Oscar nominees highlight changes in the entertainment biz

Looking at the Oscar nominations for this year highlights just how much the entertainment business has changed. Two nominations, in particular, underline the fact that this is not your mama's showbiz.

First is the nomination of Roma, the Netflix original Spanish-language movie about a live-in maid in Mexico City in the 1970s. The film also scored nominations for best actress and best supporting actress, as well as best director and best original screenplay.

These nominations are a coup for Netflix. Although the company's TV shows have won great critical acclaim in recent years, it has struggled to get its feature films taken seriously. Cinema release is still very important to the film business, and Netflix's practice of releasing its movies straight onto its streaming platform (sometimes after a very limited theatrical release) has kept it shut out of big-name film awards like Cannes. With Roma, however, Netflix has truly arrived at the top of the entertainment business.

The second standout is the nomination of Black Panther for best picture. We are a decade into the superhero revival and there have been many excellent films in the genre. However, none of them have attracted much critical acclaim, despite their massive popularity and the involvement of many top actors and directors. The Black Panther nomination signals a cultural shift among film critics, who seem finally be ready to treat genre films like serious cultural artefacts.