After this year's Academy Awards, the question was whether the Oscars were still relevant or if they were going the way of art galleries and modern dance, perceived as too elite and avant garde to appeal to the masses.

Of last year's best picture nominees, none cracked the Top 10 at the box office and only one (Juno) topped US$100 million. Numerous reasons were cited, including studios obsessed with movies calculated to open big, art be damned, and the presence of boutique subsidiaries such as Paramount Vantage and Warner Independent Pictures to release "speciality" and "prestige" fare.