The Oscar: Meaningful Accolade or Moviegoer Insult

Moviegoers care less and less about the Oscars, which have become no more than a run-way fashion show than meaningful movie tribute.

The public just doesn't care about the Oscars and I'm one of them. Why? Because the Oscars are an inside Hollywood game and have nothing to do with films that people go to the cinema to view.  The Oscars are about insider prestige, vanity, and phony tribute to the 'art form' of moviemaking.

Hollywood thrives on money - period! Yet at Oscar time, the money driven tinsel-town folks would have us believe that, miraculously, money is not an issue and vote for the most insipid, message movies they can muster and this year the mustering had slim-pick'ns.  Movies that shouldn't get a passing nod were bestowed with huge gobs of fanfare and awe. "Birdman" and "Grand Budapest Hotel" each got nine nominations - are you kidding me! And don't get me started on Streep. She turns up every year like a bad penny or perennial weed, this year for her 19th nomination. What the hell do they take us for - zombies.

The Academy is essentially made up of grumpy old men (94% men, average age - 62) who seemingly have no clue as to what is best to view on the big screen. In short, the Oscars have become an insult to the moviegoer.  All eight of the nominated Best Pictures (at nomination time) had grossed a paltry $203 million vs. even last year when the nominees were at $649 million. Hardly anyone viewed this year's crop of Best Pictures and don't care about viewing them even after their nominations.

The current President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs says "the Academy needs more diversity". After the nominees were announced she stated further,"obviously reflects a lack of diversity in Oscar voters as well as in films generally".  But Isaacs is speaking to the make-up of the Academy and not diversity in film selection, as we are.
However, she can start making changes by changing the name of this group. An Academy is a place of higher learning that promotes a set of standards - not the 7,000 member strong Academy hoi poloi that is referred to as 'the industry's shakers and movers'.

Harris to emcee Oscars

Get serious. Hollywood is anything but a brotherhood of fair and free-thinking compatriots. Gentile and artistic minded folks hell bent on preserving film's historic and artistic milieu. Nonsense.
The best movies are the ones that make the most money, that people go to the cinema to view and be entertained by. They have the biggest budgets, best actors, scripts, effects, sound, direction and right now (at this moment in history) it's the high-impact, action films that dominate the cinema - like it or not.  Right now, it is not the throw-back, weak-storied dramas that have zero impact and are viewed only by a few in the pseudo-intellectual crowd, who fancy themselves 'cinema buffs' or (God forbid) 'aficionados'.

The Oscars have become a 'bore', a meaningless relic, with no connection with today's moviegoer and unworthy of our attention. The Oscars only redeeming value is the pre-show run-way where Hollywood's glam-gals strut with borrowed gowns and jewelry and become our very own Cinderellas for the evening.

The Oscar Awards will take place on February 22nd starting at 7pm EST and be hosted by Neil Patrick (Doogie Howser) Harris.  The Academy can't even get a big name to host the event. No chance of getting the likes of a Hope, Carson, Crystal, or Leno.

Just saying,
Jim