Ultimately Meaningless As Always, Awards Season Reedeems Itself.

Popularity contests applied to art are appalling, in my book, although now and then I get sucked in at this time of year-I am American, afer all. "Oh, Penn really deserved it." Sure he did, but so did Richard Jenkins--The Visitor was the most subtle, authentic film I've seen in years and Jenkins' performance was so deeply felt that I've been quixotically rooting for him and growing ever more bitter as he is, quite predictably, overlooked. But Poehler and Krasinski at the SAG Award make me forget the grating hype cycle and red carpet static--and, for a moment, I almost dare to open my heart, just a little, and maybe, just maybe, I can learn to love again.