Is Oscar out of touch

OK, who -- besides Brandon, the guy we pay to go to screenings -- saw all the big Oscar nominated films?

Few of you, I'm sure.

This isn't the first year in which the slate of contenders were movies few people have actually seen. But I wonder if the gap between the Oscars and the public is widening.

I long for the days of "Titanic" or "Lord of the Rings" ... when the big blockbuster we all saw and took our kids to see also took the lion's share of statues.

It made us all care more about the Oscars.

So, why is it that we're not seeing these nominated movies? For me, and I'm sure a lot of you, it's about the ratings. It's a heck of a lot easier for me to go to a movie with the kids than sneak off alone or just with my wife. So, I'm more likely to see the "National Treasure" sequel (PG) than "There Will Be Blood" (R).

I blame Hollywood and the way films are sold to studios. If it's sold as a "family film" or an "adventure film," the bar is set high for star power and special effects and low for script and artistry.

The R-rated flicks, on the other hand, are marketed for either exploitation or quality.

That's not to say that there weren't great films this year that weren't rated R. "Juno" was a terrific PG-13 comedy. G-rated "Ratatouille" was funny, clever and visually sumptuous. But those are the exceptions, and although "Juno" is nominated for Best Picture, it'll probably lose to a film that fewer people have actually seen.