Coolest New Campaign (That's Not Costing Warner Bros. a Dime): Dark Campaign, a self-described grassroots effort to score a Best Picture nomination for The Dark Knight, complete with custom ads and posters.
So Why Does a Studio-Backed Megablockbuster Need a Helping Fan Hand? "Because it's a genre flick, I think it needs the extra voice of all the moviegoers who loved it saying, 'Yes, it's a superhero movie, but it's also an incredible film that deserves to be considered among the best,'" the site's Blair Erickson said in an email.
You Could Be Next, Watchmen: While Erickson's a creative director at a media firm that's done business with Warner, his Dark Campaign is billed as strictly a fan thing. "But if the WB marketing department is reading this," he said, "and wants some help with Terminator: Salvation or Watchmen…nudge nudge."
If Austin, Texas, Ruled the World, Fan Campaigns Wouldn't Be Necessary: The area's film critics named The Dark Knight best picture.
Spoiling Milk's Shot? Yes, Sean Penn's practically sweeping the critics awards (Dallas, Houston, Phoenix—to name three recent wins), but critics don't vote for the Oscars. Readers of The Advocate, however, may. The gay magazine published an online commentary praising Penn's performance in Milk but taking him to task for his embrace of "antigay dictators" Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro.
If Not Penn, Then…? The Wrestler's Mickey Rourke basically picked up whatever critics awards Penn didn't (Chicago and San Diego included). The two men tied in San Francisco and Boston. But again, critics don't cast Oscar ballots.
Rourke's Other Issues: For one thing, the Los Angeles Times slammed The Wrestler—hard. (Not the sort of PR the movie, or the Oscar campaign, needs in its hometown newspaper, as the hometown newspaper itself pointed out.) For another thing, The Hollywood Reporter suggested Rourke might be a bit too out there on the Oscar campaign trail.
Then Again, Maybe Rourke's Onto Something: The same Reporter article notes character actor Richard Jenkins has been working the Oscar circuit hard too, on behalf of himself and his art-house hit The Visitor. If you're unfamiliar with Jenkins, check out the Screen Actors Guild Awards next month—he'll be the character actor up for a Best Actor trophy.