I find it hilarious that every single year there is a vocal contingent of people saying what a bad year it was for movies. Not always the same people but always the same story.
ETA: It's as predictable as people who say how Hollywood is raping their childhoods by remaking films they remember fondly.
I think that every year has it's share of good and bad films. But some years seem to have more (or less) excellent ones than typical. It's just the luck of the draw.
It was a fine year for best picture films. Birdman, Whiplash, American Sniper and Boyhood were all excellent films for different reasons and are completely worthy of being nominated for best film (even if Boyhood wasn't my fare I recognize what a fascinating, and well crafted, project it was). Those are four very deserving films (and Whiplash does not really fit KP's list of typical Oscar noms).
Agree that both Selma, Imitation Game and Theory of Everything fall into more of the paint by numbers category of films. But that doesn't mean they weren't entertaining and well made films. There is nothing wrong with safe, most of the out of the box, envelope pushing films are pretty crappy.
I understand the PTA is very hit-or-miss for most people but I personally really enjoyed The Grand Budapest Hotel, thought it was his best work since The Royal Tennenbaums and have no problem with the nomination.
My favorite of the noms was Birdman, it's rare that I see a film that is nothing like anything I have really seen before, even more rare when it is also an excellent film to boot.
