Academy Awards adding a "Best Popular Film" category. Good or bad idea? Academy walks it back, won't be presented this year

[grim22]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/academy-plans-three-hour-oscars-telecast-adds-popular-film-category-1133138

 

Quote

The Academy's message to members is below: 

Dear Member,

Last night, the Board of Governors met to elect new board officers, and discuss and approve significant changes to the Oscars telecast.

The Board of Governors, staff, Academy members, and various working groups spent the last several months discussing improvements to the show.

Tonight, the Board approved three key changes:

1. A three-hour Oscars telecast

We are committed to producing an entertaining show in three hours, delivering a more accessible Oscars for our viewers worldwide.

To honor all 24 award categories, we will present select categories live, in the Dolby Theatre, during commercial breaks (categories to be determined). The winning moments will then be edited and aired later in the broadcast.

2. New award category

We will create a new category for outstanding achievement in popular film. Eligibility requirements and other key details will be forthcoming.

 

[Alli]

I think it's a good idea. The big blockbusters wouldn't have been nominated otherwise

[John Marston]

does that mean Kevin Feige is winning an  Oscar next year?

[grim22]

1 minute ago, Alli said:

I think it's a good idea. The big blockbusters wouldn't have been nominated otherwise

This is what will end up happening, we know because it happened with animated movies

 

 

[The Panda]

I think this is a bad idea overall.

 

Earlier date for the ceremony is fine.

 

However, it seems rude not to broadcast the other awards when the time solution is just to cut back on some of the filler nonsense that wasn’t entertaining anyways (maybe even have a few less commercial breaks).

 

I really don’t think I like adding a Popular Film category, as I think it’ll end up like Foreign and Animated film categories which discourage voting for the respective movies in BP.  I think it’s the animated film category that kept movies like Inside Out and Wall-E from getting BP nods.

[Alli]

is the popular movie category set for this year or will it eligible since 2020?

[The Panda]

Just now, Alli said:

is the popular movie category set for this year or will it eligible since 2020?

The article made it sound like this year.

[75Live]

yeah not crazy about any of the ideas they are thinking about including the best popular film concept.  If anything, they should be looking to make the show shorter and for the popular movie idea, yeah that is kind of a patronizing way to say "hey we don't think your film is worthy of us, but here's a statue anyway, thanks for trying"

 

[Alli]

Just now, Pandamia! said:

The article made it sound like this year.

that'd be great. it's obviously made to attract viewers since last year show was one of the worst rated.

[The Panda]

But seriously though, the solution to getting more commercial representation isn’t to make a blockbuster category.  The solution is to actually vote for top-tier blockbusters from that year (like Black Panther this year or Logan/TLJ/WW last year)

[grim22]

2 minutes ago, Pandamia! said:

I think this is a bad idea overall.

 

Earlier date for the ceremony is fine.

 

However, it seems rude not to broadcast the other awards when the time solution is just to cut back on some of the filler nonsense that wasn’t entertaining anyways (maybe even have a few less commercial breaks).

 

I really don’t think I like adding a Popular Film category, as I think it’ll end up like Foreign and Animated film categories which discourage voting for the respective movies in BP.  I think it’s the animated film category that kept movies like Inside Out and Wall-E from getting BP nods.

The best thing they had done was in 2009 and 2010 with the 10 movies getting the most votes being nominated. That was a great mix of movies, then they went ahead and added in the "5% of #1 votes" rule and killed everything.

[WrathOfHan]

This is a horrible idea when this year's slate has several blockbusters in contention for a nomination.

[Alli]

Just now, Pandamia! said:

But seriously though, the solution to getting more commercial representation isn’t to make a blockbuster category.  The solution is to actually vote for top-tier blockbusters from that year (like Black Panther this year or Logan/TLJ/WW last year)

that'd never happen. the members are a bunch of snobs

[FantasticBeasts]

I like them not broadcasting every award. Oscars have been boring and overlong for too long. The blockbuster award is also a fine idea to renew some interest although I dread the Oscars ending up like the Grammys where Beyonce's got double the awards of some legends.

[WrathOfHan]

The worst part of this is that every category won't be aired anymore. That's really fucking lame, especially for the nominees and winners in lesser categories.

[Brainbug]

If i would still care for the Oscars, i might have had something to say about this. But i dont.

[The Panda]

Just now, grim22 said:

The best thing they had done was in 2009 and 2010 with the 10 movies getting the most votes being nominated. That was a great mix of movies, then they went ahead and added in the "5% of #1 votes" rule and killed everything.

Yeah, those years produced a great mix.  We had a few high quality blockbusters, an animated movie, indie stuff and typical awards bait.  That sounds like the ideal mix to me if they’re looking for a commercial audience without going Peoples Choice Awards

[Hatebox]

Awful idea. Apart from the fact that most SH movies really, really don't deserve Best Picture noms no matter how much their fans love them, it lets the Academy off the hook from just having the guts to consider genuinely great blockbusters as worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with indies. Even allowing more than 5 noms was a capitulation, but this is just nuts.

[Alli]

Just now, Pandamia! said:

Yeah, those years produced a great mix.  We had a few high quality blockbusters, an animated movie, indie stuff and typical awards bait.  That sounds like the ideal mix to me if they’re looking for a commercial audience without going Peoples Choice Awards

you're overreacting. it's just one category

[a2k]

Won't the popular film already be rewarded with box office. No new cateogry needed for that. A film with big bo can win Best Picture if it's percieved as great by the Academy, but no need to honor on that can't win the award with 'Popular' tag. The bo already proves that. Maybe they think it will increase the viewership.