Today, the buzz is all about last night's Oscar's. I, like a few of my contemporaries (meaning friends in this context. But I view them as cohorts, or partners in crime, or future do-gooder's) did NOT watch the Oscar's. I know what you're thinkin. I can hear it through my computer screen:
"But Alex, the Oscar's are a huge part of pop culture!"
"Allllleexxx, how else are you gonna be informed about the great actors and actresses that dot this fine, green (God forbid it be any other color), Earth?"
"Wow, I thought you kept up with all that stuff? I guess you're just not as news savvy as I had originally thought."
Oh wait.. NO ONE CARES ABOUT THE OSCAR'S!!! and last night proved why. Yeah, I saw Hurt Locker. And yeah, I enjoyed it. And yeah, I think it was praiseworthy. But here's the thing:
In the hierarchy of movie culture, only those people who are superior and OBVIOUSLY skilled in the arts of judging movies make the rules. And that leaves us, those casual movie-goers, those of us who judge a movie on how good we feel about spending the outrageous 10 dollar price tag ($13 for 3-D), those of us who want entertainment to be..well...entertaining, unimportant in regards to the movie awards.
So what I'm saying is, for the 99% of us who the above applies to, we have no say in who wins what award. "Critically acclaimed" translates into boring half the time. When was the last time you saw a movie that changed your life? I mean, really?
And the "movie critics" out there are saying, "Well, if the audiences got to pick the movies that won Best Picture, they'd just choose some big budget, special effect laden, action film with a feel good story!! So that's why we can't let THEM (us) choose!" Oh, you mean we'd choose Avatar? hm, that's weird. It seems like the audience would have been really close on that one, since Avatar was nominated for umpteen academy awards.
Another attack: "Well, audiences can't really judge what is a good performance by an Actor or Actress is." Again, sounds like the audience favorite won best Actress. And hey, its not our fault that audiences don't go out and watch movies that barely make it into production but have so-called INCREDIBLE acting. I wasn't exactly WOW'ED by the Big Labowski. What Makes you think I'm gonna run out and see every Jeff Bridges movie?
And then they scream, "Well, how is an audience supposed to know what is good editing or not?" Well you're right, we probably won't be able to tell you the in's and out's of film editing, but we can tell you a few things: If a film is entertaining and has a good story, I don't think we care that much about the editing.
Ok, ok. I'm done with this. It's just that the Oscar's are everything that people only care about because we're told to care about. Hell, I trust Netflix's top 100 over anything the Academy refers. Why? Oh, because people like you and I are actually watching the movies and rating them on Netflix. I'd say that's as good a reason as any to ignore Oscar night, and just watch some over-priced network programming instead.
Rant over.
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you've inspired me. a future post about this will appear soon on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThe AMPAS is comprised of a bunch of hypocrites. Why? Look at their name, think about that (especially the last letter in that acronym), then look at what was awarded Best Film. I mean, The Hurt Locker was awesome, but how did it advance film making as an art more than Avatar technologically or artistically? Epic fail.
ReplyDeleteThats why I didn't watch the oscars either.
ReplyDelete(notice my tactful typo? good)
They have an award show for dumb fucks like you.. It's called MTV movie awards. Enjoy movies such as twilight sweeping the audience choice awards year after year.
ReplyDeleteI was talking to my significant other, about how interesting it would be, if by some crazy mishap the building where the award show was happening blew up and all of the "Critically acclaimed" directors, actors, and producers all died. What chaos the world would be in, who would make all the movies and what on earth would we do? Its amazing to think how much we rely on them to entertain us.
ReplyDeletewell i didn't watch the but i WOULD have if i had a tv. mostly to see their outfits.
ReplyDelete(Kaitlinnn. Rachel McAdams' dress was GORGEOUS.)
ReplyDelete(Who is this "anonymous" character? Seriously. Alex, did you ever figure this out? If I had random strangers reading my blog, even if he/she were rude and wrong [or possibly sarcastic?], I'd take it as a win that my blog was getting read. Sweet.)
Now, in response to the actual post:
a. You uncultured swine.
b. Miley Cyrus? Presenting at the Oscars? Really? And Zac Efron? You'd think they'd be on the same level as the Farrah Fawcetts who were excluded from the deaths montage even though other quality cinema contributors like Michael Jackson were included.
c. I don't care about the politics and the hierarchies involved with the Academy/their awards-- I don't care that I didn't see very many key figures on the Red Carpet or attending the ceremony. I don't really care that the Oscars do not represent a democratic ideal. For me, the Oscars is the ultimate ceremony that CELEBRATES cinematic achievements of the past year and that honors all the wonderful performances and work that contributed to the art of cinema.
I love the Oscars because of the stories that movies create or discover and share, as well as the stories behind that process. I mean, couldn't you just feel the glow emanating from Gabourey Sidibe for just being there, and Sandra Bullock's speech that honored all unthanked parents of children, no matter whose children they were, and my goodness, allll of those works, the full-lengths and the animateds and the shorts and the music and the costumes-- these people put their souls into their passions, and they've been able to really touch so many people through it, and they're getting recognized for it all.
These people--all the directors and actors and costume designers and editors and everyone involved-- achieved truly great things with the movies they made, and I think they deserve to celebrate them. And I was happy to watch them celebrate and by watching, kind of commend them and celebrate with them too.
dude Amy I don't know who you are but I love you! "You took the words right out of my mouth, PJ." (robin hood. animated version. yeh, I have kids.)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes to Gabourey Sidibe's excitement and her amazing-ness all around. And I totally forgot Sandra Bullocks speech! I'm so glad you mentioned it.
Yes. Alex. Uncultured.