Speaking as a reasonable man, I am now entertaining a working theory. Depending on how I respond next weekend to Zero Dark Thirty (although I have a pretty good hunch as we speak), I might be willing to ease up on my Silver Linings Playbook fervor and let a little ZDT light into the room if — I emphasize the word “if” — Sasha Stone will agree to back off a bit on her relentless Lincoln campaigning.

This is all theoretical, of course, and to a certain extent metaphorical. I’m just saying this might be a way out of the swamp, although I’ll never change my mind about SLP — it’s the best and most satisfying film of the year so far, and the best of its type in years.

It would be understood, of course, that both parties (HE and Awards Daily) would adopt a come-what-may, comme ci comme ca, “the public likes what it likes” attitude about Les Miserables. The general current I’m getting is that you kinda have to be a Les Miserables theatre queen to really get off on the film version. Please correct me if I’m wrong.