As with most people I know, I am an avid movie watcher, and made a point over break of trying to see every Oscar-buzzed film in theaters.

With the exception of “The King’s Speech,” I came pretty close to seeing them all, and to join the bandwagon I would say that “Black Swan,” and particularly Natalie Portman’s performance, was about as Oscar-worthy as it gets. With that said, Portman’s newest movie alongside Ashton Kutcher, “No Strings Attached,” seems like a fatal mistake going into an award ceremony, bringing to mind a similar situation with another actor.

Remember 2006’s “Dream Girls?” Aside from a nomination for Best Picture, two of its actors were nominated for Best Supporting Actor, one of them being the ‘one and only’ Eddie Murphy. A very big deal for him, considering his recent resume up to that point consisted of family-fun comedies. We were all proud and thought he could change. But then “Norbit” happened.

Murphy never won the Oscar for “Dream Girls,” and as the story goes, it all leads back to “Norbit.” Now I don’t want to cast a cloud over Portman’s chances (I do think her odds are pretty high, with competition really only coming from Michelle Williams), but I’m afraid Portman might have underestimated the ‘Norbit-effect’ “No Strings Attached” might have on critics.

What’s worse is that Natalie Portman was an executive producer for the film, and has been defending against its cliché-ness in interviews. I mean, it’s one thing if you get dragged into a film for money, or to take a break from a role as serious as her “Black Swan” performance, but that goes out the window when you learn she invested in that turd.

Or if you’re going to go the route of acting in a Hollywood money maker, at least go in with the mindset that Ron Perlman had with his recent blockbuster (though the movie actually has to make money to be one) alongside Nick Cage in “Season of the Witch:” “I’m actually more comfortable being a sidekick, because I don’t get blamed if it is a complete disaster.”

Unfortunately Natalie Portman didn’t have that option, but therein lies the rub. If “Black Swan” hadn’t been released, or if she wasn’t in a critically acclaimed film for her performance, “No Strings Attached” would probably slip by unnoticed until it joined its buddies on TBS through cycled re-runs, forcing us to make up for poor box office sales on lazy Sundays.

I’m not out to pan Natalie Portman, she won my heart long ago in her “Star Wars” days— it’s just a matter of concern.  Murphy hasn’t been given another chance for an Academy Award-winning role since “Dream Girls” (coming out with not one, but two “Shrek” movies within three years), and although I give Portman more credit for acting skill than I would ever give Eddie, that Disney-supervised, family comedy path to wealth is probably very tempting.

As much as I enjoy poking fun at “No Strings Attached,” Portman’s performance in “Black Swan” was truly remarkable. Matched up against Annette Benning and Nicole Kidman for movies that, in my own opinion, are nowhere near as noteworthy as “Black Swan,” I would say her odds are pretty good.

But what do I know? I’ll just cross my fingers that we don’t see her in any upcoming trailers as the cartoon, donkey sidekick for a green ogre.

To contact The Ionian’s Joseph Bland, e-mail him at [email protected].