Director Kathryn Bigelow may have won both of her Oscars for the 2008 film “The Hurt Locker,” but “Zero Dark Thirty” is her best project to date. The high praise for Bigelow’s newest feature isn’t meant to disparage “Hurt Locker,” which is a great film in its own right, but to underscore how powerful and affecting “Zero Dark Thirty” is. The movie is not only great, it’s a reminder that Oscar voters don’t always get it right.

“Having 10 Best Picture nominees will allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," AMPS President Sid Ganis said at a press conference.  While the expansion of the Best Picture category at the Oscars allows for more movies to receive the recognition they deserve, it does not change the fact that the voters lean towards awarding similar themes and performances every year.  They love dramas, lengthy historical epics, and tales of patriotism, controversy, and triumph over adversity.