If you subscribe to that theory, the Oscars will be inordinately reliant on movies that have primarily reached audiences through streaming, with two Netflix titles, “Don’t Look Up” and “The Power of the Dog,” among the 10 nominees, joined by Apple’s “Coda,” and “King Richard” and “Dune,” which premiered simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. (The last two are from Warner Bros., like CNN, part of WarnerMedia.)
As for the aforementioned movies that “saved the theatrical business,” “Spider-Man” — currently the fourth biggest domestic box-office release of all time — received a lone nomination for visual effects, while Daniel Craig’s final appearance as 007 was recognized for best song, sound and visual effects.
Granted, the belief that popular movies are key to boosting Oscar ratings doesn’t always hold true, although the most-watched telecast ever remains the year that “Titanic” sailed away with best picture. Yet it seems undeniable that hit films broadly help, giving potential viewers more of a rooting interest in who and what wins.
Smaller movies, however, have generally prevailed. And part of the challenge that the Oscars and the movie business face has stemmed from the consumer pivot to streaming, a trend that was already growing before being dramatically hastened by the global pandemic.
In addition, the Danish animated documentary “Flee” registered an impressive showing, notching nominations in the animated, documentary and international film categories.
The Academy’s ongoing efforts to be more representative in terms of diversity and inconclusion continue to yield mixed results, with some notable oversights (see Ruth Negga for Netflix’s “Passing”) but major acting nominations for Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”), Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”), and Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”).
Inevitably, the omissions will receive as much attention as the nominees, but by now it should be clear that the Oscars can never please everybody, especially with 10 best-picture nominees and only five slots for directors.
Whether that somewhat disjointed roster adds up to a menu that will lure back more viewers remains to be seen. But if the Academy does see ratings rebound, the hero will be streaming, not Spider-Man.
