Oscars 2019: Should You Even Care?
By Patrick Dunlop
On February 24th, for what is now the 91st consecutive year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will attempt to “honour” this past year’s “finest achievements” in the world of film. For an event with almost a hundred years worth of glamour, esteem and, overwhelming societal prominence, the Oscars have been plagued with a surprising amount of controversy and unhappy consumers on both sides of the aisle. Which begs the question: as a 21st century viewing public, why should millions of people care about this celebrity equivalent of an Employee of the Month contest?
Many choose to boycott the festivities for purely political reasons, which is certainly admirable considering the award show’s problematic track list. Yet even cinephiles find themselves questioning the show this year, as well, as many of the films nominated are either extremely underwhelming, pretty much void of substance, or purely included for publicity purposes (Wakanda forever…). Nevertheless, many are also trying to salvage an awareness of the incredible hard work and copious time that is attributed to certain films to have them be true works of art.
Is some of the glitz and glamour of the Oscars starting to fade away in a time where anyone can essentially stalk their favourite celebrities wherever they go? Possibly. Are some of the Academy’s consistent blunders set to turn away a large portion of its viewers as they consistently try and fail to keep up with a society’s growing awareness? Most probably. But are you able to see some sort of merit in rewarding a few of the incredibly talented and hardworking people who put blood, sweat, and a whole lot of hours into fabricating amazing escapist worlds and stories that we as a people kind of desperately need at a time like this? In my opinion, for sure. That might mean sitting down in front of the T.V for 3 hours of acceptance speeches, slightly cringe-inducing humour, and clothing that costs more than the G.O.P of some developing countries. Or maybe it’s just going to a small theatre, paying for an actual ticket, and watching something worth rewarding. The choice is really yours.
What do you think?
Best Picture Nominees:
Bohemian Rhapsody
Black Panther
The Favourite
BlacKkKlansman
Green Book
Vice
A Star Is Born
Roma
