The Losing Case of Benjamin Button?

Tom O'Neil can be read regularly on the LA Times Gold Derby

In our video chat with Associated Press reporter Christy Lemire, she mentioned something truly curious -- the possibility that the movie that leads with the most nominations at the Oscars, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," could lost all 13 bids.

If that happened, it would surpass the two films currently tied for suffering the worstOscars shut-out when they lost all 11 nominations: "The Turning Point" (1977) and "The Color Purple" (1985).

But don't fret, "Button" fans. While "Slumdog Millionaire" seems to be top dog in the leading categories, "Button" is the front-runner in a few tech races.

BEST ART DIRECTION
"Curious Case of Benjamin Button" won the Art Directors Guild Award, which makes it the leader here, but so did "The Dark Knight." That's because the guild has separate categories for period films ("Button") and fantasy ("Dark Knight"). However, when other co-winners battled at the Oscars in the past, period films usually prevailed, probably because voters consider "art" in this category name in a high-brow way. "The Duchess" may be a serious contender here because it also, by its very title and look, seems artsy.

BEST MAKEUP 
Theoretically, "Hellboy II" has hope to win because popcorn pix like "Chronicles of Narnia" sometimes prevail, but it's only got a snowball's chance in you-know-where because "Hellboy" a horror flick.

Tom O'Neil can be read regularly on the LA Times Gold Derby

In our video chat with Associated Press reporter Christy Lemire, she mentioned something truly curious -- the possibility that the movie that leads with the most nominations at the Oscars, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," could lost all 13 bids.

If that happened, it would surpass the two films currently tied for suffering the worstOscars shut-out when they lost all 11 nominations: "The Turning Point" (1977) and "The Color Purple" (1985).

But don't fret, "Button" fans. While "Slumdog Millionaire" seems to be top dog in the leading categories, "Button" is the front-runner in a few tech races.

BEST ART DIRECTION
"Curious Case of Benjamin Button" won the Art Directors Guild Award, which makes it the leader here, but so did "The Dark Knight." That's because the guild has separate categories for period films ("Button") and fantasy ("Dark Knight"). However, when other co-winners battled at the Oscars in the past, period films usually prevailed, probably because voters consider "art" in this category name in a high-brow way. "The Duchess" may be a serious contender here because it also, by its very title and look, seems artsy.

BEST MAKEUP 
Theoretically, "Hellboy II" has hope to win because popcorn pix like "Chronicles of Narnia" sometimes prevail, but it's only got a snowball's chance in you-know-where because "Hellboy" a horror flick.

So is that other nominee, in a way ("The Dark Knight"), but its makeup was one of its stand-out features -- how crazily it was smeared on the Joker's insane face. And it's a prestige flick that earned the second-most money in film history and should've been nominated for best picture of 2008.

But the Oscars' voters are suckers for seeing stars age through time on screen, of course. That's why "La Vie en Rose" won last year. Without "The Reader" in the running here, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" has the edge because Brad Pitt ages in reverse. Isn't that the same thing? Yes, but much of that wizardy was done via visual effects, not makeup, which could be a big issue with voters here. If they think about it. Which they probably won't.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Superhero films like "Spider-Man 2" have won here in the past, but they comprise two of the three nominees here. "The Dark Knight" and "Iron  Man" will probably knock each other out, leaving "Ben Button" the last man standing.

But the Oscars' voters are suckers for seeing stars age through time on screen, of course. That's why "La Vie en Rose" won last year. Without "The Reader" in the running here, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" has the edge because Brad Pitt ages in reverse. Isn't that the same thing? Yes, but much of that wizardy was done via visual effects, not makeup, which could be a big issue with voters here. If they think about it. Which they probably won't.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Superhero films like "Spider-Man 2" have won here in the past, but they comprise two of the three nominees here. "The Dark Knight" and "Iron  Man" will probably knock each other out, leaving "Ben Button" the last man standing.