After three of the worst years on record in the movie business, there was an almost palpable sense of relief in Hollywood when two bona fide blockbusters appeared on this year’s list of best picture nominees for Sunday’s Academy Awards.

The academy has often overlooked big commercial films in favour of recognising capital-C cinema. But the nominations this year of Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way Of Water – two of the highest-grossing pictures ever – appeared to make a point about something more than just quality filmmaking.