Upping the Ante... Oscars.

[Emperor]

Well I think this is great because this just means more movies I have to see.  On the other hand I can't remember too many movies in the past years that needed to be nominated or had a real chance at winning.

 

In a surprisingly effective move to increase anticipation and competition, AMPAS has announced that the Best Picture category at next year's Oscars will be expanded from five to TEN nominees.

 

From 1932 to 1943, the category spanned ten films but switched to five in 1944. The change will "allow academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize" said academy President Sid Ganis according to The Envelope

 

The move reflects many other Critics Awards which nominate a 'Top Ten' list of film titles as well as a 'Best Picture' winner. The nominations will be announced February 2nd.

 

 

[Zashara]

Neat. ^^

[Justen Diablos]

Hooray!  Even more movies that I'll have never heard of.  I mean are there that many grainy black and white two hour home video's being shot by a kid from Nicaragua that the Acadamy feels aren't getting the credit they deserve by at least being nominated? 

 

Or instead is it more a case of their ratings sucking giant balls (the last two years have been the lowest rated Oscars EVAH)?  Because even pandering to those whom (in their vast pretentious snobbery) they feel are less than them in the grand scope of movie viewing by having people like Hugh Jackman (Who really caught the acadamy's eye in his stark, yet gripping performance as Wolvarine) host the event just isn't doing it for them when they give out every award to virtual nobody's who made movies that virtually nobody watched.  So now in their desperation to become relevant again to the vast majority of the movie going public they'll add an extra five movies.  Giving them the ability to throw out the occasionall caveat to those of us idiots who actually liked the movie The Dark Knight, and participated in it (by watching it in theatre's) outgrossing all five of the movies that were nominated for best picture in 2008... combined.

 

Not that the big budget film with mass audience appeal will ever win the Award.  Nor will mainstream actors like Ryan Reynolds (who has me more engaged in every one of his movies than Sean Penn ever has).  Though maybe we'll see a nomination or two, just so someone like me can say "Hey, I know that guy.  I hope he wins".

 

That hypothetical "He" never will though, because the Acadamy is comprised entirely of Fucks.

 

JD,

'Chan  ;)

[Majsju]

With JD logic, mcdonalds would have a star in Guide Michelin...

[Justen Diablos]

So I googled that, because I'm an uncultured American. 

 

Firstly, the fact that the Michelin man is world famous is Awesome!

 

So after amusing myself with the amazingness that is the doughy Michelin man I looked up some of these Star resteraunts in the town of Leeds.  Because one never knows when a world traveler like myself could win a coach seat on a transatlantic flight to lovely Britain playing the Price is Right.  And there are some really nice restaraunts in there.  Like the Box Tree,

 

  37 Church St GB - Ilkley LS29 9DR

http://www.theboxtree.co.uk

Distance : 23 km

 

Characterful 18C sandstone cottage, adorned with antiques, paintings and ornaments. Clearly defined, flavourful modern cooking served in generous port..

View previous comments -  Note : 

Cooking modern / contemporary /  28£/30£ - Menu: 51£/58£

 

Now I had no idea what those little squiggly things after the numbers were, but I guess they're Pounds, which is the cute little word those English have for their money.  Anyway a Silver Pound is worth roughly 1.61 to our dollar.  Meaning to eat at the Box Tree would run an Deep Texas Redneck tourist like myself Around 45 dollars, though of course the Menu would be more in the line of 78 dollars. 

 

Not cheap, but for a generous port I'm willing to pay that little bit extra.

 

The cheapest of the Star restaraunts in Leeds was around 24 pounds, or almost 40 dollars.  And that was for a meal, and not dinner menu, so I'm thinking like a light lunch.

 

A McDonalds Big Mac Meal costs about 5 dollars, though maybe it's way pricier in the Ilses of Brittania I'm not entirely certain. 

 

My point is, if tickets to see the Dark Knight were 5 dollars and tickets to see Slumdog Millionaire were around 50 dollars you're comparison would be valid.  Since of course that would imply all things being equal price wise people would come out in droves to watch the delectable Slumdog and spurn the cheap slop that was The Dark Knight.  Just as I imagine would happen if fine cuisine like the Box Tree was available at prices everyone could afford, it would be serving a Billion customers instead of McDonalds.

 

But all movies cost the same, and people liked the Dark Knight, and thought it was good.  People liked Slumdog Millionaire too, it was just about 700,000 less people.

 

And for the record I wasn't saying greater audiences meant better art.  I was saying the Acadamy has grown snobbish and out of touch.  There are good actors that they overlook, and quality movies that they shun because they're too good to be caught dead in a place like McDonalds...

 

That's for poor people and single mothers.

 

JD,

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[Emperor]

Actually I feel the academy gets best movies nods right most of the time.  Would I have been disappointed if Dark Knight had been nominated over The Reader last year?  No. 

 

Opening up the nominees to 10 movies will either mean more art house movies make it in or that some of the bigger movies that people have heard of make it in.  Either way I doubt it changes the outcome.  Even with 10 nominees the winner that should have won will win. 

 

 

I also make a habit of watching most of the best actor and actress nominee films.  I think for the most part they are picking the people that do act the best for that year.  Call it snobbish if you want, but their job is to find the finest acting roles, not the most popular.

[Justen Diablos]

Actually I feel the academy gets best movies nods right most of the time.

 

 

Well you like crappy movies.  :P But I still love you.  In a manly Tombstone Doc Holliday/Wyatt Earp kind of way, and not so much in a Brokeback Mountain (have no idea what those characters were named) kind of way.

 

JD,

A fan of entertainment over art.