Everyone join them in a rousing chorus of "One Day More ♫"I think this must be a first. In the response to technical difficulties and voting problems with their new online balloting system, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended Oscar nomination balloting by a single day. Ballots are now due by Friday January 4th, by paper or online, instead of January 3rd. (The nominees will still be announced on January 10th). I'm not sure how much 24 hours will help but given all the long-ass movies on offer, but it can't actually hurt. (I've taken their cue and also given myself a couple more days on my top 20ish list so that starts on Thursday.)
So herewith my plea to voters:
Have a Great 2013 Academy Members!
It's Nathaniel at the Film Experience. One of the ways you can make the new year happy is by really thinking over your ballot. So many film fans obsess over your choices.
And though you'll never please everyone, those Supporting lineups are going to be so much more exciting (think of the Oscar night clips!) if you include Matthew McConaughey in Magic Mike and Nicole Kidman in The Paperboy. No matter what you think of either film, great risky artistic stretching from big stars shouldn't be tossed aside just because the film containing it isn't being widely "considered" in any other way if you know what I mean. I mean why give all the nominations to the frontrunning heavyweights like Lincoln, Les Miz, and Argo when there's so much good work out there in so many films! Put in those Beasts of the Southern Wild and Moonrise Kingdom screeners (to name just two examples) -- aren't you curious? -- and see how visually and sonically rich movies can be without mega-budgets.
Finally, here's to the underdogs -- have you seen Perks of Being a Wallflower or Anna Karenina or Middle of Nowhere or Amour or Compliance yet? You've got a whole extra day. Stay in and watch some movies!