Pro: Eh, just $1.5 billion dollars worldwide and the current no. 3 all time U.S. gross of $622 million right behind "Avatar" and "Titanic" (yep, box office can mater to Oscar). Plus, it’s pretty hard to find anyone in the industry that didn’t enjoy Joss Whedon’s global phenomenon on some level.

Con: Not only is “The Avengers” really a superhero movie, it’s a superhero movie with shiny uniforms, alien invaders, long battle sequences and a giant alien monster ship zigzagging through the Manhattan skyline chasing little ol’ Iron Man.  Now, if “The Dark Knight” which was one of the most highly regarded films of 2008 couldn’t make the cut with five nominees, can “The Avengers” really have a shot with an expanded field? 

- Gregory Ellwood