Strong reviews for Ryan Gosling's amazing performance in "Half Nelson" are enough to give the actor serious consideration in this year's awards derby, especially with major players either taking their exits (Sean Penn, Ed Harris) or hoping to find traction in lesser products (Derek Luke). ThinkFilm has a major push in store for the actor, but the awards train doesn't look like it will stop there.

The team will also be hanging supporting actress hopes on Shareeka Epps, as well as the screenplay, written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Worth mentioning here is that the duo's script is an ADAPTED screenplay, not an original. It was adapted to feature length from Boden and Fleck's Sundance award-winning short "Gowanus." Gosling did not appear in the short, though Epps did.

I think, with the right saturation, Gosling could certainly threaten this nomination. Other arenas might be a stretch, but it is most important for voters to actually SEE the film. Critical response is insular in and of itself and in cases such as this, it does nothing for a film other than install confidence in the studio pushing the product. So...it's a good start.