While I don't believe the Oscars should be a popularity contest there is a significant gap between what audiences value and what the Academy does.
Make no mistake, that's solely because mainstream audience tastes have regressed to such a juvenile levels, not because Academy is "so out of touch artsy-fartsy pretentious¨ like Reddit is trying to claim.
That is just a pathetic claim because Oscars are super-mainstream as it is. With something like Cannes Festival one could even begin to make that argument (I wouldn't even then), but with Oscars it's just ridiculous.
I mean let's look at some of this years nominees:
-Hell Or High-Water: Cops and Robbers movie. Modern western-
-La La Land: Light romantic musical
-Arrival: Alien invasion movie with Amy Adams
-Hacksaw Ridge: War film with lots of action.
How sad is it that audiences have regressed to such a levels where these movies are seen as "pretentious art films that only critics care?"
It seems that these even adults only watch movie if there is superheroes, dinosaurs or aliens in it. The Godfather would probably flop if released today. And that's just sad.
Sorry for my rant, but someone has to say this.