In recent years, as low-budget movies have generally become the major Oscar contenders, a lot of Hollywood watchers have discussed the apparent disconnect between what moviegoers like, as judged by box office ticket sales, and films nominated for the world’s top film awards voted upon by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Tuesday’s announcement of Oscar nominations for the films of 2007 renewed that annual debate as all five of the best picture nominees were released initially in art house theaters and none have broken the $100 million blockbuster barrier. The five nominees are ”Juno” ($87 million U.S.), No Country for Old Men” ($49 million), ”There Will be Blood” (8.5 million), ”Atonement” ($32 million), and “Michael Clayton” ($40 million) 

    Former Sony Pictures studio boss Peter Guber weighed-in on the debate on Tuesday, telling Reuters, “Where is the big picture that has been a top grossing picture? Where is ‘Titanic’? ‘Lord of the Rings’? That an audience would know about and be familiar with?.”

    Well, where are they? Should Oscar voters judge movies by box office? If that were the case, “Spider-Man 3″ would be the year’s best movie with $336 million.