On the one hand, it’s totally unseemly and self-serving to put one’s own article at the top of the daily roundup. On the other hand — well, there is no other hand, but I’m doing it anyway. With “Skyfall” hitting UK screens on Friday, I donned my Guardian columnist hat to look into at the film’s layered, long-haul promotional campaign, which combines stripped-down marketing materials — posters focusing chiefly on the 007 brand, scarcely mentioning the A-list names involved — with a relentless assault of brand placements and tie-ins, ranging from Heineken to Tom Ford to the Queen. (You tell me she isn’t a brand.) The approach has box office pundits expecting the biggest-ever global gross for a Bond effort — will it pay off with audiences? [The Guardian]  

Speaking of “Skyfall,” the producers are adamant Judi Dench deserves Oscar recognition for the film. I think Javier Bardem’s the one to concentrate on myself. [The Telegraph]

Steve Pond believes that “Lincoln,” “Life of Pi” and “Flight” possibly got Oscar pundits over-excited after their NYFF premieres, and advises a step back. [The Odds]

GKIDS gears up the campaign for their four animated feature contenders. I’ll be writing about this in more detail soon, but I just saw “Le Tableau” and it’s a contender to be reckoned with. [The Vote]

On that topic, the Academy has set a November 1 deadline for all entries in the Best Animated Feature race. [Thompson on Hollywood]

Charlie Lyne is not drinking the “Argo” Kool-Aid, though he believes the film would be a formidable contender for 2005’s Best Picture Oscar. [Ultraculture]

“Flight” director Robert Zemeckis will receive the Founder’s Award at the Chicago International Film Festival — the last recipient was Michel Hazanavicius for “The Artist.” [THR]

Happy news for Mike Leigh fans: the British filmmaker’s long-fostered passion project, a biopic of painter J.M.W. Turner, is finally going ahead, with Timothy Spall in the lead. [The Playlist]

Sasha Stone examines the current state of the Oscar race, with the shadow of the US presidential election hanging over her. [Awards Daily]

David Poland sits down with “Amour” writer-director — and Oscar hopeful — Michael Haneke. [Hot Blog]