No, the Oscars are not a true measure of merit; they never have been. Yes, they’re a popularity contest, thanks to a system that can and does get gamed by expensive media campaigns. And yes, they’re just an excuse for an industry teeming with self-congratulatory personalities to lavishly congratulate itself.
Given all that, at the end of the day — yes, they’re fun. They’re fun to gawk at, fun to argue over and capable, under the right circumstances, or doing some actual good: A nomination can help audiences find a smaller movie they might have otherwise overlooked.
Some of you might object to treating the Oscars like a horserace. Some of you are wrong; that’s all the Oscars are. And with this morning’s nominations, the race is on. Here are six things that leapt out:
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