A recent podcast with some Gold Derby experts came to consensus that if “Everything Everywhere All At Once” wins the Producers Guild of America then it’s probably winning the Best Picture Oscar. I agree.
But here’s the thing, I don’t believe EEAO will win the PGA. Slap me silly if it does. Yes, it’s a wonderful story to see a very well-reviewed pandemic-era indie gross $70 million. I’m just not feeling it winning.
I’m starting to lean towards “Top Gun: Maverick.” You might be laughing at me right now, but it’s just the obvious choice for me. What Steven Spielberg told Tom Cruise earlier this week, about ‘Maverick’ saving Hollywood’s ass, is a powerful narrative.
If not “Top Gun: Maverick,” then what else? Of course, there’s EEAO, but again, I have to refer back to whether The Daniels’ multiverse buttplug epic can actually lure the above-50 male voters, of which the PGA is heavily composed.
Maybe “The Banshees of Inisherin”? A film about isolation that has been very well-received but could, in itself, isolate enough voters to end up not winning. I’d love to see Martin McDonagh’s biblical allegory take the PGA, however I’m not holding my breath.
How about “The Fabelmans”? We all love Steven Spielberg. After achieving frontrunner status last September at TIFF, the film started to lose its #1 status around December and has been losing more and more steam ever since.
In the Gold Derby podcast, Anne Thompson mentions how the Best Picture and PGA races are basically down to “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” I’m honestly not confident enough to say that. Spielberg’s ‘Fabelmans’ isn’t out and even a film like “All Quiet on the Western Front” seems like something that could come out of nowhere and lure voters.
For now, the way I see things, it’s “Top Gun: Maverick” or bust. The Producers Guild Awards will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at The Beverly Hilton