CBS aired the 2012 People's Choice Awards Wednesday evening as the award season starts to pick up in advance of the February 26 Oscars. The People's Choice Awards are basic popularity contests as opposed to a breakdown of the most critically acclaimed movies of the year. It provides great entertainment, but it is not a great predictor of Oscar success.
This year's award for Best Drama Movie is a perfect case in point. Moneyball was nominated for the award and is expected to get some Oscar nominations. In Wednesday's People's Choice Awards, Moneyball lost out to Water For Elephants. That movie's cast includes Robert Pattinson, who is most well-known for the Twilight series. Given the popular vote for these awards, it should surprise nobody that Water For Elephants took home the prize.
The Golden Globes will be presented January 15 and Moneyball has found its way into several nominations that bode well for Oscar nominations. The movie is nominated for Best Motion Picture Drama and Best Screen Play Motion Picture, while Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill were each nominated for their roles in the movie.