Perhaps in attempt to get the early buzz out for next year’s Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just announced they’re adding an extra FIVE flix to the Best Picture list. Or perhaps an attempt to make amends to excluding the immensely popular (and critically-lauded) The Dark Knight from a list of nominees? Apparently it’s been over 60 years since they had 10 nominees (the last year they did was 1943 when Casablanca took home the gold bald dude).  Hmmm, that darn show is already 4+ hours long, perhaps next year we should just have winners’ acceptance speech be done via Twitter? They (or their publicists) are going to do that anyway so why be redundant? Either that or they ought to plan on having an Oscar slumber party within the Shrine Auditorium.

In any case, does this mean more unlikely-but-otherwise-first-rate flix would have a better shot? Something like Star Trek, Avatar, a musical like Nine (with Daniel Day-Lewis singing & dancing), or perhaps the slick comedy The Hangover could end up being short-listed. Oscar’s long been out of touch with the public’s taste anyway, nominating flix nobody actually paid to see (In the Bedroom, The Hours, Capote). Then they wonder why the show’s ratings keeps going down every year? So I see this is a positive move in the right direction.

I’m curious to see what’s the Best Pic nominees next year. Well as long as they don’t nominate Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I mean what’ll be left for the Razzies to nominate then? =) So folks, start your predictions now.