The gist of Patrick Goldstein‘s 11.6 Big Picture blog posting is that two journalists on the Hollywood beat — Entertainment Weekly‘s Dave Karger and Variety‘s Anne Thompson — are part of “a gang of daffy, clown-suit-clad Oscar bloggers making endlessly moronic Best Picture predictions.”
The Envelope‘s Tom O’Neil took offense at this, doubled-down on the anger and posted an argumentative response. He mainly said that when you boil it all down Goldstein is (a) simply resentful of Oscar bloggers for encroaching on his turf, and that (b) he’s made as many moronic or inaccurate predictions as anyone else so whaddaya whaddaya.
I didn’t take the wacky-clown-suit line personally because I know who and what I am — an opinionated, hard-working, Red Bull-sipping eccentric willing to sound a little quirky, deranged or off-balance in order make my points in ways that will penetrate the membrane. What I mean is that I do angry, fickle and obsessive but daffy isn’t my thing. Plus I have a highly developed style sense (especially now that I’m living in NYC-NJ) so clown suits are out. I wear Italian-made loafers already.
What Goldstein is really saying, of course, is that talking up this or that presumed Oscar fave due to some recent or upcoming political mood swing is dopey.
I agree with PG that Karger’s claim that “this week’s election-day results may have a profound effect” on the best picture chances of The Dark Knight is close to absurd. Partly because I don’t feel, as Karger does, that TDK “speaks to the innate goodness of human behavior.” Karger is referring to the finale, and his belief that the sentiment behind it mirrors the feeling which led to the election of Barack Obama. Because Oscar ballots are due on 1.12.09, or eight days before Obama’s inauguration, Karger feels that “most Hollywood types” will be swayed to give awards to the picture.
I’m sorry but this is horseshit. To my knowedge no legit BHO echoes have been acknowledged outside of TDK geek chat boards.TDK is going to get a Best Supporting Actor nom for Heath Ledger plus the usual tech noms. And that’s it.
There is merit, however, in the belief by Variety‘s Anne Thompson that the passage of Proposition 8’s gay marriage ban “could actually boost” Milk‘s Oscar chances, saying that “the fact that California did not defeat the ban could energize the largely liberal academy base” and make voters realize “that we have not come far enough.”
This doesn’t sound crazy to me. Thompson didn’t say that industry anger about Prop Hate’s passage would guarantee an Oscar or two or three for Milk — she merely said that the climate could “boost” its chances. That’s an entirely conceivable scenario.
