Robert Downey Jr. stands near a life-size "Iron Man" during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan. (AP file)
First, Dave Karger, a blogger at Entertainment Weekly collected a round of early Oscar picks -- actors to watch in the upcoming race. The list includes Frank Langella as Tricky Dick in the still-to-be-released "Frost/Nixon" and Sean Penn in "Milk," opening later this month.
Then, another bunch of Oscar watchers slammed Karger for his list. ...
That's in the video here.
Now Karger volleys, asking an age-old question: Are the Oscars anything more than a high-school-level popularity contest?
But, with the new concerns over this year's slate of Oscar contenders -- a largely dour lineup hitting the megaplexes during hard economic times -- here's hoping something crazy happens this year, like an "Iron Man" nomination. It's been considered before, and more recently -- even suggesting the idea of a Heath Ledger nomination.
That latter post, from Metro International in Boston, sums up the art vs. populism experience nicely: " 'It goes in waves,' Jim Morris, producer of 'WALL-E,' says. ' "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings" were popular films that also won best picture. In other years, it's been more art-house oriented. But it's always strange for people watching the Academy Awards when some movie they never heard of wins.' "
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