The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Wednesday announced that it will double the number of best-picture nominees from five to 10, starting with Oscar's 82nd edition. For more than 60 years, the Academy has been following the five-picture format. Increasing the number of best-picture nominees probably will make fans of certain films happy, and the move may even make room for comedies, action-oriented films and box-office smashes. The expansion to 10 films also may push the Academy away from a trend -- with exceptions, of course -- that has tended toward recognition of independent and smaller pictures that don't always have wide audience appeal. But if 2009 keeps moving in ts current direction, I wonder where the Academy will find 10 worthy films of any kind. The next round of Oscar nominees will be unveiled on Feb. 2 of 2010.
The best-picture winners of the last 10 years:
2008, "Slumdog Millionaire"
2007, "No Country For Old Men"
2006, "The Departed"
2005, "Crash"
2004, "Million Dollar Baby"
2003, "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
2002, "Chicago"
2001, "A Beautiful Mind"
2000, "Gladiator"
1999, "American Beauty"
It might be interesting to go back over the last few years and speculate which other films might have made up the 6-10 that would have been added to the five that the winner was chosen from. Hey, at least it will be different.
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