Oscar Fails By Expanding to Ten Best Picture Nominees
June 24th, 2009
Author: DaveEarlier today, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences issued a press release announcing that starting in 2010, they will expand the field of Best Picture nominees to ten films.
What are they thinking?
This decision will completely undermine the integrity of the process whereby the Academy rewards excellence in film. For sixty-six years, the Academy has recognized five Best Picture nominees. During this time, when a film is awarded one of the coveted five nomination slots, there is no doubt it has achieved a remarkable honor. People remember and cherish films that have been nominated for Best Picture. It is a tag that stays with the film forever. It is a symbol of excellence that shows that a film has distinguished itself from all others.
What the Academy has done today is to severely tarnish this idea. With a plentiful ten films up for Best Picture every year, no longer will people view all the nominated films with as much respect and reverence. The value of a Best Picture nomination will be severely diluted.
No doubt there are many excellent films distributed every year. And on the surface, it may appear that the Academy is doing something wonderful, by opening its doors to let more people in. But this is not what the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences should be about. The Academy is about rewarding exceptional art, not just good films, but the best of the best. Under the current system, quality films still receive plenty of recognition. Just because a film is not nominated for Best Picture does not mean it is not a very good film. People still embrace and love these films just the same.
And if the purpose of this decision is to stem controversy, then this decision fails as well. People will still be arguing over the eleventh film left out just as they argued about the sixth.
One can only speculate about the Academy’s true motives for this decision. We hope that the predominant reason is to recognize more films. But as we explain above, this rationale is seriously flawed. There are other possible motives that are more disturbing. By having more films up for Best Picture, ratings for the show may increase. Imagine if this rule had been in effect last year. Surely “The Dark Knight” would have made the cut, and as a result, more people would have watched the show. Certainly, with an expansion of the Best Picture field, more commercially popular films will be in the mix, prompting more interest.
Is it really worth it? Is it really worth messing with the integrity of the Best Picture selection process so that some people can make a little bit more money?
For sixty-six years, films have competed vigorously for the special honor of being one of the five best films of the year. Now the Academy wants to take that away. Fortunately, there are still 254 days for the Academy to realize their mistake and reverse this decision. We will be watching intently.
The viewers should choose the nominees and winners. Not the retarted Academy. It would be more accurate and a lot more people would be happy
Believe it or not but I think that this is a good thing. Increasing it to 10 instead of 5 gives other films a chance to be recognized as well. Last year alot of people were really pissed that neither The Dark Knight nor Wall-E were nominated(myself included). I mean you have no idea those two films truly deserved a nomination in my mind but didn’t( I don’t believe the reader deserved it however). Anyway expanding it can’t hurt it can only benefit as long as they don’t expand it anymore. I mean being in the 10 ten is still a very good spot. Plus people you have to remember that the Oscar isn’t everything. I mean come on they picked How Green was my valley over citizen kane, Annie Hall over Star Wars(although annie hall is very good too),American Beauty over the Sixth Sense(people may disagree with me on that but I think AB is overrated), and they never nominated Fight Club, The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Wall-E, and so on. So who cares if they change. Change is a good thing for the Oscars. The Oscars are way to old fashion they don’t like superhero movies, they don’t like sequels that much, they don’t like sci fi movies too much, they’re kind of political, and blah blah blah.
So guys don’t worry this is a good thing Change may be scary but in this case it’s a good change.
I think its a good decision…there are films which get several nominations, but fail to make it to the best picture slot. its good news for us as we would be able to watch more films.
The idea that the five nominated films that made the best picture slot were always of high quality is just crazy. Some examples of many “bad” movies that made the best picture list – Cleopatra (63), Dr. Dolittle (67), A Touch Of Class, Hello Dolly, Mutiny On The Bounty (62) – many others.. Having 5 more is not going to detract or add to the title of BEST PICTURE nominee
I saw Harry Potter at midnight, and it might fall just shy of major Oscar Consideration. I believe it to be the best installment of the series. I hope it will at least crack some tech awards.
Chris, Milk was a great film. At least twice as good as The Dark Knight. Maybe if you didn’t limit yourselves to mindless superhero movies you would understand.
please, don’t put shitty films for the noms!
amazing mainstream movies and amazing movies.
thats what is should be. \but how many mainstream movies are really that great? TDK was one of a kind! Star Trek too! but seriously?
completely disagree. sorry.
sorry i meant to say….****If you increase the size of the nomination pool, those films that were excellent films but didn’t promote any kind of social agenda won’t be pushed to wayside by one that has.
just curious….why does it matter if there are 10 movies up for the best picture? Again, who is choosing these films for best picture are the same people as before, so the best picture will still be the best picture. If you increase the size of nomination pool maybe that were excellent films but didn’t promote any kind of social agenda won’t be pushed to wayside by one that has. For example, Milk, one of last years contenders no doubt not an excellent film and definitely not a “true contender” for best picture, but it was only placed to the forfront by the political agenda of those in the academy. By expanding the pool of nominations a film like The Dark Knight, a much better flims by all accounts would then be allowed into the fold. Some people vote to give a nomination, so that they can give laurels to films that promote agendas that are aligned with the “Hollywood” belief system which deters from the art of film making. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but eyes are in humans and humans are flawed. This expansion will hopefullly allow us to see more deserving films show up on the best picture category.
Fuck the Oscars
[...] 10 films up for the Best Picture Oscar. My first reaction is negative, probably quite close to what Oscar Frenzy has written on the [...]
correction above: meant to say more and more BPs noms that people HAVEN’T seen.
You are 100% correct. This is a VERY dumb idea. I think the general public and Oscar voters have, through the years, made an effort to see all 5 best picture nominees. Who will bother when it’s ten? And as the years go by there will be more and more best picture nominees that people have seen in the collective consciousness. They are indeed devaluing Oscar. It’s a terrible idea.