Some see controversy in making of 'Zero Dark Thirty'

The controversy about whether the makers of awards contender "Zero Dark Thirty" received classified material – or names – from the U.S. government is examined by Ted Johnson of Variety.

The initial concern was whether information was shared for partistan reasons to benefit President Obama (although having seen it, I'd maintain that the film itself is nonpartisan). Subsequently, what's being explored is whether information that has been shared with the filmmakers should also be shared with others. It's a complicated issue, and Johnson's post is worth reading in full.  

Sidebar: Not only is "Zero" star Jessica Chastain a leading Oscar contender, but the Broadway revival of "The Heiress" that features her and Dan Stevens of "Downton Abbey" is performing strongly, according to Gordon Cox of Variety. The ongoing show is making awards season promotion an even more complicated endeavor for Chastain than it already would have been.