This year, the Motion Picture Academy proposed a variety of ideas to boost the waning ratings of the Oscar telecast — from ditching hosts to removing (then unremoving) categories from the TV broadcast.
Kurt Andersen argues that this populist sentiment led to an odd disconnect this year: mediocre movies nominated for Best Picture only because of a great leading actor. Kurt lists his favorite performances in 2018 from not-so-excellent films.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support will get our fundraiser off to a solid start and help keep our newsroom on strong footing. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!