Break out your evening gowns… It’s time for the First Annual USDemocrazy Oscar Nomination Run-Down!
Hey… You! Stop yawning! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has changed a time-honored tradition just to please us, the common folk. That is, they’ve expanded the “Best Picture” category from five to TEN!!!!
NPR’s Linda Holmes points out that the Academy has added five extra nominees to the field in order to make some room for more commercial films… Remember last year when the most successful picture at the box office was looked over at the Oscars? A little film called “The Dark Knight” saw its fans cry foul when the Academy snubbed it.
Holmes makes an example out of “The Blind Side” (trailer above) — a movie she believes is “utterly conventional,” and very popular with the public.
She doesn’t believe that movie will win the field, especially up against big contenders such as “Avatar” and “Up in the Air,” but is glad that more popularly accepted movies made it into Hollywood’s biggest competition.
Lest we forget, the Academy hasn’t always ignored the popular opinion. This gem, after all, was nominated for the 1996 awards:
So the producers of “The Blind Side” must be ecstatic that their family football film got a nod, right? Well, they’re realistic at least.
We don’t believe we have any chance of winning,” said Broderick Johnson, co-chief executive of Alcon Entertainment, which produced and marketed “The Blind Side.”
Oh, right. But there’s this:
Mr. Johnson also acknowledged the effect his film’s selection could have on the Oscars telecast. “It brings in a broader range of pictures that are critically acclaimed and fan favorites,” he said.
The Wall Street Journal reported, in addition to Mr. Johnson’s qu0tes, that this year’s field of nominees grossed an average of $151 million, versus the $71 million average for last year’s nominees.
If you’re intrigued to see what and who else was nominated, check the official Oscar nominee list. Spoiler alert: Meryl Streep is on there. Also, take a peek back in time at USDemocrazy’s 2009 movie round-up to see what was said about many of these movies before they were Nominees. (With the capital “N” and everything.)
Will widening the field to include more Best Picture contenders get YOU to watch the Oscars? Let us know what you think. You have until March 7th to decide (when the ceremony airs on ABC)!
