“Oscar bait”: an easy insult used to poke fun at a year’s Academy Award hopefuls — and one that also kind of hits the nail on the head… the Oscar voting pool may have a particular set of preferences for the films they deem worthy of their prestigious awards.
Just how common are “Oscar bait” tropes? Enough that we could cull from years past, cross-check our list with this year’s nominees, and walk away with more hits than misses. Whether it’s the industry players who fill their ballots with similar movies each year, or just a sign that Hollywood plays it safe with its award-friendly dramas, the 2012 movies eyeing gold have their roots firmly planted in what worked in Oscar history.
RELATED: Oscars 2013: How to Watch All the Nominated Films
To prove it, we’ve devised the Oscar Movie Checklist — the official guide to dissecting the Best Picture nominees (click for the big version!):
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[Photo Credit: Hollywood.com]
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