SURVEY SAYS: How Many "Best" Pictures Have You Seen?

January 24, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - While we don't yet know if the writers' strike will have an impact on the Oscar ceremony itself - or which names will emerge from those sealed envelopes - we do now know who the nominees are.

This week, I asked readers how many of the nominees for Best Picture they had, or planned, to see.

Now, in fairness, I’ve not (yet) seen any of the nominees for Best Picture.    Still, it seems fair to say that this year’s list lacks candidates with any real ‘blockbuster” name recognition.   As one reader said (and more than one concurred), “‘m glad you provided the lists of movies, because I would have been clueless, although I could have guessed my answers would be “Not a one” even without seeing the lists.”   Another said, “Not only did I not see these movies, I never even heard of most of them until the Oscar nominations!”

In fact, nearly two-thirds ( 63.4% ) of this week’s respondents hadn’t seen ANY of the nominees – and no one had seen as many as 4, much less all five nominees.   Roughly a third (30%), however, had seen at least one, one in ten (11.3%) had seen two, and 2% had seen 3.   A matching 2.1% had, or was planning to see, all five.

“Worst” Cases

On the other hand, we also asked readers how many of the “Razzie” nominees for Worst Picture they had seen – and the results were comparable.   Roughly three-quarters had seen none of them, and no one had seen as many as four of them, much less five.   About one-in-five (19.1%) had seen one of these, while 3.5% had seen two, and just 1.4% had seen three.

I asked respondents to guess which one of the nominees for the Best Picture Oscar would win - and "Atonement" won our unofficial poll, according to 32.6% of respondents.   "No Country for Old Men" was second (27.4%), while "There Will be Blood" was third with nearly 17%.   "Michael Clayton" was the choice of 12.6%, while 10.5% thought "the Academy" would go for "Juno."

Which "Should" Win?

However, since "the Academy" frequently seems to rely on criteria that the rest of us don't in making their selections, I also asked readers which movie they thought SHOULD win Best Picture.   The most commonly cited here was "Juno" - which is actually one of the five nominees.   Others cited were Sweeney Todd, The Bucket List, Ratatouille, Eastern Promises, Michael Clayton (also on the nominee list), Stardust, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Amazing Grace, the Bourne Ultimatum, American Gangster, Hairspray, Enchanted, and Charlie Wilson's War.  

However, aside from Juno, the only response that seemed to enjoy widespread acclamation were responses along the lines of the following:

"Not sure since I haven't seen any of them", "No idea," and my personal favorite, "I don't think I saw any movies this year that I would say deserve to be named Best Picture."

"Who has time to go to movies?"

"With two small children, my husband and I don't get out to movies very often. We will see the best picture nominees (and maybe some of the worst picture nominees) when they hit cable -- long after the awards shows."

"Who has time to go out to see movies? And who can afford them these days? I'll wait for the DVDs, particularly since there won't be anything on TV to watch (while I am working into the wee hours of the night)!"

"I only like to watch movies that I can pause for toilet breaks and they don't give me the remote in theaters."

But this week's Editor's Choice goes to the reader who noted, "I don't think I've gone to the movies for 3 or 4 years. There are way too many $3 movies playing at $10 prices."

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

Who has time to go out to see movies? And who can afford them these days? I'll wait for the DVDs, particulary since there won't be anything on TV to watch (while I am working into the wee hours of the night)!
I rarely see more than one or two of the nominees until after the awards are awarded
I thought the Chuck and Larry movie was hilarious - insensitive on just about every level, and filled with really tired sight gags. I laughed all the way through it, maybe because I'm old enough to remember when all that stupidity and discrimination was actually acceptable - what were we thinking?
I only like to watch movies that I can pause for toilet breaks and they don't give me the remote in theaters. Too bad for them!
Johnny Depp should win Best Actor for his role in Sweeney Todd.
I've long ago stopped going to movies that are "Oscar material". It's too expensive and having kids means seeing more family movies anyway.
Clearly I am not a big movie goer. My selection for best picture would be a random quess so I did not answer.
The only new movie I've seen is "Bella". It was a very sensitive and thought-provoking movie. I'd see it again and add it to my DVD collection.

As it works out I see one movie in the theater about every two years. Just about the time I have decided I might want to see a particular movie, the trailers have left the TV screens. Then, when I finally pick a Saturday night to go, I don't recognize a single title on the marquee. Puzzled I usually find the movie I want to see is already in the DVD clearance bin at Walmart.

Why spend big bucks to see "only made to separate you from your money" movies in a theater, eat overpriced popcorn slathered in "mystery butter" and spend 15 minutes trying to pry your shoes from the floor so you can leave, when you can figure out the entire plot in the TV and print ads without ever spending the ticket price, aka JUNO. Who cares? Give me old time movies, my couch, homemade cookies, the pause button and a bathroom I know is clean. :o)

I Now pronounce You Chuck & Larry does not deserve a Razzie. it made me laugh hysterically.
I added the Oscar nominees to my Netflix account- the only way I catch a movie these days.
I've always thought the Oscar nomination committee was out of touch with what people actually enjoy watching. For instance, I think there should be a category for horror films. My nominees would be Saw IV and Hostel II. What can I say? I'm a very sick puppy! LOL
I don't think I've gone to the movies for 3 or 4 years. There are way too many $3 movies playing at $10 prices. I used to go frequently, but now I have no desire.
Who has time to watch or go to the movies?
Under the question concerning which of the nominees will win, you missed the response category No Clue! or some such response. 🙂
What's an oscar?
I rarely go to the movies, since if I wait a few months, I can see them in the comfort of my den without getting my shoe stuck in gum on the floor of the theater or listening to two blabbermouths behind me discussing something totally irrelevant.
Who has time to go to movies?
I guess I'm balances. I've seen neither the best picture or worst picture nominees. I have no clue who will win the horse race, but if the recent past is any indication, it will be a movie that fades from conciousness within a short time after its win.
I'm gald you provided the lists of movies, because I would have been clueless, although I could have guessed my answers would be "Not a one" even without seeing the lists.
I'll wait until they are released on DVD.
I don't get out to the movies much except to see kids movies. The last 2 I saw are Enchanted and Alvin and the Chipmunks.
As you can tell by my responses I just don't care!
Everyone seems to agree on "It's a Wonderful Life." Since the offerings of the past few years have left a LOT to be desired, I think we should start re-nominating the great movies of the past. The junk they're issuing today is pathetic. Even when I see the movies, I leave the theatre and think "well, that one's over."
Since I obviously don't get out much to see movies, I will abstain from guessing which picture will win or should win. If the Award went to the best movie I saw, I would have to say Bourne Ultimatum. I enjoyed it and my wife probably would have except she was doing all she could to avoid losing her dinner due to the jumpiness and non-stop action. I believe the only other movies I saw in the last year were Happy Feet and The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything and I think they would be hard pressed to bring home many awards from "the Academy".
Due to the liberal focus of most actors/actresses appearing in films, I no longer go to movies. If they want to push their political views--they can do it on someone else's dime.
Having never seen or heard of any of the other movies nominated, I just picked the one I'd seen. In fact, until I saw the list, I didn't even know who'd been nominated. Obviously, awards aren't a bit motivator for me to see a movie.
I can't say enough that Reign Over Me was one of the best movies I've ever seen. It was a heartwrenching, but moving story. I'm shocked and saddened that it didn't make the list. I think that if there's one movie that everyone should see, that would be it. While it's a fictional story, it will make any visit to NYC very different, when you realize that any person walking next to you could be Charlie.
I sat and looked at the question above and couldn't remember any great pictures this year. I enjoyed "National Treasure 2" but it's not Best Picture material, just an enjoyable story with characters you can like. Hollywood would never consider that a great picture. Maybe that is why I don't see more movies.
I'll stick to movies made before the 1970's when, IMHO, really good movies were made. Before computers and special effects were what people went to see, and acting plus a good story was necessary to capture the audience. Give me Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall and the rest of their era over anything produced today.
Movies?????? Can't remember the last time I saw a movie in its entirety, never mind going to an actual movie theater! I have two children under the age of 5--need I say more?
With two small children, my husband and I don't get out to movies very often. We will see the best picture nominees (and maybe some of the worst picture nominees) when they hit cable -- long after the awards shows.
We are so far behind in keeping up with current movies. We prefer to watch taped t.v. shows (The Closer, Boston Legal, House) than go to the movies or rent DVD's. When I'm in the mood for watching a movie, I pull out one of my Columbo Mystery Movie DVD's instead of visiting the video rental store. I must be getting old, pretty soon I'll be taping and watching episodes of Matlock and Murder She Wrote, along with reruns of Golden Girls!
Not only did I not see these movies, I never even heard of most of them until the Oscar nominations!
True confessions -- I've never cared about the Academy Awards ... and I've never eated a Big Mac.
No one has seen most of the movies nominated.. so who cares...
With the pricing of tickets, and the declining running time of a movie,just seeing a film for fun is not worh it.
I think Michael Clayton has a good shot because it has George Clooney, and he's all over Bush like white on rice. Hollywood would like to add a category called, "Best actor or actress who continually insults a sitting Republican President"...but that would be too obvious. I believe the Grammys are adding such a category though. We really do want to see Atonement and No Country for Old Men. Hope we get to over the next few weeks.
Guess I'm just too jaded, but I haven't seen anything advertised that's worth spending 2-3 hours on, let alone putting up with people on their cell phones while trying to enjoy some entertainment. Give me a good book any day!

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