Oscar Expands Best Picture Nominees to 10

Wow...I'm kinda surprised.


Full story here at Variety.com

You may or may not know that until 1944 the Academy would nominate 10 films in the Best Picture category. So this isn't entirely new...but it is pretty surprising. The thing my brain immediately leaps to is that this is in reaction to The Dark Knight not getting nominated but it obviously has more behind it than that.

Look, now an additional 5 films get to market themselves as being "NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE" which will help them at the box office in the early months of the new year. This could also spike ratings for the broadcast of the Academy Awards as more people will have a dog in the fight (do you know how many nerds would have tuned in last year if there was the slight chance The Dark Knight could win Best Picture?). Finally, it will just generate more business in general...more adds in magazines, on T.V., etc.

I am not sure how I feel about it yet. My first reaction is slightly negative...just feels like too much. Is it nice that Pixar's Up will now get nominated for Best Picture instead of just winning the Best Animated Film award (though it will still win that)? Yeah, it's nice. It's good that more quality films will get recognition and attention, but maybe I just don't like change because I am not a big fan of this move. Still, it's interesting, and because my favorite film of last year Let the Right One In is actually eligible for the awards this year for some reason...I'll admit I have my fingers crossed.