The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Warner Independent has unleashed the first For Your Consideration ad of the season, more than two months before A Very Long Engagement is even released in American theaters.

The text of the ad is unusually blunt and transparent, essentially declaring that they too will be aggressively pursuing what David Poland deems the "City of God Effect" (though it could just as easily be called the Talk to Her effect, or Il Postino Effect, or the Red Effect). However, the ad copy is deceptive in its statement that "This picture is not eligible for Best Foreign Film." What it should say is: "This picture is not eligible for Best Foreign Film... this year," because, as I understand the convoluted rules, it will be eligible in that category next year (though I haven't been able to find a single instance of this in Academy history, so maybe I'm wrong), should France decide to submit it.

With both Michael Moore and Warner Independent officially staking their claims, and so many high profile contenders premiering in Venice and Toronto, it seems like the shortened Oscar season is no longer so short - it's merely arriving earlier to compensate for ending earlier.