Quality versus quantity

Much has been made of the best picture Oscar nominees for 2005, mostly along the lines that Hollywood is way out of step philosophically and commercially with mainstream America. All five together did not gross as much as the No. 4 movie for 2005, “War of the Worlds.” None of the current nominees has cracked $100 million at the box office, and most likely none will, but all have benefited from their nominations. (“Crash” was out of theaters on nomination day but is out on DVD now.)

A look at the best picture nominees

*--* Pre- Post- Box nomination nomination office as box office box office of Feb. 28 Title (millions) increase (millions) “Brokeback Mountain” $51.6 +46.9% $75.8 “Crash” 53.4 N/A 53.4 “Munich” 40.8 +13.2% 46.2 “Good Night, and 25.2 +21.1% 30.5 Good Luck” “Capote” 15.4 +23.0% 23.4

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Best picture winners that got the largest percentage bump before award night

*--* Pre- Pre-award Post-award nomination total total box office (millions)/ (millions)/ Title (year) (millions) increase increase(1) “Million Dollar Baby” (‘04) $8.5 $64.9/+664% $100.5/+1,182% “Gandhi” (‘82) 11.9 38.9/+227% 52.8/+444% “Platoon” (‘86) 39.3 104.1/+165% 138.5/+352% “Driving Miss Daisy” (‘89) 33.6 75.2/+124% 106.6/+317% “The Last Emperor” (‘87) 11.9 25.4/+113% 44.0/+370%

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(1)Percentage increase is over pre-nomination box office

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Sources: Boxofficemojo.com, Times research