Topic Of The Day: Sticking to 5 to 10 Best Picture Noms: Blessing or Curse?

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Topic Of The Day. After some speculation as to whether the Oscars would go back to 5 Best Picture nominees, it was just announced that they were sticking with 5 to 10 nominees like they have the past few years. Here are my thoughts:

Now, I'll start off with the positives. The good news is that it could leave room for a true independent film that is on the outside looking in. While a lot of smaller scale films usually make up the Best Picture category, they are studio films that do the limited release strategy to create some buzz. They are what I call "semi-indies." They get released in a few theaters at first, then slowly work their way up. Anyways, the expended field could leave room for a Beasts of the Southern Wild or Whiplash-type indie to sneak in.

Now onto the negatives. By having a varied amount of nominees, it could mean that the popular films that voters seem so hesitant about nominating for Best Picture will be weeded out and the ratings problem will still continue since a lot of the public don't see these "semi-indies" that are campaigned for consideration. I do feel there should usually be at least one blockbuster, or at least a film that a huge portion of the public saw, in the Best Picture category so that the masses that have no interest in these Oscar bait movies that always come out can have something to be excited about. I mean, Guardians of the Galaxy was only nominated for Visual Effects and Makeup, yet it still made more money than all 8 of the Best Picture nominees. Go figure.

Because of this fluctuation, I think they should stick to 10. That way, we might actually see something for everyone. An actual indie, and not the "semi-indie" I just referred to, would have a fighting chance. That popular blockbuster which would get the masses excited and add some diversification to the lineup could be on the outside looking in. Usually, it is dramatic "men in crisis" films that have the best luck with the Academy rather than action, comedy, sci-fi, and even horror. Even if any film under the genres I just mentioned wouldn't have a shot at winning, it would still make the lineup less vanilla and less traditional. It would be one way to solve the diversity problem because while they do have a diversity issue regarding race and gender, they also have a diversity issue with genres that needs serious fixing.

So those are my thoughts on the Best Picture lineup staying as it is. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!