We are just now winding down from another awards season. It’s no secret that the Movie Guys have never been a huge fan of award shows, but it is finally time to address the elephant in the room. The Oscars simply don’t matter anymore.
It is a huge honor to win an award, I totally get that, but as a consumer, I simply do not care who won the best editing, or what film claims the best soundtrack title. What I do care about is what I like, and the Oscars simply have no way of capturing that. It is very one size fits all, and what the academy deems the best picture, is likely a load of crap to someone else. With that being said, here are the main reasons why the Oscars are meaningless in 2017.
Why the Oscars don’t matter
1. It’s all for the show.
It is no longer about the movies, it is about the show. Who wore what, who is with who, and who is hosting. The drive for ratings has completely taken away from the movies that are being awarded, For example, people are already starting to speculate who will host next year’s Oscars. How long until there is a category for “Best Academy Awards host?”
2. The right people never win.
Or even get nominated for that matter. In years past we have seen movies completed shunned from the Oscars, and lesser films taking the awards. Why? Because it’s one big popularity contest. Ultimately it is up to the academy to select a winner, but who they like, and who the viewers like are often vastly different.
3. They’ll do anything for ratings.
Last year they had pizzas delivered, this year a group of “surprised” tourists get marched across the stage. We get it, you need the ratings, but don’t sacrifice what you actually stand for to get a rating boost. I would even speculate that the snafu where Warren Beatty was given the wrong card for best picture was by design. First Steve Harvey now Warren Beatty? Strange coincidence….
4.The time-frame is screwed up!
Most people don’t even realize this one. When do you think a movie needs to premier for it to qualify for an Oscar? The previous year right? No? Well, at least the previous 12 months? Wrong again. For a film to be eligible for an Oscar it has to air between September and December of the previous year. What a ridiculously small window. Why exclude so many films?
5. The same movies and people win all night.
Why do I want to watch the same 5 people taking turns on the stage? Let me know what movies won what, who in those movies won, and let’s move on. Quite parading them on and off the stage.
6. The red carpet event is somehow more popular than the actual show.
I don’t care who is wearing what designer, and who arrives with who. Why on earth are we dedicating 2 hours of pre-game to these people?
7. They are far too serious.
They have been trying to make the Oscars fun over the past few years, but they are way too serious. To the point that almost every aspect is 100% scripted. Just once I would like to see someone shoot from the hip with their acceptance speech.
8. They are forgettable.
I have no clue who won what category last year. I can probably answer less than 50% of this year’s winners. To me, this is the smoking gun on why the Oscars just don’t matter. What can I remember? The stunts put on the show simply for ratings or entertainment.
I know some folks love the Oscars, but I would ask one question, why? I understand wanting to watch it for the discussion, but it seems to me like a completely skewed and narrow look at who’s who in Hollywood. Just to clear the air, we don’t hate awards shows. We happen to love the Independent Spirit Awards, but the Oscars just, well, suck.