The Brutalist lurks not far behind with 10, including nods for both star Adrien Brody and director Brady Corbet.
Its 215-minute runtime may be a hurdle for some to overcome, but The Brutalist has perhaps one of the easier paths to gaining momentum, especially with what I view as a likely DGA win. If the DGA were to pair with another precursor, such as the PGA or the BAFTA, a path would be open for a convincing resumé heading into Oscar night.
Similarly, if Brody ekes out a win over Chalamet (who would dethrone Brody himself as the youngest Best Actor winner ever by a matter of months), that would be another indication of a strong night for The Brutalist.
My gut says that while Corbet, nominated alongside wife Mona Fastvold, will end up losing the screenplay category, craft categories such as cinematography and production design can give it that Best Picture edge.
With its sub-$10 million budget, Oscars or not, The Brutalist is still a sweeping achievement that will impact the industry at large for years to come.
