
Nathaniel Rogers looks at the Oscar talk, such as it is, for Anne Hathaway in “The Dark Knight Rises,” and why she still doesn’t compare to Michelle Pfeiffer. [The Film Experience]
Steve Pond speaks to one of the real-life Iran hostages from the events depicted in “Argo,” who tells him: Yes, there are inaccuracies in the film, and no, it doesn’t matter. [The Odds]
Jon Weisman on an Oscar season in which there seem to be more unseen players than usual at this point. [The Vote]
The William Faulkner estate files a lawsuit against Sony Pictures Classics for using a line from “Requiem for a Nun” without permission. The past certainly is not dead. [New York Times]
R. Kurt Osenlund wonders if this will be the year the Academy warms to Wes Anderson in the top races, and concludes that they probably won’t. [The House Next Door]
The Media Action Network for Asian-Americans takes issue with “Cloud Atlas” making up white actors as Asian, though they acknowledge the film’s artistic ambition in doing so. How civil. [The Guardian]
Speaking of “Cloud Atlas,” with the film likely to be a bit of a leap for Tom Hanks fans, is he still the box office force he once was? [Vulture]