I just read another of those "The Oscars are irrelevant because they don't honor movies real people see" essays. So, my annual rant: Two of last year's box office top 10 are Best Picture nominees. Is the idea that the Oscars would be "relevant" if they were more? If I'm Still Here were replaced... - ThreadSky

markharris.bsky.social • 116 days ago

I just read another of those "The Oscars are irrelevant because they don't honor movies real people see" essays. So, my annual rant: Two of last year's box office top 10 are Best Picture nominees. Is the idea that the Oscars would be "relevant" if they were more? If I'm Still Here were replaced...

Comments

nicked82.bsky.social•115 days ago

I generally love most nominees in most years and think the Academy get it right a lot of the time. Am I not a real person? 😢😢😢

markharris.bsky.social•116 days ago

by Sonic the Hedgehog 3? Or if Conclave gave its spot to Despicable Me 4? This is so silly. It ignores the fact that Oscar ratings have declined in the same way as ratings for literally all linear TV except some sports. It ignores the fact that awards shows that slavishly reward the popular....

markharris.bsky.social•116 days ago

have ratings that are a tiny fraction of the Oscars. It ignores the fact that one virtue of the Oscars is that it points viewers toward interesting movies. It ignores the fact that the show is still always one of the biggest draws of the TV season. And above all, it fundamentally fails to grasp...

markharris.bsky.social•116 days ago

why the Oscars exist or who they're for. Arguments like this mirror the Democratic-strategist fallacy: If your big plan is to obsessively woo the center, the undecideds, the indifferents, at the expense of your base and what it cares about, you're gonna keep losing. In conclusion: Enjoy the show! x

markharris.bsky.social•116 days ago

P.S. Nothing is "relevant" to everyone. Nothing is "relevant" to MOST people. Nothing attracts a majority of American interest. Relevance is an absurd, completely subjective marker of the value of any cultural product and chasing it is a fool's errand.

markharris.bsky.social•116 days ago

Also, on a historical level, does anyone think that in olden times, the Oscars weren't sneered at, disparaged and dismissed as a "popularity contest"? When America solemnly sat before their Zeniths and watched their taste get validated by the monoculture? They're chasing a past that never existed.

matthijs-den-daas.bsky.social•116 days ago

I think there's a conflict between the oscars and it's audience in that the audience wants to watch an oscars night that is about movies they actually saw and loved. When this doesn't happen, the audience stops caring.

garth.bsky.social•116 days ago

Sure but the golden period of the past few decades has certainly receded

tequila-sundae.bsky.social•116 days ago

"By now, each citizen has found his own little obsessive corner to blast his brains in: as the ’60s were supremely narcissistic, solipsism’s what the ’70s have been about... We will continue to fragment in this manner, because solipsism holds all the cards at present"

- Lester Bangs, 1977

tvmojoe.bsky.social•116 days ago

Me right now, but the sign reads “Facts.”

ms826.bsky.social•116 days ago

Yeah I don’t understand the argument that the Oscars are irrelevant when it’s still the highest rated non-sports/political program of the year. If it’s irrelevant then pretty much everything on tv is irrelevant.

kathmschmidt.bsky.social•116 days ago

The equivalent to this in book publishing is the National Book Awards.

justinfb.bsky.social•116 days ago

Yes! People also always say they should be more like the Grammys but the oscars typically get better rating than the Grammys…

kenalleman.bsky.social•116 days ago

they* don't honor movies** real people*** see****

* I don't know who I specifically mean by this

** assembly line VFX behemoths

*** me, myself, the designated real person

**** experience chiefly as a months-long advertising campaign that may or may not have a movie at the end of it

vorpalsw0rd.bsky.social•116 days ago

The recognition for making blockbuster movies is $$$

thedeadinterrobang.bsky.social•116 days ago

The USA vs Canada game should be nominated then, since it had the highest viewership of anything ever

andrewpope.bsky.social•116 days ago

Kicking in the door at Michelin and showing them a printout of McDonalds sales figures.

phantosanucca.bsky.social•116 days ago

At best they're out of touch but harmless. At worst they're lame and embarrassing.

Like most 97-year olds.

formerminion.bsky.social•116 days ago

The Oscars are not the People's Choice. They are voted on by the people who have made a career in making films. As one of those people, I say, you don't have to watch. Or pay any attention to what we give awards to.

camipco.bsky.social•116 days ago

That, and also that it's not like people who have made a career in making films don't care about box office success... It's one among many factors.

The ideal best picture winner would be a box office smash musical tribute to Hollywood about an actor who becomes a director...

formerminion.bsky.social•116 days ago

If only it were as simple as great script=great movie. Or you could figure out how to make that true! Just too many variables from script to screen.

thekennymiles.bsky.social•116 days ago

When Stephen King claimed that no one watched the Oscar nominees during the BARBENHEIMER year, I tuned out that criticism. You just can't win with some people.

thisaintright.bsky.social•116 days ago

Yeah, where’s Rambo XXIV?!?

gibbsmoryss.bsky.social•116 days ago

The one thing I'm bummed about regarding the nominations is that Denzel Washington didn't get a nod for his role in Gladiator II. I didn't see most of the nominated movies, but his performance (aside from his usual excellence) was a true highlight of that one.

eschinderman.bsky.social•116 days ago

I just wish they showed comedians respect and nominated, comedies, and comic performances because making people laugh is just as hard as making people cry.

eman41.bsky.social•116 days ago

some of the nominees weren’t available to see in our area until very recently (special screenings). That’s not the Academy’s fault though

I’ve enjoyed all of them a lot!

cameronbossert.bsky.social•116 days ago

One year they’re out of touch, the next year they’re not giving “hidden gems” a chance

mariaaragon64.bsky.social•115 days ago

I'm rooting for Conclave. Excellent film.

actnsang192.bsky.social•116 days ago

📌

tomprezelski.bsky.social•116 days ago

These people probably think that Kevin Sorbo's Oscar snub is proof that there is some kind of conspiracy by the man to keep mediocrity down.

kayg23451.bsky.social•116 days ago

Oscars celebrate celebrity and mediocrity as evidenced in the typically forgettable Oscar win for Emma Stone in the forgettable LaLaLand when the world’s greatest actor, Isabelle Huppert, should have won and should win for every one of her performances. Oscars are a sham.

game6metsfan.bsky.social•116 days ago

People don't understand that these awards are for artistic achievement, not popularity.

lorlolauren.bsky.social•116 days ago

It’s the pathetically insecure anti-woke/anti-intellectual incels. Ignore them.

watermia.bsky.social•116 days ago

one reason they're irrelevant is because apparently a lot of Oscar voters don't watch the films they're voting on

moxy.bsky.social•116 days ago

The disconnect between critics or industry professionals and the general public feels natural as the way you relate to film is just different. You see more things and know more about them. Stuff that's different is refreshing to a larger degree because patterns are more conspicuous

moxy.bsky.social•116 days ago

There's obviously room to criticize pretention, but so many trends in the medium originated in movies most people didn't see at the time. Like better to identify what's bringing the medium to exciting places and Nickel Boys definitely did that more than Deadpool and Wolverine

amymormino.bsky.social•116 days ago

There was the interesting case of Emilia Perez this year which industry pros clearly loved but the public just as obviously hated once it became more widely seen (and critics were mixed on it). Even without the Gascón fiasco, that probably finished the film’s big Oscar hopes.

moxy.bsky.social•116 days ago

Definitely not saying they get it right all (or even most) of the time just that the difference makes sense. Tho that one's also weird with the audience. There are vocal detractors, but the audience I saw it with mostly loved it. Letterboxd rating used to be high 2 for some reason

amymormino.bsky.social•116 days ago

I suspect it plays a lot better with an audience and most have seen it via streaming as Netflix bought it.

claude-mcdonald.bsky.social•116 days ago

I would be happier if they went back to the Oscar ceremony being a lunch with members of the film industry and no cameras.

samwell-slughorn.bsky.social•116 days ago

Or you could just choose to not watch.

chakramaven.bsky.social•116 days ago

With everything going on right now, I believe the Oscars is the last thing we would we should be concerned with. Over $200k in swag? When people are losing their jobs left and right? We need to get our priorities straight.

thirdeyeerisian.bsky.social•116 days ago

It's not like the Oscars have ever *really* been about skill or craft.

snark66.bsky.social•116 days ago

And they have a very narrow definition of real.

lancerichardson.bsky.social•116 days ago

Oppenheimer won Best Picture just last year! The shortness of their memories.

capcircatala.bsky.social•116 days ago

Who are the 'real people'?

amymormino.bsky.social•116 days ago

Oscar viewers routinely seem to know which films are likely to win big awards and Dune 2 and Wicked won’t. Picture and Director routinely go to little-seen films though Oppenheimer was admittedly an exception last year.

loren-christiansen.bsky.social•115 days ago

If you loved Dune: Part 2, I bet you'd also enjoy my filmmaker breakdown for the film. Plus, I also have one for Wicked on my channel too.

travexas.bsky.social•116 days ago

Lifetime movies shut out again.

williamstaab.bsky.social•116 days ago

Maybe that's why Oscar's are chosen by people in the industry that recognize excellence. Not rubes from the trailer park that love WWF wrestling and reruns of Jerry Springer.

wordstock.bsky.social•116 days ago

I'm old enough to remember
when the Oscars honored achievement
regardless of box office reception.

samwell-slughorn.bsky.social•116 days ago

That’s what is does now and that’s what people seem to be criticizing, that the nomination list isnt dominated by box office winners like it was back in then 70s/80s/90s.

wordstock.bsky.social•116 days ago

Yeah, I'm thinking about the '60s.

"A Man for All Seasons" comes to mind.

jpratt.bsky.social•116 days ago

“Sing Sing” = Best of All
My subjective opinion.

jacobmendelsohn.bsky.social•116 days ago

One benefit of having a wide field is that films like I'm Still Here (which I, who consider himself a pretty devout cinephile, hadn't even heard of until it was nominated) get more play and maybe some, ahem, real people watch them, and maybe we become a richer society for it.

kevidently.bsky.social•116 days ago

I agree with all of this. And look: blockbusters have ALWAYS been nominated for Oscars. Jaws. Star Wars. Barbie. Oppenheimer won last years. And often, these are rated on a scale. Black Panther and Toy Story 3 are popcorn movies, but they represent the best in their class and got Best Pic noms.

dirtyboy69.bsky.social•116 days ago

Nope, the Oscars are irrelevant because people generally speaking don't care that much about awards anymore. So they lost a huge chunk off their marketing value.

chandee.bsky.social•115 days ago

I just don't trust the judgement of the Academy right now. the top nominee being Emilia Pèrez speaks to the cultural bubble that Hollywood lives in, where a dark-musical-mexican/trans-stereotype mrs. doubtfire deserves 13 nominations. Unoriginal and offensive to transfolk, mexicans, and theatre kids

endingismeaning.bsky.social•116 days ago

The "movies real people see" and it's like Sonic 3

frau-loren.bsky.social•115 days ago

One thing. With more and more theaters closing, tickets getting more expensive by the minute, streaming services dominating, there might well be an increasing divide between what "people" are seeing and talking about in a year and what Oscar voters are very privileged to get their hands on.

gvnmcly.bsky.social•116 days ago

The American film industry has been dead for decades now.

quodnomenmihiest.bsky.social•116 days ago

The "Oscars are irrelevant" crowd is part of the propaganda machine that spreads slurry in order to brainwash the lemmings into hoorahing for the death of funding to the arts.

zuzuspetalsmi.bsky.social•116 days ago

I want the Best Picture to actually be a really, really good picture. It's debatable if the best picture category actually gets it right (it often doesn't with hindsight), but I'll be damned if we start picking movies like we pick Presidents. 😉

nancymwade-author.bsky.social•116 days ago

I don't understand the idea of movies real people see... most movies being played in my local theater are all animated. How about making movies with real people for real people to see? I'm tired of the "kiddie" films. Aren't there any writers and producers in Hollywood who create films for adults?

fabioleal.bsky.social•116 days ago

Got very disappointed today listening to The Town podcast as the host and the guest kept complaining about the international voters and that implying that the Academy shouldn’t have invited them. As Trumpian as a discourse can be.

zugernat.bsky.social•116 days ago

I’d say they’re irrelevant because of the lack of correlation between what they vote best and what’s actually best. I mean just go down their list of best pictures vs. what was released that year. Sure they get it right sometimes. Sometimes is not a very good success rate.

justmelodie.bsky.social•116 days ago

🎯🎯🎯

vincent2023.bsky.social•116 days ago

The Academy Awards is one of those wonderful things in entertainment in which the audience is legitimately irrelevant. That’s what makes it great. It’s an industry award, amongst those who know what they’re talking about.

aduralde.bsky.social•116 days ago

Another reason the Oscars aren’t the rating juggernaut they used to be was that there was a time you would almost never see movie stars on your TV, and now they’re always around.

oregongrown.bsky.social•116 days ago

Maybe just make movies and make money and quit thinking about awards. A good sports team puts it aside and it's time for the film industry to do that as well.

cantaffordeggs.bsky.social•116 days ago

Trump and Dancing Elon are just upset they were not nominated - Truly these two can pull such an incredible show that the sanest of Americans got caught in their theatrics and put them in our White Houde

diz-nic.bsky.social•116 days ago

Curious: if “real people” are not watching movies, then who is? Animatrons? AI-generated “people?”

diz-nic.bsky.social•116 days ago

If someone is going to take the time and effort to write an essay, it would be nice if they would do it with clarity. Otherwise, it results in being fodder for rants.

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