Also, uhhhh... I dunno about this. Doubling the amount of Best Picture nominees? Why? Why not just add 2 more to the list? Now it will be doubly insulting when the fantastic foreign film or animated film doesn't get a nomination. Or it might just lower the quality of every other good film when something mediocre gets on the list because they couldn't find 10 good films that year.

Groan.

this will water down the categories and the gluttony of nominations will cause people to lose interest or not focus on any of the nominations at all.

PIXAR = ANIMATED OSCAR BAIT

Its a much less respected argument than the "amount of critical praise a film receives is equal to quality" argument.

Pixar's films are consistently among the top rated films each year, like it or not. You can't debate that.

I'd also like to see the Academy spruce up the telecast. How about taking it out of the stodgy 1940's style and make it a little more hip, fun and spontaneous. I swear every year the sets are the same garish and tacky Art Deco Golden Age of Hollywood bullshit.

Finally, for some really out of the box thinking (which I'm not sure I even agree with myself), how about making box office and a fan vote a percentage of the voting, say like 20%. Kind of like how they do with All Star selections.

not a chance.

This is the best news I've heard in a while seriously. I was all depressed when I woke up this morning. And then when I read this I popped up so high off my chair that I almost hit the ceiling. :D YAY for movies!!!! *hugs everyone*

Much like how the New York Times created a separate best-seller list for young adults, so they wouldn't have to suffer the humiliation of consistently reporting "Harry Potter" as the #1 bestseller.

They could lead from nomination day through to the ceremony with ten and then halfway through the show they announce the top three.

Would be some great drama, taking the three highest voted movies to the final award of the night.

Two people died who worked on The Dark Knight: one was a big star who ODed on drugs after he was done working on the movie, the other was a stunt man who died while working on the picture planning a car scene. Which one do you think the Academy recognized?

But as I said...this has nothing to do with my personal opion. I'm pointing out what you already know-- an animation category exists. For people to suggest Pixar is too good for the animation category is fucking nauseating. They have a formula that works. Big fucking wow.

My only worry is they left it too late, the great stuntman of the past is now being replaced by CG synthespians for the big action shot.

think about what is best movie or best screenplay or actor? Who gives a shit?

yeah it's fun to see all the 'stars' in one place, and sometimes the opening sequence is interesting, and I used to love the Oscars until I realized it was just a bunch of people who work in Hollywood giving their friends awards for making films that match their political views, and giving them a platform for making asinine political statements (when there's a republican in office that is) that reflect how insular their worlds really are.

Sure Ledger was the obvious favorite last year for the Joker for best supporting actor. But Penn was also the obvious favorite for lead actor because he played a homosexual. He was great in the movie but him winning was about as predictable as it gets.... which makes you wonder if he REALLY was the best actor, or if all the gay people in the academy wanted to celebrate another gay movie. Which weakens the whole significance of the award, and in a way undermines Penn's performance by patronizing it.

Made me think of the "don't go full retard" sequence in Tropic Thunder.

Any crew that wins a Best Animated Oscar is not going to feel like they got the booby prize. There's massive kudos for it. No need to change anything.

The sad thing is so many actors get along great with there stunt double, but then back stab him when it comes to him getting recognized.

And there are many people who were not happy with the Best Animated Feature category (when it was announced) for specifically the reasons we are arguing about- that it might deny the chance for an animated film to ever win Best Picture even though it might be more critically acclaimed than all the pictures nominated. This isn't a suddenly new thing.

So this year. Watchmen and UP will get nominated in the place of The Dark Knight and Wall-E. I'm willing to bet that many members of the Academy who have now gone through all of last years movies now realize that The Dark Knight and Wall-E were the best two movies last year and that they were jackasses for not even nominating them. They probably saw some others they liked better than their 5 nominees since the ceremony too. So how to fix it? They reward movies like them in the future. Maybe Twilight will get nominated in the place of Let the Right One In. Makes no sense to normal people but if you look back you can see they've been doing that for years.

They're always playing catch up. This new rule might actually get them to watch more movies or at least let more movies that deserve to be recognized in, whether they win or not.

Screenwriters, DPs, Editor, Sound Editor, Art Directors, etc. might not be big names, but I usually find that they are more often responsible for how much I like a film than the actors. Anything Paul Schrader wrote in the 70s - I am there. I think Dede Allen was a bigger reason I liked Bonnie and Clyde and Little Big Man than anything else; Walter Murch's sound editing on The Conversation and Apocalypse Now is essential to those films success; and don't get me started on Dick Sylbert's art designs, Roger Deakin's camera work or Edith Head's costume designs.

I don't give a shit if people in the middle of America give a shit about Best Editor or Cinematography and the Network thinks it is ratings poison, the Academy should honor those who made a contribution to the film. If regular people don't like it - tough shit. Learn more about the film businesss. Fucking Offensive Linemen aren't nearly as glamorous as Running Backs or QBs, but they still get a damn Super Bowl ring and a trip to the Pro Bowl like everyone else.

But....there's been what-- 4 foreign films nominated for Best Pic in the past 80 years? Give it 80 more and we'll see if Pixar gets there.

Fuck. I pray you're in some post anal sex euphoric haze right now.

One thing I would never do is slam someone for typos. Thats just weak.

'I owe it all to these puppies here...god they're lovely..'

Like DGDB said they already have their own category.

It would be nice if this means smaller films will have a better chance of being recognized but I'm a cynical bastard. All I see is the opportunity for more lobbying of the Academy members by the big studios for their big-budget box-office successes.

Besides, it seems every year there are one or two movies in the BP category that don't have much chance of winning. Now they are giving nominations to an additional 5 films that will have even less chance.

Trick question: It probably is, since there have been so few quality films.

The idea that Up! or Ratatouille or Wall-E are great films is debatable.

They're very well made, satisfying adventure stories for children.

I can't believe DICKBLOOD even has to argue this point with you people.

Then again, the Academy doesn't honor great pictures. It honors whatever it honors.

So, go ahead - nominate Dawson's Trek to fill that last spot. Nominate Avatar twice, for all I give a shit.

But you all realize that makes Jackman's homocentric dance number twice as long, right?

You can't argue science.

HUGH JACKMAN...GAY DANCING...TWICE AS LONG

Damn science!

And I concur on stunt people deserving award recognition. I mean, running away from computer generated explosions? Even Shia can do that. But, actual stunt work? That stuff deserves a category.

I draw the line at body doubling, though. Fuck those ponces.

As for should they (and Animated an Foreign Film) being eligible for Best Film, I have no problem with that. The reason have their own categories to begin with is so they can be recognized for the unique qualities they possess as an art form - you can't say that a documentary doesn't have unique features from most fiction films, same with animated films. Plus, like foreign films, they all are usually ignored and passed over by the Academy when it comes to best picture nominations. The reason probably being that the Academy is made up of mostly Americans and actors: American people aren't very likely to not favor an non-American film, or at least an English language film, and actors are not going to give a nomination to a film that either has none-actors (documentaries) or only uses actors' voices (animated).

And I have no problem with them being eligible for best picture and still have their own categories. Not all films are documentaries, animated or in a foreign language, but all documentaries, animated films and foreign films are still films. The best player in baseball isn't necessarily a pitcher, but the best pitcher can be the best player, hence why we have MVP and Cy Young awards. Honoring them in one category shouldn't exclude them from another.

If you disagree with any of those, feel free to substitute Dark Knight. See? And I didn't even have to use Benjamin Button.

That's my point.

Sorry for the offense, though. DICKBLOOD says you have an admirable libido, and DICKBLOOD always brings the truth.

Saw EQUILIBRIUM the other day.

As bad as the one where The Bale fights dragons. Only slightly worse than the one where The Bale gives "Iggy Pop" a blow job.

I am so douchely uncool.

PURE HUMAN DRAMA.

The cinema of life.

There is no other truth.

http://tinyurl.com/newcky

Besides, I don't "have to" anything, any more than you "have to" spell "knew" correctly.

Ecstasy's the birthright of our gang

We'll take the whole shebang

Free your heart of guilt and shame

Come and claim what's yours

The whole shebang"

A lot more reliable than boxofficemojo.

I now know more than I ever did before about Perez Hilton and will.i.am.

Yet I am still douchely uncool.

http://tinyurl.com/lfmwrh

Fool me twice, um, you should'nt oughta fool me. Hehe.

Arbitrary numbers, arbitrary gender distinctions, arbitrary arbitrariness.

And, what does this do to that whole "My picture's a Best Picture nominee, but I, as Director, can't get no love?" bullshit argument you hear every year?

That's double dipping. It's like some positive discrimination move where the poor little Docu / Animated / Foreign Language 'minority' film gets over represented by having two categories to take home gold.

Similar debate with that Paralympic athlete with 'magic legs' who took home the 100m gold and now wants to enter the regular olympics so he can take that 100m gold too. Greedy legless bastard.

If there's a good year, by all means nominate 10, or 20 if they deserve the honor. If it's a typical year, then 5 nominees is usually 2 too many.

Guaranfuckingteed to be up for a Razzie or two, or half dozen, though.

The 'worth' of the 'category' shouldn't be an issue. Like a gold medal at the olympics. It's still the pinnacle of achievement.

If you were the creator of MAN ON WIRE wouldn't you be proud to win the Best Documentary - not bitter that you weren't eligible to 'also' enter another category and potentially win that too? (while also depriving the 'regular' movies a chance to take home a trophy).

...to touch my penis.

It's best Picture, and the Best Picture could be a doc, a cartoon, something with sub-titles or "regular." If it's the "pinnacle" of that year, why would you want categorize it?

Oh, it's that pinnacle, but not this pinnacle.

My pinnacle, btw, is eight inches, flaccid.

I thought it was just plain old Best.

Of course, as Prossor points out, it isn't that either.

Yes! That's exactly what it should stand for, perhaps it needs to be a bit catchier though. Best Dramatic Picture maybe?

Obviously Best Docu is never going to be eligible for Acting categories but all others - why not? I'm not suggesting that they shouldn't be able to recieve noms for Editing, Directing, Sound etc. The editing in Docu's is often (to my eyes at least) superior to regular feature films.

Plus, the other nominees that here for Best Picture included Citizen Kane, The Little Foxes, Sgt. York, Suspicion and The Maltese Falcon. So I can understand the Academy, facing so many great movies that year, making the wrong decision in hindsight.

The English Patient over Fargo, however, is still a fucking travesty.

Oh my sides.

This is cool though, hopefully The Hurt Locker will ensure a nomination.

Reading two dozen names out like a fucking grocery list is not good viewing.

'I want to thank every one who worked on this movie with me'... There, everyone's been thanked, no one left out. How fucking hard to say is that.

To me the Best Documentary Award goes to the film that shows the best qualities of a documentary - not necessarily the best qualities of a film. Same thing with Animation, you are honoring the art of animation not necessarily the best film that is also animated.

Of course, being the lazy people they are, they usually associate one thing for the other. Just like how whenever a picture whens best picture it also seems to rack up the majority of awards it was nominated in (maybe it was best picture not because it had the best editing, cinematography, art direction, etc, but because it had the second or third best in those categories and it added up in the end as making it the best. To much thinking for that one? Ok, we'll just give it all the awards).

They're not for The Fans.

They're for the film-makers. It's a fricking ceremony for them to congratulate themselves on their work.

The more people say the Oscars need to be more viewer-friendly, the more pointless they will become.

The fuckers who win need all the time they can have to thank everyone they want to. That's the whole point of winning an award.

Otherwise, awards are just bookends.

Now, if you don't get your daily dose of entertainment buzz from the Oscars telecast, that's cool. I'd say you really aren't supposed to.

You're not a film-maker.

Go watch them on E! or something.

Yeah, this is to Jenny, my ex-girlfriend who cheated on me and then left me for a guitarist in a "rock band" and told me when she left that I would amount to nothing. Well guess what bitch, I've got an oscar and tonight I am going to be doing lines off of Anne Hathaway's ass while Natalie Portman blows me in the back of a limo, while you will be at home watching your "rockstar" boyfriend play guitar hero and drink beer with his buddies. I wouldn't be here without you!"

My simple point remains that if a documentary won Best Picture we would be denied the knowledge of what the best 'regular' movie that year was.

This seems a little unfair to me.

Sure, they're a showpiece. For designer gowns! C'mon, man - in this day and time when entertainment is treated daily as news and everything about every picture has been said before it is even released, "Oscars as Showcase" is the silliest pronouncement one can make.

Millions tune in. Yep. And if millions don't like it, millions can tune out.

You cannot make an awards ceremony into compelling television by taking out the acceptance speeches.

Take out the montages and the jazz hands, because that's the truly stupid shit. Announce the nominees, show many extended clips, let the winners speechify, and then go the fuck away.

Fuck those guys, too.

Ratings mean shit to me.

I'm really, really not that concerned about the Oscars one way or another. It's moot. Very few films that I consider to be the greatest ever got a Best Picture Award.

I just hate the zippy modern pacing of everything. I think it's all a lot of sound and fury signifying squat.

I miss streakers and political ramblings.

That stuff was the shit!

They are a showcase, not just for the industry but for the nominees. I don't think they'll ever go back to being held behind closed doors.

Damn! Moot's a cool word. I'm gonna use that more...

Laters potatoes everybody.

BLAFTITTIES

Best Live Action Film That Is Totally Terrific In Effects and Speech

I said, we'd have to work on it.

Seriously...the last few years have been filled with BAD films and actors that were nominated for purely POLITICAL or SOCIAL reasons. The best films and actors are often forgotten or neglected.

Plus I will put Searchers against anything, and I mean anything, that Leone did. We may all love Leone's anti-heroes, but none of his films deals with anywhere near the depth of characters or has as complex themes as the Searchers did. I'm not saying the Searchers is better, but it is just as damn good as anything Leone did, just not as "cool".

As for criticizing the Academy Award that year, how often do we really make the right choice, especially when dealing with something as groundbreaking as film? 1941 was a incredible banner year for film, and had many hard choices, so I don't blame them for doing what many people do when they face a hard choice, they went with a known commodity. John Ford was a proven great director and had already made a great film, Citizen Kane was either a new masterpiece or just all flash and be revealed as the Emperor's New Clothes. That is why I always think that maybe they should wait two-or-three years before selecting the Academy Award, it lets you have time to process whether the film is really good or not. Of course, that will never happen.

But fuck the makeup category.

Also, they should leave the 3 nominees for Animated Feature the way it is, unless we somehow start getting really good Animated Features. Hint, Ice Age 3 doesn't look good.

now where are the whores?"

Keep an eye in the audience for Miley breaking down when she doesn't win...

Well, that happens now also, but is more on lines of 'will the Academy fuck it upagain?' And from looks of it, they're fucking it up well in advance.

Period.

THE DARK KNIGHT would'nt have been nominated even if there'd been ten slots. Why? There were, at least, eleven better films last year, for one. For two, the ending sucked. Ten minutes of unadulterated gibberish.

As for Gay people, some have been nominated - Milk, Philadelphia, Dog Day Afternoon, Brokeback Mountain - but none have won Best Picture, unless you want to read Midnight Cowboy as a gay movie (even though the gay director Schlesinger insisted it wasn't). So making a movie dealing with gays and jews isn't really a goldmine for winning Best Picture.

I would hate to call you a bigoted, anti-semitic homophobe, but I don't know how else to describe you.

"Jewy and gay?' What an asshole.

Sometimes a man has to speak out when no one else will.

Lol, dude you win the Oscar for best one-liner.

No, that's why it doesn't make sense. Why, with most movies sucking (as you say), is it a better idea to reward mediocrity with a Best Picture nomination?

Others above have said the number should not be fixed but rather should reflect the quality of films that year. The decision to have 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 or whatever number Best Picture nominees, should come during the short-listing phase. I don't know how they get from 300 or so films a year down to 5, whether it is by vote, by committee, by studio bribery, or some other method. However, if the Academy finds there are 9 or 10 films that are all on a relatively equal level then have 10 nominees that year. If, on the other hand, some year they find there are only 4 or 5 films that truly stand head and shoulders above all other, then nominate only 5, or even 4.

Movies should not be nominated simply to fill a slot that was created as part of an arbitrary number. A Best Picture nomination should be an honor that carries some distinction and not something that is simply given as a place-holder.

I've never watched the Oscars for more than 30 minutes. For me it is like watching an Employee of the year banquet of a company I do not work for, and in which I do not know a single person. Although, I can see watching it if you are somehow attached to the properties nominated.

No...I was just curious as to why people watch them, what is the attraction?

I have never been able to admit, in public, that I, too, prefer that silly Shakespeare thing to Spielberg's over-wrought Private Ryan.

He announces the nominees...and then the winner for a given catagory. Winner comes out, does his thank yous and sits down.

THe Academy guy talks for about 5 minutes as to why this film was chosen over the others, with pertinant scenes shown, and then they talk to the person/people just awarded to get their insight on the film and its making. ENd of segment..next award.

It would be half the length...and much more entertaining to film fans in my opinion.

they can keep acting cats the same for all icare--its hard to get even 5

The question will continue to be which "gay rights," "anti-conservative," "anti-Christian" or "global warming" film will win this year?

They are merely collecting money, garnishing some free advertising, allowing the winners to share their political views during speeches...while patting themselves on the back for what they think is a "job well done."

You and I view the Academy Awards as merely the opinion of the particularly elite industry members who comprise the voters. I usually disagree with their opinions anyway. However, the studios still market them as if they truly matter.

It is the biggest show in Hollywood for a reason -- because it is given by the studio big wigs (as a chance to advertise and make money at the same time). Instead of an "inward facing circle jerk award show," it is a career builder (or career destroyer, in certain cases). It is the time of year that most big name clebrities (and those who want to be big name celebrities) gather to bow before the industry and kiss the bowels of the studios.

Their opinion is strictly their own...but they package it in a way that makes it seem like a consensus of the public, critics, etc... It is hilarious that they make soooooooo much money advertising their films to us while giving themselves awards! In the end, they are still the same "preachy" films that the big wigs choose to win. The only time they feel otherwise is when they fear a public backlash from their choices.

I think that this new 10 film selection format is a result of the public's anger about THE DARK KNIGHT getting snubbed last year in favor of Slumdog, Milk and Benjamin Button. Some of those were good films -- but FAR from the best.

No action, explosions, computer-generated anything.

No high concept hook as universal as "boy + car."

No possibility of a fast-food tie-in.

It was hardly "art-house," but it might as well have been.

But, remeber, you're talking to posters on AICN. This is not a film-centric, or, even, very well-informed, group.

Raise your hands. Who has seen a Herzog film?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Discussing the Oscars with these people is like discussing rock n roll with MTV fans.

No one, but an idiot, is angry - or ever was - about TDK and its hurt "feewings."

THIS is about the money that is generated, both at box office and through DVD sales, of Oscar-nominated films.

Up! is, maybe, the least worthy Pixar flick since Cars. CORALINE was a better, more original, film, but I'm not advocating it as any kind of great, either.

The Hangover isn't half as funny as it claims to be. Plus, simply for graphic images of Zack Galfiawhattaknockis getting a blow job should be erased from existense.

Dawson's Trek. Yawn.

Taken? Sorry, I don't even know what that is.

My guess would be that THE ROAD, PRECIOUS, SHUTTER ISLAND, THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD, and a bunch of other movies I don't even know of yet will be the contenders this year.

But you're right. For the Academy, this is about MONEY and PRESTIGE. The Academy would LOVE for their hand-picked films to make more money. However, this is also a question of LEGITIMACY. The Academy has lost its importance because John Q. Public is starting to see the Oscars for what they are: Rich studios are merely increasing profits through free advertising, allowing the winners to share their political or social views during speeches...while congratulating themselves for what they think is a "job well done."

After last year's abyssmal selection of "Best Picture" contenders I think we're overdue.

P.S. ccchhhrrr etc: If you are angry about TDK not getting a nomination for Best Picture, then, yes, you are an idiot. Look it up. Webster's. Under "i." [ID-ee-uht] Picture of you.

Seriously, find something more legitimate to be angry about. There's plenty.

But there's nothing like falling asleep to Murnau's film and waking up to the stairwell scene...

But I expect more of one who is acquainted with Herzog.

Was FITZCARRALDO nominated for BP?

Case closed, either way.

Speaking of subtitles, and I'm not sure if you're a fan of the movie or not, but I just saw that the Blu-Ray of Iron Monkey is coming soon. I just wonder if we'll have the option of seeing the film with the original language intact. Then I will have to put the subtitles on, but most likely enjoy the film much more.

Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director.

"Have mercy upon them, for they know not what they do" quoth Bale as he pissed on the corpse of Sean Penn.

Me? I could care less about the opinions of the 5000+ plus voters of the Academy. I just don't like the fact that they act and market these awards as if their opinion is the only one that TRULY matters.

VAMPYR is stunning.

You should also queue up Bergman's HOUR OF THE WOLF.

THAT'S the kind of horror that gives me the heebie-jeebies.

I have not seen IRON MONKEY.

Finally, tho, I realized how shallow and bogus the Oscars really are and stopped caring. Remember the year that Halle Berry AND Denzel Washington won Oscars. AND fucking Sydney Poiter got the lifetime achievement award? Now look, I'm not racist in the least, I swear, but that's SO fucking obvious and obviously a setup. They're staged, people. Staged to sell fucking tickets and DVDs. Staged as fodder for gossip rags (and shows). Staged so ridiculously rich celebrities can stand in a circle jerk that's watched by millions of people.

And Forrest fucking Gump? Don't even get me started.

THE BALES OF MADISON COUNTY;

She sat at the end of the bed, the sheet barely clinging to her naked body. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him to stay.

“Why?” she finally asked, her voice filled with hurt and pain.

DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD didn’t reply. He stood at the open window, looking out at the lights of Paris at night. He took another long drag from his cigarette before finally turning to face her.

“You wouldn’t understand, baby. I don’t know if I understand it myself. But we just wouldn’t work out.” “Why?” she repeated, tears building up in her eyes. “I love you. Don’t you love-“

DICKBLOOD cut her off in mid-sentence. “Don’t ask questions to things you don’t really want to know the answer to.”

“Why don’t you love me? Aren’t I beautiful?” DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD sighed, sat down on the bed next to her. “Let me put it in words you can understand, baby. My lights were trashed. Ok? I walked into someone’s eyeline and they just trashed my lights. And nothing is going to put them up again.”

She studied him for a moment, than said, “This is because of Bale, isn’t it.” “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING??” BGDB screamed. “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THEENK YOU ARE DOING? WHAT IS IT WITH YOU? DO YOU KNOW HOW DISTRACTING YOU ARE?”

She started to cry then, tears flowing down her cheeks. DGBD shook his head, and then pulled her towards him.

“I’m sorry baby. You’re right. Bale is involved. But I am not doing this because of him.”

“Then why?” she asked through her tears.

“Because you are an amateur, and I am a PROFESSIONAL. You’re just ah-da-da-dah, like this in the background. You're a nice guy. You're a nice guy, but that don't fuckin’ cut it when you're fuckin’ around like this on set.”

His words into her like knives and she lowered her head. He could hear sobbing escape her. “I’m sorry, but I am done with you professionally.” She looked up and him, her eyes wet and her lips moist with desire. “Please, just kiss me one last time, “ she begged him, as she dropped the sheet to reveal her beautiful body. “Just kiss me like before.” DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD leaned over, closed his eyes kissed her. She felt her head growing light with ecstasy.

Little did she know that he was thinking of Bale the entire time.

I think they just play on their position as the "original" awards show. I dunno.

I don't think you can blame them when you think you're favorite movie is "snubbed." There's no such thing as "has to be nominated." There's no engraved criteria.

On the mouth?

But thinking of THE BALE the entire time? Even while she's licking the backs of your teeth?

DGDB, I have lost respect.

"Continentalop's got like some gay fantasies about DGDB and Bale? FUUUUCK!"

Everybody experiments in college.

Local broadcaster KABC has said the 50-year-old singer was taken by ambulance to the UCLA Medical Center.

The Los Angeles Times has reported he was not breathing when paramedics arrived at his home.

The paramedics performed CPR and took him to the medical centre, the newspaper says. No further details were available.

The Hulk killed Michael Jackson! I told Ferrigno not to force that freak to curl with 5 lb 'bells!

Can you imagine?

Public mourning goes meta as millions weep over an alleged pedophile.

Had to type it before DGDB did.

Brilliant joke courtesy stuntcock from the Farrah Fawcett thread.

For the sake of argument, assume that there are something like 5800 voting members. So, as is, the winner could be decided by 581 votes. A vert tight coterie of voters could decide the victor.

I read in Variety that the Best Song nominations will be based on accumulated vote totals. So although there can be a maximum of five nominees, each of those nominees must have received at least one first place rating on the ballot. Maybe they will do something similar for the Best Picture category where there is a minimum of three and a maximum of ten, or what have you.

So it is an industry show and, really, the chips should be allowed to fall where they may and the victors should thank whomever they think is deserving of thanks. But the specter of a radically split vote deciding THEIR winner must hang over their heads.