Beginning this year, the Academy Awards will nominate 10 films in the category of best picture. Count me as being in favor of this move.
Most people are used to hearing movie critics and critics' groups release top 10 lists at the end of the year. There were about 200 American films released in theaters last year. Who releases a top five list? Only the Oscars.
Looking back at my own 2008 top 10 makes me reflect on what could have been. My No. 1 choice was "The Dark Knight," which would certainly have been nominated had the nominees been extended to 10 last year.
My No. 2 choice was Woody Allen's brilliant "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," a comedy gem from a genre that has been habitually overlooked at Oscar time.
The superb "Wall-E" (my No. 7) won the animated Oscar, but it should have also been in the best picture category. It would have been if 10 slots had been available.
Wouldn't more people have enjoyed -- and perhaps tuned in -- for the awards show if "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E" were among the best picture nominees? I think the answer is obvious. Not only were these two movies a hit with audiences, they were legitimate best picture material.
I don't think that 10 spots dilutes the honor of being nominated, but then I've always been a historian of the Oscars. In the early days, there were 10 best picture nominees for more than a decade; in 1934 and 1935, there were a dozen films nominated.
Anyone having special reverence for five nominees for best picture, name last year's nods. Quick. Three came to mind immediately for myself: "Slumdog Millionaire," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Reader." Sorry, "Milk" and "Frost/Nixon."
The last year in which there were 10 best picture nominees was 1943. The winner was "Casablanca," and who would argue with that. Remember: There can still be only one winner.
I'm looking forward to seeing Oscar's top ten list when it's released on Feb. 2.
