Movie Monday: The X’s & O’s of “The Oscar Effect”- it’s alive and working


March 10, 2025 11:27 AM CDT
By: Laura McKenna
Supported by
A lot of people say: “Who cares about the Oscars.”
I can’t blame them. If I remember to tune to into The Academy Awards broadcast, I do. If I don’t, I don’t lose any sleep. Also, I’ve been really disappointed in some Oscar winning movies over the years. I’ve hated them. Yet these movies win all the awards and leave other GREAT movies (at least in my opinion) without even a nomination.
That being said- there’s this thing that happens to movies that win. Whether we think it makes a difference to us or not, it does! Numbers don’t lie. And you know I love a good chart.
This is the Box Office Mojo Weekend Breakdown from over this past weekend (March 7th-9th) and I’ve marked up the parts to really focus on:

After the independent film Anora won Best Picture at the Oscars on March 2nd, it was released into more theaters. Just because it was available in more places wouldn’t necessarily mean that people would automatically go to the theater to see it (especially knowing that they could wait just a few weeks and it’ll be available to stream from home, March 17th on Hulu).
But people did go see it in theaters! A lot of people did. So many people, in fact, that Anora jumped up into the Top 10 in box office earnings from this past weekend. You can see where it was #22 last weekend before winning The Best Picture Oscar. Then it won all the different Oscars and then Anora jumped up to #7 this weekend in box office revenue. It made a 595.3% jump. You can see for yourself in the chart where every other single movie fell (except for the new releases, obviously since they are new).
Also- in kind of a surprise twist, Oscar winning actors and actresses may live longer than those who don’t win any acting awards. Numerous studies over the past 20 years have found that Academy Award winning actors, on average, live more than three years longer than actors who were merely nominated for a prize. If you want to read more about those studies- CLICK HERE.
So as much as we want to roll our eyes at the different award shows, especially The Oscars, they do have this weird effect.
Want to contact Laura McKenna about a movie you recently watched at home or in the theaters? Email anytime, she’d love to hear from you: [email protected]
And tune in weekdays starting at 10am to St. Croix Country & WCFW!
More Articles By Laura McKenna

10.14.25
Recall Alert: Frozen Spinach
The only person who loves spinach more than I do is probably Popeye. But check your freezer because I think we’re all in agreement that NO ONE wants spinach with listeria lurking inside. Sno Pac Foods has recalled its Del Mar 35-pound Bulk Organic Frozen Spinach (that’s a pretty big package for the average consumer) […]
Read More >

10.13.25
Movie Monday: Behind the scenes of GOOD BOY with the dog himself
Have you seen the new horror movie told from the dog’s point of view? Good Boy (2025) tells the scary story of a dog and his owner that move to a rural family home to discover supernatural forces lurking there. But behind the scenes with this adorable good boy is anything but spooky. It’s adorable! […]
Read More >

10.08.25
In The Kitchen with Laura McKenna: Pierogi
I’m always amazed to hear that so many people have never had a pierogi! You have no idea what you’re missing. Homemade versions are delicious but there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a box from the frozen food aisle to try. You can boil these mashed potato dumplings and garnish as you wish…. Or, try my […]
Read More >

10.06.25
Movie Review: The Exorcism of Emily Rose
The fact that I waited 20 years to watch this movie is a crying shame! The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) combines two of my favorite kinds of movies: Courtroom Dramas and Scary Movies (especially the demonic possession kind). For fans of the show Ozark, you’ll recognize Laura Linney. She plays the defense attorney that […]
Read More >