Pro: Damon can apparently get nominated for anything. See Clint Eastwood's "Invictus," which had all but completely disappeared from the circuit when the nominations were announced a few years ago. Here he's taking on a hero role against a backdrop of shifting American values. That can be catnip.

Con: But is the film itself awards or just a play for commercial considerations late in the year? And Gus Van Sant's work has always had a schizophrenic relationship with the season. For every "Good Will Hunting" or "Milk" there is a "Gerry" or "Paranoid Park."

- Kristopher Tapley