Oscar can't quite let that "Popular Movie Oscar" idea go...

While the "Popular Movie" Oscar idea the Academy Awards floated a few years ago was met with immediate backlash, Oscar can't quite let the idea go. Their latest attempt at populism to increase ratings is to incorporate Twitter users into the ceremony via a "Twitter Fan Vote"... and that begins today. Whichever movie gets the most votes with the hashtag #OscarsFanFavoritee will be honored on the Broadcast, though it thankfully won't be getting an official statue. A fan favourite scene will also be played on Oscar night via the hashtag #OscarsCheerMoment. All of which seems like an excuse to show a clip of Andrew Garfield walking through a magical portal into Spider-Man No Way Home which they could do anyway since the movie is up for Best Visual Effects. Plus Oscar ceremonies would always be wise to include a montage of the past year in film.

The second part of this is ultra specific and odd. Three twitter users who vote this year will get an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles to present an Oscar at the 95th Oscars in 2023. Why anyone but their family would want to watch three random civilians present an Oscar when we there are hundreds of bonafide celebrities in the room we could be watching instead is beyond us. 

Best Supporting Actress - 'How'd she get nominated?'

The Best Supporting Actress Oscar Chart is fully updated with stats, trivia, a reader's poll, and "how'd they get nominated"? theorizing, so check it out. 

Best Supporting Actor - "How'd he get nominated?"

by Nathaniel R

The Best Supporting Actor Chart now contains a ton more information and a poll which you can vote on daily. If you fused all these men into one Oscar-Nominee they'd be a 6' tall 49 year-old veteran character actor with 41 films under their belt and experiencing their first career nomination thanks to the help of a female director. Incredibly the majority of this acting lineup was directed by a woman -- an Oscar first...

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Japan and the Oscars - a History

by Timothy Lyons

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and actress Reika Kirishima at Cannes this past summer with "Drive My Car"

One of the more pleasant surprises of this year’s Academy Award nominations announcement was the shortlisting of Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s subtly masterful Drive My Car in Best Picture. In addition to this mention, Hamaguchi himself was nominated for Director and Adapted Screenplay (along with co-writer Takamasa Oe) and the film received an easily predicted nod in International Feature. While there seemed to be enough of a groundswell of support for the film to break into the general field, its inclusion in the top race remains a largely unexpected and refreshingly left-of-center occurrence. Despite now being the very first Japanese film nominated for Best Picture, Drive My Car is not the first to be recognised overall. It is also not the first to find favor beyond the usually ghettoized International Feature category.

Japan’s history with Oscar began in earnest during the 1950s...

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Best Director - "How'd They Get Nominated?"

The Best Director Oscar chart is fully revamped with a poll, lots of stats, trivia, and information. If we fused all five directors into one Mecha-Director we'd have a 59 year-old 5'9" Sagittarian living in California who has New Zealand, Irish, and Japanese roots. This fictional Mecha-Director has made 15 movies and been nominated in this category 3 times.

The chart also contains our annual thought experiment: "How'd they get nominated?"...

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