The Ben Affleck Oscar Snub Apology Tour 2013

Quite unexpectedly, the 2013 Oscar race has turned into the most varied and speculated awards season in public memory. Following the Academy’s controversial snub of Ben Affleck in the Best Director category, numerous groups have overwhelmingly awarded Affleck for his work on “Argo”, solidifying the 1970s foreign affairs thriller as the new frontrunner for Best Picture.
But is over-praising “Argo” the solution for Affleck’s snub?
I say no.
Don’t get me wrong; I thought “Argo” was a brilliant achievement, especially for Affleck. But had Affleck been nominated for Best Director, I don’t think we’d be seeing such an overwhelming newfound support for the film at the Oscars.
All of a sudden, the industry voting guilds have thrown a tremendous amount of support behind “Argo.”  The Screen Actor’s Guild, Producer’s Guild of America and the Director’s Guild of America have all awarded “Argo” with their highest honors.
Perhaps the PGA and DGA aren’t as surprising, but giving “Argo” the SAG for Outstanding Ensemble in a Motion Picture was a serious blow to the other eight Best Picture nominees at the Academy Awards. While “Argo” featured fine performances, especially from Hollywood vet Alan Arkin, it hasn’t seen much support for its acting as it has in other categories.
Films like “Lincoln” and “Silver Linings Playbook” have received numerous accolades for multiple performers. Arkin is the only actor from “Argo” to receive widespread acclaim or an Oscar nomination. So an Outstanding Ensemble win for “Argo” shows a support that goes beyond merely honoring the film.
While I certainly don’t have the ear of the Academy, I would implore them to remove their blinders and see the Oscar race for what it should be.
A race for Best Picture between “Lincoln” and “Silver Linings Playbook” is exactly what would be happening without “The Ben Affleck Oscar Snub Apology Tour.” Both of those films have writing nominations, directing nominations and multiple acting nominations.
“Silver Linings Playbook” is the first film in eight years to be up for what is called the “Academy’s Big Five,” meaning it’s nominated for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Screenplay, not to mention Best Supporting Actor and Actress.
But even if “Argo” takes home the Oscar for Best Picture, that still leaves an Affleck-less Best Director race. While I’m personally rooting for David Russell’s gentle but searing work on “Silver Linings Playbook,” my money’s on Steven Spielberg. The two-time Oscar winning director is clearly an industry pro who has executed quality work for decades, and “Lincoln” is his finest film since 2005’s “Munich.”
Come Oscar night, I certainly won’t be disappointed to see “Argo” take home Best Picture. It’s just a shame that it won’t be winning on its own merits.