RACE REVIEW - HUSTLE, DALLAS UP, HER, LLEWYN DOWN

Post the Christmas break, it's easy for major changes to take place in disguise as subtle changes. Things are on the cusp of getting truly major, though, as DGA nominations today and BAFTA nominations tomorrow will be followed swiftly by the Golden Globes on Sunday, and Oscar nominations and the Critics Choice awards next Thursday. There remains a divide between industry and critics for the most part, though both are agreed on one thing: American Hustle is way on the up. It has even convinced that most high-brow of organisations, the NSFC, of its (supposed) brilliance, and Jennifer Lawrence has rapidly taken over from Lupita Nyong'o as the critics' favourite for Supporting Actress. Also doing well lately is Dallas Buyers Club, which has added to its three SAG nods in December with recognition from both the PGA and WGA. And both at the expense of...

Inside Llewyn Davis. Despite wowing critics and making a bucketload of cash in its limited release at the end of the year, industry voters have shunned the Coens' film. But critics have remained on its side, with the NSFC going all out to reward the film - the Coens' first such success with the NSFC. And another film to see its fortunes fall is Spike Jonze's Her, though its win with the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle yesterday affirms that it still has some support. But after being surprisingly shut out of the NSFC's picks, and with its star fading after a slightly underwhelming performance at the box office (in its early days, granted), it's hard to maintain optimism around the film's Oscar chances.

It would seem, with the Christmas and New Year break to put a bit of distance between what they liked then and what they like now, voters are trying to convince us that they've always been on American Hustle's side, ever since the NYFCC picked it as its surprise favourite at the start of December. Perhaps the biggest loser, then, is 12 Years a Slave, no longer identifiable as the Oscar favourite, and even Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity. That said, by this time last year, none of us had even the slightest idea of how things were about to shape up. A lot can, and possibly will, change again over the next eight weeks.