Are the Oscars becoming obsolete?

The Oscar nominations are out, and I'm pretty uninterested. The films and performances I saw this year that amazed me are nowhere to be found among the nominations. While I'm not surprised, I am disappointed.

And I wonder if the Academy Awards are even relevant anymore. In past years, I've found myself less and less willing to sit through the televised ceremony, which has been mostly boring. This year, with some of my favorites not acknowledged, I probably won't tune in. 

I used to use the nominations as a selection list for what I'd see. And because movies choices were limited back in the day, that worked. But no longer....I can check out best of 2011 lists all over the places and then seek out the listees on Netflix and from other sources and I'm good.  Mostly, what I've found to watch has been terrific, challenging, interesting with amazing performances. And the clunkers...I can turn the channel.

Can the Oscars really represent and reward all the best movies made in any given year? I don't think so.