Photo-Illustration: Vulture and Searchlight Pictures Every week between now and March 15, when the Academy Award nominations are announced, Vulture will consult its crystal ball to determine the changing fortunes of this year’s Oscars race. In our “ Oscar Futures ” column, we’ll let you in on insider gossip, parse brand-new developments, and track industry buzz to figure out who’s up, who’s down, and who’s currently leading the race for a coveted Oscar nomination. Best Picture Up Nomadland Congratulations, Nomadland : You’re the first Best Picture contender to be met with sustained political critique. (I’d say right now the furor level is at “pushback,” and hasn’t yet escalated to “controversy,” much less “backlash.”) At issue is whether the film’s treatment of Amazon fulfillment centers soft-pedals the company’s real-life labor-rights issues — a fair question to ask, certainly, but one I suspect will have a hard time resonating with Academy members, who inhabit an epistemological universe where the corporate giant is far less controversial. Indeed, many in Hollywood can trace their salaries to Jeff Bezos’s pursuit of Oscar gold, so I suspect this narrative is likely to remain a Film Twitter–only thing. Still, it’s a sign that Nomadland bears the traditional mark of a front-runner: a giant target. Up The Trial of the Chicago 7 Meanwhile, Nomadland ’s biggest competition keeps up its successful run through the precursors. The trial drama earned a surprise nod at this week’s Art Directors Guild nominations , beating out Emma. for a spot in the Period category despite the fact that roughly 73 percent of its run time is spent in a courtroom. After the stunt ensemble nomination at SAG, that’s the second unexpected pickup for Aaron Sorkin’s film, which has shown up at all the guilds so far save Hair & Makeup. (Only Promising Young Woman has done better.) Chicago 7 is gaining steam and has managed to steer … [Read more...] about Oscar Futures: Why the Amazon Debate Won’t Hurt