In the wake of the change from five to ten nominees for the Best Picture category at next year's Oscars,the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made a further change to the rules. Voters will now use preferential voting - basically, ranking the films in order - for the final round of balloting as well as that used in earlier stages. This system was previously used from 1934-1945, but then fell out of use. Since 1945 the final ballot has simply seen voters mark an X next to their favourite of the nominees, but as Indiana Jones explained in Last Crusade, X never, ever, marks the spot - so from now on they'll have to place the nominees in order. Assuming that they can all get their head around the change, this should in theory lead to the film that gets the broadest love behind it getting the big prize. Will this result in much of a change? It's hard to say. In a year like 2006, where Crash beat the much-loved Brokeback Mountain and it's generally thought that the vote was pretty close, it might've made a difference. Where there's a juggernaut like Titanic or The Return of the King, we're not so sure. Still, we'll be watching out for any changes or upsets with interest.

Helen O'Hara

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What About The Directors Category?!
I've yet to see anything on it, but will the Directors Category remain at just 5 nominations? If so, surely we'll be able to rule out at least half the Best Picture nominees once they're announced? There's usually one nominated director whose movie isn't nominated in the Picture category and they're always instantly ruled out. So assuming the same thinking remains, you're talking about 5 or 6 movies that haven't a hope. Although perhaps this new voting system (which I actually use with my frien... Read More chizmund About me
12:19, 01 September 2009 | Report This Post
RE: What a pain in the ass
Perhaps some of the short-term memory loss will be remedied by the expansion of the category and we'll see films from outside that October-January Oscar bait window. Up might get a look-in, but perhaps the likes of The Hurt Locker and (at a stretch) District 9 will be recognised too? ... Read More undesirablenumber1 About me
11:04, 01 September 2009 | Report This Post
What a pain in the ass
That is all ... Read More phil blakeman About me
10:39, 01 September 2009 | Report This Post