Today there was a bit of news in the Oscar world, in case you were under a rock or buried in an underground chamber with Stanley Tucci or something. Anne and I address the announcement from all angles in this special Tuesday edition of the podcast.

Have a listen below, and as always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

(Please note: We will not be running a podcast Friday, February 5, so this will serve as this week’s assessment of the race. Tune back in next week as Anne and I come back to the table from the Santa Barbara Film Festival.)

Two weeks since our last installment, Sundance is fading away and nominations announcement is a mere four days away. In our last pre-nom discussion, we dig into the following:

• Fresh off of Sundance, we briefly discuss the success of “The Kids Are Alright” and “Cyrus” and potential awards prospects for the films next year.

• The PGA winner was a shocker last weekend as “The Hurt Locker” reigned supreme. We address the implications as the race moves into a David vs. Goliath frame.

• The Oscar nominations announcement is literally around the corner, and in the first year of “the 10,” surely there will be surprises? We talk a few possibilities.

• Has Sandra Bullock really pulled out ahead of Meryl Streep in the lead actress category? Is it actually neck-and-neck? We talk about, arguably, the year’s tightest race.

• With the DGAs on the way tomorrow night, we briefly preview the proceedings.

You can listen to this week’s podcast below, with a little of Michael Giacchino’s Golden Globe-winning score for “Up” leading the way. As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

After a busy week of guild announcements and circuit parties, not to mention plenty of industry news from NBC to Disney and anything in between, Anne and I are beat. And we’re moving into a busy weekend of awards shows and gatherings as well, so there’s no rest for the wicked. That having been said, let’s dive in to today’s topics:

• The Writers Guild of America announced its slate of contenders Monday, following a rash of ineligibilities that were revealed last week. We discuss the implications, if any.

• The WGA wasn’t the only guild staking a claim this week. The American Cinema Editors and the American Society of Cinematographers also nominated. We touch on them briefly.

• We’ve been bouncing all over town this week as studios put their best foot forward on the party and event circuit. We touch on a pair of them celebrating the sound of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and the principals of Warner’s “The Blind Side.”

• The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are tonight, followed by the Golden Globes on Sunday. Oh yeah, and some parties, too. We preview the busy weekend ahead and discuss the three-horse race for Best Picture.

You can listen to this week’s podcast below, with Patterson’s Hood’s original song “Depression Era” leading the way. It goes a bit long but we had lots to discuss. As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

There have been a few major announcements this week, so let’s dig in. We wander a bit this time, but on the docket today:

• The Producers Guild of America went largely populist with its list of feature nominees. Anne and I discuss the implications.

• With “The Hurt Locker” firmly holding the major guild quartet (since we can probably safely assume WGA), we get into its potential to win the big prize, perceived two-horse race or not. And we think it owes the critics for that.

• The Directors Guild of America also announced nominees, confirming the top five Best Picture contenders. But is this the Oscar line-up?

• The Scripter nods were also unveiled, which leads to some debate over eligibility concerns (which also plays a roll in the forthcoming WGA announcement).

You can listen to this week’s podcast below, with a little of the brilliant (and undervalued) score from “The Hurt Locker” leading the way. As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

It’s been two weeks since we dug into the Oscar race in this space. Here’s what’s on the docket today:

• Rob Marshall’s “Nine” has landed in theaters and been both critically and commercially dismissed, so the question is: Is it out of the Best Picture race? Anne and I discuss potential replacements if that’s the case.

• From the bottom of the list to the top, we talk frontrunners. Is “Avatar” the one to beat? Which films are threatening that position?

• Speaking of which, could Zoe Saldana be in the mix for a lead actress nomination despite perceived CG bias? Anne puts forth the general narrative, but I think that’s a bit defeatist. Rules are broken every year.

• Finally, a new year a new list of anticipations. Anne and I run through a big list of films we’re most looking forward to in 2010.

You can listen to this week’s podcast below, with Robert Burns’s “Auld Lang Syne” leading the way. Cheesy, I know.  And as always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

This will be the last Oscar Talk broadcast of 2009!

On the docket today as we round out the year:

• Anne and I discuss quite the busy week in precursor announcements.  What does it mean?  What did we learn?  Where are we at going into the new year?

• Is the 10 really locked in six weeks away from  the nominations announcement?  We discuss potential on-the-bubble spoilers and which films might ultimately miss the cut.

• With the holidays right around the corner, we spend some frivolous discussion on our favorite holiday movies.

• And finally, with “Avatar” opening today, we talk briefly about the box office implications and, again, the film’s place in movie history, as confirmed by a critical swell as of late.

Have a listen to this week’s podcast below, with a musical intro from the lovely Darlene Love.  As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

This week’s discussion is pretty much dominated by the unveiling of, arguably, 2009’s most anticipated film. So with that in mind:

• Anne and I discuss the joy of James Cameron’s “Avatar,” including everything from technical wizardry, the film’s milestone status in the history of cinema and, of course, awards prospects.

• With the critics’ awards kicking off this weekend, starting Sunday with the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s list of kudos, we speculate on which films could get recognition and which films need the leg up.

• Top 10 lists are hitting and Anne just published hers, so that’s food for thought. Mine will hit Monday.

• Briefly we preview next week’s list of key dates, which include the BFCA, Golden Globe and SAG nomination announcements.

Have a listen to this week’s podcast below. Apologies for the audio on Anne’s side of things. It sounds a little muffled because we couldn’t get her external mic to work. Roll with the punches.

Oh, and as always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

On the docket today:

• With the National Board of Review having kicked off the awards season, Anne and I discuss the big winners and implications for the season.

• Tis the season and the party circuit is alight, so with that in mind, we talk about a few of the taste-makers around town this week, including…

• Peter Jackson, Saoirse Ronan and Stanley Tucci in an intimate cocktail party for “The Lovely Bones.”

• Fox Searchlight’s holiday shin-dig in Century City with “Crazy Heart” principals in attendance.

• An “Inglourious Basterds” DVD release party at producer Lawrence Bender’s home.

• And a Summit holiday party with the folks from “The Hurt Locker” burning the midnight oil.

• Finally, no reviews of “It’s Complicated” are allowed yet, but Anne and I discuss how we think it will fare in the awards race.

Have a listen to this week’s podcast below, with a taste of Hans Zimmer’s score for “Sherlock Holmes” to start you off. As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

On the docket today:

• We lead off talking holiday screeners, including further talk of “Inglourious Basterds” slipping into the 10 in the wake of fading heavies.

• Speaking of which, fresh off a screening of “The Lovely Bones,” a film that isn’t caught in the embargo tug of war, we touch briefly on our thoughts, to certainly be expanded at another time.

• As trade and magazine reviews pop up while others are still told to hold off, we get into Clint Eastwood’s “Invictus.”

• And with screenings of “Nine” already two weeks old, we finally add our perspective on the musical adaptation and certain category placements.

• Finally, with no revelations left save for James Cameron’s “Avatar,” we look at the film’s marketing strategy and the rumor mill on secret screenings.

Have a listen to this week’s podcast below, with Kate Hudson and “Cinema Italiano” leading the way. As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.

On the docket today:

• Anne and I discuss the week’s big Oscar news, the revelation of 15 short list contenders for the Best Documentary Feature category, including discussion of snubs, talk on those we’ve seen and some fleeting expectations on how things could shake out.

• With “That Evening Sun” making its way to limited release, we briefly touch on the film and Hal Holbrook’s wonderful leading performance.

• The Governors Awards took place over the weekend, and Anne was in attendance.  She gives us some inside perspective on the festivities.

• Quentin Tarantino is back on the awards circuit with “Inglourious Basterds” facing an imminent DVD release.  We talk again about the film’s Oscar chances and the potential for another populist film, “Star Trek,” duking it out with the war romp for a spot in the 10.

Have a listen to this week’s podcast below, with Lauren Bacall’s Honorary Oscar acceptance speech leading the way.  As always, you can subscribe to Oscar Talk via iTunes here.