Political Movies at the Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has more than 6000 members. Only 21 live in Washington, DC. So the national capital is usually not a big stop for Hollywood stars and producers looking for prestigious awards. They typically go from festivals in Telluride and Toronto, to media events and critical honors in New York City, and finally to Hollywood for the Oscars. But in Senate and Congressional cloakrooms this year, they're talking Hollywood Oscars, with Lincoln and Argo playing for political audiences and Zero Dark Thirty producing demands for corrections. Michael Cieply writes about the business of entertainment for the New York Times.