Other films to feature prominently in the line-up include Steven Spielberg\u2019s semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans<\/a> and Martin McDonagh\u2019s dark comedy The Banshees of Inisherin<\/a>, while as ever there are one or two surprises \u2013 including Brian Tyree Henry\u2019s nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category and Paul Mescal\u2019s welcome nod for his leading turn in the superb Aftersun<\/a>.<\/p>\n But perhaps the most notable thing about this year\u2019s list of nominees is just how well 2022\u2019s slate of blockbusters has performed. The Best Picture line-up includes not one but two big-budget sequels \u2013 Top Gun: Maverick<\/a> and Avatar: The Way of Water<\/a>, films that have so far made a combined total of $3.5 billion at the global box office and each now rank among the top 12 highest-grossing films of all time (as a point of comparison, the entire ten-strong Best Picture line-up last year took in just over $650 million, the bulk of which came from Dune).<\/p>\n Meanwhile, two of the other films in this year\u2019s line-up \u2013 Baz Luhrman\u2019s Elvis<\/a> and the aforementioned Everything Everywhere All at Once \u2013 have also crossed the $100 million mark, a feat that only Dune managed from last year\u2019s selection.<\/p> It\u2019s not just in the Best Picture category that big-budget films have flourished. Tom Cruise might have missed out on a Best Actor nod, but Angela Bassett has become the first performer in Oscars history to be nominated for a role in an MCU film thanks to her supporting turn as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<\/a>. Given she\u2019s already picked up the Golden Globe Award, it\u2019s not too much of a stretch to suggest she might end up picking up the golden statuette in March as well.<\/p>\n Sure, there are other blockbusters that haven\u2019t fared so well \u2013 at one point it seemed likely that Wakanda Forever might join its predecessor in landing a Best Picture nomination, while some fans have expressed annoyance that Matt Reeves\u2019s The Batman<\/a> has been more or less shut out, scoring nods only in the technical categories.<\/p>\n But while it remains to be seen which film will eventually be crowned Best Picture winner in the wide-open race, and though it still seems relatively unlikely that Maverick or Way of Water will ultimately claim the top prize, there\u2019s no doubt that this can go down as a banner year for big-budget films.<\/p>\n The success is especially noteworthy given the Academy\u2019s recent botched attempts to more clearly honour films that have played to large audiences. The plan to introduce a Best Popular Film category was met with much derision when it was announced back in 2018 \u2013 eventually scrapped before it could be put into place \u2013 while last year\u2019s decision to bring in two new fan-voted categories, for best film and best moment, proved similarly unpopular.<\/p>\n If anything, the nominations secured by films such as Maverick and Way of Water proves how needless those proposed additions were in the first place \u2013 it was always ridiculous to suggest that films were being overlooked just because they had performed strongly at the box office, and this year\u2019s line-up only confirms that.<\/p>\n Of course, the relative merits of the films in the line-up will always be the subject of much debate, and for every fan delighted at the inclusion of these big-budget movies there will be those justifiably disappointed that smaller films including the aforementioned Aftersun and Park Chan-wook\u2019s terrific Decision to Leave<\/a> couldn\u2019t make it in.<\/p>\n But regardless of the individual quality of the films honoured by the Academy, it\u2019s only right that a healthy Best Picture line-up \u2013 one that helps make the ceremony seem relevant again in the eyes of the public \u2013 should include a good mixture of crowd-pleasing blockbusters and more independent-minded fare, and in that regard at least, this year\u2019s line-up is an encouraging one.<\/p> ![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2022\/03\/Top-Gun-Maverick-3543ebf.jpeg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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