5 things about this year's Oscars

1. Fifty years after the event it portrayed, "Selma" is (again) a flashpoint

The highly praised movie about a key period in the civil-rights movement stars David Oyelowo as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and was directed by relative newcomer Ava DuVernay. Both Oyelowo and DuVernay, in particular, had been singled out for acclaim, but when the Oscar nominations came down, both were shut out. "Selma" ended up with just two nominations: best picture and best song.

The Internet, noting the lack of diversity among the acting and directing categories, reacted with scorn.

"Selma" had been criticized for the way it portrayed some aspects of history -- particularly the role of President Lyndon B. Johnson -- but as a movie, the reviews were resoundingly favorable, with 99% approval on RottenTomatoes.com.

Noting that other directing nominees weren't penalized for their movies' inaccuracies, Forbes' Scott Mendelson wrote, "Ms. DuVernay, more than her peers, arguably needed that Oscar validation as a bargaining chip." He added, pointedly, "I'm angry because one of the best films of the year has been libeled and that said libel apparently worked."

But Common, who received a best song nomination for the film, handled the issue gracefully.

"I believe when people vote, they have their perspectives, they have what they think is right and we have to understand, it's a vote," he told CNN. "I just say whatever color we are, keep making quality work and I know it will eventually be recognized."

2. The divide between blockbusters and low-budget films grows

With the expanded list of best-picture nominees, more box-office hits -- films earning $100 million or more domestically -- have made the Oscar grade in recent years. But of this year's eight nominees, the highest-grossing film domestically is "The Grand Budapest Hotel," which came out in March, and it's made just $59 million.

Such hits as "Gone Girl," "Into the Woods," "Unbroken" and "Interstellar," all considered awards possibilities, didn't make the Academy's shortlist. (Admittedly, some of the nominees have just been released, so their box office could climb significantly.)

Los Angeles Times film writer Steve Zeitchik, who wrote about the snubs and surprises, is surprised himself that more blockbusters didn't make the list.

"The Academy is probably going back and wondering, did we accomplish what we wanted to accomplish by expanding it?" he says. "The fact that there's no 'Gone Girl,' no 'Unbroken,' no 'Interstellar,' is certainly notable on an Academy list that's meant include films of that type."