hahahaha yeah, it's true. Everytime they see a film and like a performance they say it's "Oscar worthy" and blablabla. What matters is the performance and not if it's earing awards' recognition. Althouth we all know that winning awards or nominations helps actors careers A LOT. But that's how the game works. The press influences American Academy every single year.[/QUO
The problem is that it's even difficult to understand if they like the performance,film..

because the conversation is all Oscars\awards season related,and I'm starting to notice this trend not only in articles written by oscars bloggers\analysts but also in twitter reactions and reports from festivals written by "real" critics.
Yes,winning awards and being in talk during the awards season help a lot actors' and directors' careers. The recognition doesn't define a work's value,but when this attention is received by deserving persons,it can be really useful. Directors like McQueen,Paul Thomas Anderson or Linklater who don't make safe choices have more chances to be supported in what they want to do. I don't think the press has influenced so much the academy in the past,at least from a critical point of view. IMO in the last years a massive use of internet ,that helps a lot the conversation about films and performances,is contributing to some (SOME) changes,so,if we speak about press in terms of critical and interesting discussions,it's not always a bad thing..
I don't think that a film like Shakespeare in love could win now an Oscar for BP..