Indecision reigns on Oscar circuit

Uncertainty is in the air as the race of all races heats up to the boiling point.

Candidates are not leaving anything to chance, some still running frantically from one public forum to another, trying to reach voters with that personal touch, even as the first big contests of the season are about to take place.

After months of endless campaigning it's do-or-die time. No front-runner has completely broken through. Several private polls indicate the race is the most fluid in years.

Even Oprah has jumped into the race to tout her own pony.

Strategists for the hopefuls are busy putting their spin on events as districts originally thought to be slam-dunks for a couple of key candidates turned into nail-biters that could produce a few unexpected winners.

With ballots in hand, a few voters are now going to determine one of the most important decisions of our time.

No, not the 2008 presidential primaries.

Who the *#*** is gonna win the 80th annual Academy Awards?!


It's hard to remember a season that brought so many unanswered questions, and though that "other" contest may be making big headlines this week, it seems Hollywood is preoccupied by whether or not it should get that designer evening wear ready for the Golden Globes.

Well, Travolta is, at least.

With the looming uncertainty about even which award shows will go on, and in what form, the seemingly endless race that has confounded most so-called experts is still looking for a clue to its ultimate outcome at the Kodak Theatre less than eight weeks from now.

By Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, even the two major party presidential nominees will likely be known, but in this topsy-turvy awards season we'll STILL be wondering which nominee has the nerve to get up on the Kodak stage.

Hopefully, the Critic's Choice awards being handed out Monday night, and the Globes telecast, which NBC promises will go ahead on Jan. 13, will narrow the field and make it easier for prognosticators.

Also, in the next 10 days or so we will have the nominees in from the directors, writers and producers guilds. The industry groups are always good but not perfect Oscar soothsayers.

The awards season certainly isn't always this way.

Last year at this time we knew for sure that Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy were going home with Oscars. In the end, only the "Norbit" guy got tripped up by an Academy wet kiss to a prized veteran star, Alan Arkin.

This year the best actor heat looks like a knock-down-drag-out between Daniel Day Lewis and George Clooney. Best actress is turning into a three-way between veteran Julie Christie, foreigner Marion Cotillard, and teen-with-a-dream, Ellen Page. There are no sure shots in the supporting races either with Cate Blanchett going up against Amy Ryan and Javier Bardem tackling Tom Wilkinson.

Then there are all the dark horses who could truly emerge when votes get split this severely. Plus, late-inning box office returns can help take a picture or performance from the back of the pack and put them front and center just at the crucial moment. Or vice versa.

The breakout hit "Juno" could sail into the best picture race if its numbers remain impressive this weekend.