Will ‘La La Land’ tie an Oscar record for most nominations?

Oscar nominations are just a few days away. Will Damien Chazelle’s musical “La La Land” tie the record for most nominations in Oscar history?

Welcome to the Gold Standard, the newsletter from the Los Angeles Times that helps guide you through the ins and outs of the awards season leading up to the Oscars.

I’m Glenn Whipp, The Times’ awards columnist and your newsletter host.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS COMING TUESDAY

“All About Eve” and “Titanic” share the record for most Academy Award nominations, which is 14. “La La Land” could possibly join them. Let’s count the ways: 1) picture, 2) director (Chazelle), 3) lead actress (Emma Stone), 4) lead actor (Ryan Gosling), 5) original screenplay, 6) cinematography, 7) costume design, 8) film editing, 9) production design, 10) score, 11) song: “City of Stars,” 12) song: “Audition (The Fools Who Dream”), 13) sound editing 14) and sound mixing.

Whew. The only one of those 14 I could see not happening is sound editing, a category that tends to favor war, action and sci-fi films. (Sound mixing rewards music-heavy movies.) But that sound editing nod is still a distinct possibility, which would put “La La Land” in the record books.

I looked at the picture, director and acting categories earlier this week in this Oscar Watch column. Full disclosure: I changed my picks in the crowded lead actress contest half a dozen times while writing it — and once after I filed.

I’ll be picking all 24 Oscar categories on Monday. You can find that on The Times’ website or my Times bio page or by doing a search including the terms “Glenn Whipp” “Oscar predictions” and “nervous breakdown.”

WILL A SUNDANCE FILM EVER WIN BEST PICTURE?

I thought it would happen with “Boyhood.” And, who knows, maybe it still will this year with “Manchester by the Sea.”

But no movie that has premiered at the Sundance Film Festival has ever gone on to win the Oscar for best picture.

I look at why that’s the case and run down the Sundance premieres that have been nominated here. Times film critic Kenneth Turan previews this year’s festival here. And who knows? Maybe next year’s best picture winner will be found among the titles he spotlights.

Annette Bening, contender for “20th Century Women.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

YES, YES, ANNETTE

You get that “No, No, Nannette” reference, right? Annette Bening would, as she told me recently that she’s a “show tunes girl” and regularly listens to the On Broadway channel on Sirius XM. Sometimes, she even pulls over if a particularly good song comes on. (She cites Robert Morse singing “I Believe in You” from “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” as an example.)

I interviewed Bening recently about her wonderful turn in the family drama “20th Century Women.” We talked about a lot of things — parents and children, fame and privacy — for the story, which can be read here. One thing I learned: I’m never doing a Q&A again without a takeout coffee cup full of wine. Consider yourself warned, Natalie Portman!

Feedback?

I’d love to hear from you. Email me at glenn.whipp@latimes.com.

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