The Academy Has Common Sense After All, Will Present All 24 Categories Live

Something John Bailey forgot about The Oscars

With the seal cracked on the single digits countdown (nine days to go!), things should be in place for The Academy Awards, right? People have turned in their ballots and now everyone is tallying up scores. If you're like me, you'll enjoy reading anonymous voter articles. However, what makes the Class of 2019 all the more impressive is that even this close to the air date things are once again changing. At the beginning of this week, Academy president John Bailey shot himself in the foot once again by suggesting that four categories would not be presented at the ceremony. Before diving into the responses, one had to ask "What did you expect?" The decision was met with universal ridicule and in one moment of rare clairvoyance Bailey decided to reverse his order. Good news everyone, The Oscars are presenting every category on the air! Consider this a victory in a year without too many. 

The Academy to Not Broadcast Four Categories for First Time Ever

Scene from Cold War

The Academy Awards is officially less than two weeks away. However, it's still a year where every week brings some big news. Where most years would be content to just let audiences prognosticate who will win, it seems like The Academy has made it a challenge to slowly present controversial new rulings that fill the cinephiles more with dread than anticipation. So, what is in store this time around? Those predicting that categories would forgo being presented during the broadcast have finally been proven right to be skeptical as the Academy's increasingly incompetent president John Bailey has listed four categories that will appear in the broadcast, though not when you think they will. Yes, things are starting to evolve and change in ways more concrete, and none of it is particularly welcomed.

A Look at the New Academy Awards Regulations

Every year, there's a little bit that gets changed around at The Academy Awards. This year is no different as members congregated to hold a vote on various new laws that will instated for eligibility at next year's ceremony. While the debatable "big shocker" is that they didn't vote to lower the Best Picture category from its current 5-10 nominees to a solidified five (likely due to this being a strong year for genre films from Mad Max: Fury Road to Inside Out), there were small things that are going to help make the playing field more even. The big changes will be discussed immediately following the jump.

A Closer Look at the Best Live Action Short Nominees

*NOTE: Due to some unforeseen problems, I am unable to purchase the Animation portion of this program. I am working on solving this and will hope to have a piece on it soon.

One of my favorite portions of the Oscars is seeing the films that are practically unknown to everyone. The ones where during the ceremony an image appears for a Best Live Action Short that makes you wish that you saw it. As usual, Shorts HD has made it easier than ever to access these titles in a fancy package featuring interviews with established filmmakers about the significance of the medium. At only $7.99 each, the annual investment is well worth the price to see one of the few categories that are still unbiased to popular opinions and have an even playing field from every participating country.

Check This Out!: The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2014 on VOD

If you are like me and have read the Oscar nominations on any given year, you are likely to notice a few categories that seem different. This is usually from the fact that the nominees within them are shorts that have been inaccessible to the general public in as clear a way as even the Best Animated Feature category. While many of the Best Animated Short or Best Live Action Short selections have been shown before these films, the average film goer doesn't have the know how to see all of these films just to see the brief segment before the feature. It is financially insane to even consider that. However, thanks to Shorts HD in their eighth year, there is an alternative to blind voting with their annual program called Oscar Nominated Shorts.

A Look at the Best Live Action Short Nominees

As I have shared in the past, there is a way to see the Best Live Action Short nominees before Sunday, and you don't have to leave your home to do it. While conflict has come up with being able to find a package of the Best Animated Shorts, I have watched all of the Best Live Action nominees and we have quite a batch of interesting selections. While I am not an expert at predicting the big winner, I do enjoy getting a chance to watch each of these and at least knowing that there is something interesting in the outer categories. After the jump, I will give a brief review of each as well as my thoughts on who should win.

Want to check out the Oscar Nominated Short Films? There's is a way to do it!

Fresh Guacamole

One of the challenges of every Oscar season is the smaller categories. True, everyone has probably seen Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook by now, but nobody ever really seems to know about the other categories. The ones that films of these statures are not even up for. I am of course talking about the Best Short Films, whether they be animated or live action. Until 2006, you  would be out of luck in seeing most of them outside of the shorts precluding Pixar's latest. However, thanks to Shorts HD, there is a way to see these brilliant pieces of work.