Bryce Zabel's FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH

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.

Expect 'Religulous' to Raise Oscar Hell

Working in Mysterious Ways

This essay was originally published in the Los Angeles Times Gold Derby blog.

When I attended a press screening for Bill Maher's "Religulous" in New York on Tuesday, it struck me like a lightning bolt on the road to the Kodak Theatre via Damascus: yeah, "Religulous" will probably be nominated for best docu at the Oscars — and God help us all after that.

We know that "Religulous" is seriously in the derby for several reasons. First, Lionsgate hired veteran Oscars PR reps to handle its ballyhoo (Michele Robertson in L.A., Jeff Hill in New York). Secondly, the studio is giving the documentary its theatrical runs in L.A. and New York to qualify it for academy consideration, as Jeff Sneider notes at Anne Thompson's blog at Variety.com. Thirdly, the hallelujahs that film critics gave it today at the screening. More disciples are sure to follow.

In order to catch on widely like religion itself, what atheism has needed for a long time is a popular preacher to rally 'round. Maher just volunteered for the job that's been vacant since Madalyn Murray O'Hair vanished in the 1990s (eventually found murdered in 2001). But Bill Maher kicks things up a notch. He's a pop culture hipster who already has a large, anti-establishment flock, and he has a bully pulpit that O'Hair didn't: his own HBO show plus vast presence across all media.

Ricky Gervais Revenge Plot Revealed!!

Steve Carell's Been Warned!

This essay was originally published in the Los Angeles Times Gold Derby blog.

When Ricky Gervais wasn't present at last year's Emmys to accept his upset victory for best comedy actor ("Extras"), Steve Carell leapt to the stage and claimed the statuette on behalf of the man who trailblazed his role on the original "The Office." Gervais produced, wrote and starred in the British version from 2001 to 2004 before Carell debuted a Yankee rendition in 2005, which won best comedy series at the Emmys.

Next, if Carell wins best comedy actor for the U.S. version of "The Office" on Sept. 21, "I'm going to beat him to the stage just to even things up," Ricky Gervais says. "I'm going to wrestle him to the ground and get his Emmy before he can."

Gervais may also have his own Emmy to claim that night too, as a nominee for best actor in a TV film for "Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale." Most award prognosticators pooh-pooh his chance to win because he competes against four past Oscar nominees and/or winners: Ralph Fiennes ("Bernard and Doris"), Paul Giamatti ("John Adams"), Kevin Spacey ("Recount") and Tom Wilkinson ("Recount").