Academy announces 10 Nominees for Best Picture at next years show! Egads!

Monkey has just heard Sid Garis, the president of The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, on the radio discussing the rather juicy gossip that next years Academy Awards show will feature 10 nominations for best picture! Monkey posits that this will indeed be a nice money maker for the Academy and all those involved in the hysterias circling it. Such a convenient time too, Monkey thinks, since our economy has taken a flush, and Hollywood needs to be saved from depression. (Ahem). Oh yes and speaking of a “depression”, Garis tells us that this is not the first time The Academy has had so many nominees in his category. Apparently in the 1930’s there were upwards of twelve nominees per given year for the Best Picture category. (Monkey didn’t know that there were that many pictures actually made per year way back then!) Anywho, it seems apparent to Monkey that this decision has much more to do with economics than it does allowing more diverse movies to compete for Best Picture. Best picture is supposed to be best picture. Monkey doesn’t understand how broadening the field is supposed to give other movies a chance. If you’re best, you’re supposed to be the besst compared to ALL other pictures and ALL other pictures are supposed to have an equal shot at the title anyway. Oh, yes Monkey forgot. Only an equal chance if they have the money backing them. That’s right. Monkey has been privy to seeing those gigantic ads in “Variety” and other such Hollywood trade magazines. I’m sure those art house movies will be able to compete with Monkey’s favorite to thrash movie, Transformers, in that arena. Anyhow, Monkey does need a coffee break. Cheerio.

Read The Academy’s Press Release concerning 10 nominees.