From “12 Years a Slave” to “Captain Phillips” to even fictional contenders like “Gravity,” a number of Oscar hopefuls are being subjected to rigorous fact-checking in the blogosphere. The latest to go under examination is “Dallas Buyers Club.” In an interesting piece, Slate writer Aisha Harris explains that the film is in an unusual position relative to other biopics, in that protagonist Ron Woodroof’s life hadn’t really been documented in other media; screenwriter Craig Borten, who began the project after interviewing Woodroof in 1992, is his own most informed source, and admits to taking some artistic license in a “pretty accurate” portrayal. Harris separates the film’s facts from its fiction. [Slate]

Meanwhile, Noel Murray and Scott Tobias use the film as a springboard for a history of AIDS on film. [The Dissolve]

James Franco in “Spring Breakers” is better than Robert De Niro in “Taxi Driver,” says Werner Herzog. James Franco doesn’t disagree. [Vanity Fair]

Netflix acquires exclusive rights to documentary Oscar hopeful “The Square.” [LA Times]

It seems we’re at that point in the year already: John Lee Hancock, Richard Curtis and others discuss their favorite holiday movies. [New York Times]

Alyssa Rosenberg on the sometimes tricky ethics of pop-culture consumption, from “Ender’s Game” to Polanski to Chris Brown. [Vulture]

Mark Harris on the strangeness of a potential Robert Redford victory, and his reservations about “12 Years a Slave.” [Grantland]

The location managers of “Behind the Candelabra” and “The Hangover Part III” were honored at the California On Location Awards. [Variety]

Scott Feinberg on the big-name filmmakers “presenting” smaller foreign or documentary titles in this year’s Oscar race. [THR]

“Saving Mr Banks” will open the cinematography-focused Camerimage festival in Poland later this month. [Screen Daily]