Can I cast an anti-vote for Black Panther? It was okay for comic book movie (and even then it’s like the 6th best Marvel movie), which probably makes it like the 114th best movie of the year.
How is it nominated for an Oscar? Is there a “let’s insert a really popular movie that’s okayish because we have 10 slots to fill now” rule? Is that to increase the popularity of the Oscars?
That’s actually the only one on the list I’ve seen. Moviepass died before the Oscar season movies came out, and it’s really hard to go back to paying $12 for a movie. I should really see Roma, though, since I love Alfonso Cuaron.
Consider that the Academy was planning, at one point during 2018, to split Best Picture in two, with one being awarded for the “Best Popular Picture”. They’ve since dropped the plan, and in any case it wouldn’t have started until next year’s awards but still. They recognize that the awards show isn’t getting the big audience of previous years and decades.
I understand why it was largely nominated. My initial thought after having seen it (second weekend) was that it wasn’t as good as Thor Ragnarok. I’m not mad at it though, I feel the technical aspects get short shrift with respect to best picture and Black Panthers sound, production design, and costumes were all terrific and that should count more than it does. I largely agree with you though. I thought Script and Acting were average.
I was actively angry that Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody we’re nominated. Different reasons why…How they were nominated over First Man is baffling to me.
The only good thing to be said about its win is that at least *Bohemian Rhapsody *didn’t win.
IMHO, there were three tiers of nominees this year:
[ol]
[li]Films that didn’t have anything to recommend them other than popularity (WTF): Bohemian Rhapsody[/li]
[li]Films that are competently made, but don’t take chances (Oscar Bait): Green Book, Vice, A Star is Born[/li]
[li]Films that try to say or do something new and singular (Oscar Worthy): Black Panther, Black KKKlansman, The Favourite, Roma[/li][/ol]
Only selection of a film from the last category would have allowed me to say they selected a worthy winner (not necessarily the best, but a best)