In an inappropriate email sent out to academy members, obtained by the LA Times' Gold Derby blog, Chartier came awfully close to what may be described as begging the voting members to support his film over its Best Picture competition. (The Academy explicitly bans directly campaigning to voters.) Though he doesn't come right out and say "vote for my film instead of 'Avatar,' by asking Academy members to ask "friends who vote for the Oscars" to support "The Hurt Locker" over "a $500M" film -- it's a safe bet Chartier wasn't referring to "An Education."

Other than some Academy instituted penalties -- such as losing tickets to the ceremony on March 7 -- the real question regarding possible repercussion for "The Hurt Locker" is if this display will cost it votes based on negative publicity. Final Oscar ballots are due on Tuesday, March 2. For this controversy to happen so close to the deadline, in what was already considered a close race, it could wind up being devastating for "The Hurt Locker." "The Hurt Locker" has one thing working it its favor: as The Wrap blog points out, there won't be any official ruling on the matter until after voting closes on Tuesday.

Inglourious Basterds can only win on a preferential ballot. And it might just squeak by there and win. It is a film that is very entertaining once you let go of the big problem of having to imagine a story that never actually happened – it could have happened, though, I guess.