Walk the Line' has done very well so far but there are still a lot of people haven't seen it. A Best Picture nomination could increase the turnout.
This year's best picture nominees are the least popular on record.
This is prime time for a picture like this between nomination and awards. This is when they make all their money, and it's at $50 million before it's even nominated.
They've turned the tough-sell aspect of the picture into the selling point.