THE OSCAR ISSUE / HUFFINGTON / 02.10-17.13
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tom o’neil
Day-Lewis) and Supporting Actor (Tomby Oscar voters. Hollywood’s most remy Lee Jones). Best Actress is believed
vered director has only won Best Picto be between Jennifer Lawrence (Silver
ture once: Schindler’s List (1993). He’s
Linings Playbook) and Jessica Chastain
received the director’s trophy twice
(Zero Dark Thirty), and it’s widely pre(Saving Private Ryan in 1998 plus
sumed that Anne Hathaway (Les MisSchindler’s List), but he’s got one less
erables) has Supporting
Best Picture than MiActress in the bag.
los Forman (Amadeus in
Pundit support for Lin1984, One Flew Over the
IF THERE’S
coln is bolstered by the
Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975)
ONE APPLE
fact that it leads with the
and Clint Eastwood (Milmost nominations (12),
lion Dollar Baby in 2004,
IN A BAG
which usually translates
Unforgiven in 1992). That
OF ORANGES
into victory in the top race.
hardly seems fair.
AT ANY
However, let’s recall that
Lincoln has been a box
’S
AWARD
Hugo had the most bids
office hit ($162 million)
COMPETITION
,
last year and The Artist
praised by film critics (91
THE APPLE
took Best Picture.
score at Rotten Tomatoes),
OFTEN WINS
Lincoln does have a few
which is usually a winning
other things going for it.
Oscar combination, but
IN AN UPSET.
Historically, voters have
it’s vulnerable in this derdemonstrated that they
by. While voters admire
like big, epic biographies
it, enjoy it and respect it,
like The Last Emperor (1987) and Ganthere’s actually more passion and gushdhi (1982). Also, it’s important that
ing love for Argo and Silver Linings
a film have a compelling story behind
Playbook, according to my own personthe story it tells on screen. Last year’s
al survey of Academy members. Passion
victory by The Artist signaled a triumusually cinches victory.
phant return of silent movies just as
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Argo doesn’t have that
the current film biz copes with the adcorresponding nomination for Best Direcvent of 3-D and the internet. The Detor that’s usually essential to victory, but
parted (2006) won because the Acadthat may actually help its chances. Many
emy wanted to make up for past snubs
Academy members I’ve spoken to want to
to Martin Scorsese.
rally to Ben Affleck’s wounded side. If they
You could argue that Spielberg
vote for Argo or Silver Linings Playbook
hasn’t been sufficiently appreciated
for Best Picture, they feel like they can
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