Why You'll Actually Enjoy the Oscars

Planning to skip the Oscars again? Don’t! This year’s ceremony will be better than ever, New York magazine argues, and here’s why:

• The expanded Best Picture category: This way, we’re sure to get a blockbuster or two up for the award, along with some well-built indies. Who’s against that?
• Preferential voting: Because votes will be tallied using an instant-run-off system, the award should be less predictable, meaning something like Inglourious Basterds has a shot.

• The hosts: Yeah, there won’t be any Hugh Jackman, but you can’t go wrong with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. “They are both fantastic,” gushes Jackman.
• Love for Pixar: Up’s no Wall-E, but it’s almost guaranteed to finally earn Pixar a Best Picture nod—probably its first of many.
• Mo’Nique: Not so much because she’s going to win for Best Supporting Actress, but because she doesn’t care. Will she even show up? How long before she puts the statue on eBay?

(More Academy Awards stories.)