Oscars raise best picture nominees from five to 10

Posted by Mallory McKnight, @ 3:32pm June 25, 2009

The Academy Awards will expand the best picture category from five nominees to 10. This is something about this screams “obvious marketing ploy” to me. It’s also going to make the show longer, which is not a good thing. Although there are a few negative aspects to the announcement, I can’t help but feel any type of publicity that gets more good films seen can’t possibly be all bad — other than an extended run time in the telecast, I’m excited by the prospect, and for those avid Oscar watchers out there, this compounds the drama of the evening.

Winning shouldn’t be what the Oscars are about, but inevitably the story line always centers on the race to the finish. The combination of exposure, higher interest and increased drama make the decision to expand the category a great new spin on an old idea.

There are so many phenomenal films made every year that don’t find an audience equal to their quality. There just aren’t enough venues willing to screen films that don’t have an established audience from the get-go. After a landmark year in 2007, the death of the “adult” feature film is being predicted again. As heartbreaking as it is to see “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” open to such huge numbers while higher quality films don’t get released, it’s a symptom of the system. We, as consumers, get what we pay for. If droves of people show up to watch CGI robots blow up everything instead of going to see the latest Sam Mendes suburban drama, we’re going to get more robots than dramas. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, either. These films that open to huge numbers allow studios to produce talented people’s passion projects. There’s where you usually get your so-called Oscar contenders.

Not that the Oscars are the be-all and end-all of quality. More often than not, the best films of the year aren’t even nominated, let alone stand a chance of winning. The Academy Awards are a political beast if nothing else. With more choices in the final category than ever before, a more diverse field of contenders ultimately will benefit film audiences. With the Academy stamp of approval on more films, more informed audiences will seek these films. The Academy Awards ultimately are about exposing audiences to quality work.

It also will make the race itself more dramatic. Think of the possibilities — more options for films to support, more potential dark horses, more overall drama and catfights. By putting more candidates in play until later in the game, the Academy is opening the possibility of making the awards show a must-see event.

Needless to say, I’m excited by the prospect. It might just be posturing on the part of the Academy, but at least it’s entertaining posturing. There are too many good films out there to waste the national spotlight on five. How exciting would awards season have been in “Wall-E” or “The Dark Knight” were in the final five. It would have been a break from the monotony of the usual Oscar contenders subject matter. As good as “Slumdog Millionaire” is, wouldn’t it have been fun to see it go toe to toe with “The Dark Knight” on air instead of just in viewer’s hearts? There’s a very compelling argument that the Oscars don’t track with the rest of America in terms of taste. With 10 options, there’s room for nominees that reflect the audience.

Although if they ever start giving awards for the highest-grossing films, I’m leaving the country.

It should be an interesting race this year involving more films and more options. I’m excited to see a more diverse and inclusive final best feature category. Even if the new structure goes on to produce the same winners, it will be a more dramatic race. If we can avoid another year where the far more deserving film loses because of late in the game voter support, I’ll be happy. Just to avoid another “Crash” versus “Brokeback Mountain” fiasco will quell some of my outrage at the Academy. With more players, it changes the rules of the game. At the end of the day, however, it’s not about the winner. In the words of any good starlet, “it’s an honor just to be nominated.”

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