Andrew Robinson
Earlier this month, the Academy announced a flurry of changes that will be made to the Oscars in lieu of the decline in ratings that the awards show has had in the last few years. The changes, which will include the addition of a “popular films” category that includes box office giants (effective for the very next Oscars, which take place on February 24th, 2019), have been met with considerable backlash from fans, as many (myself included) believe that the changes are a cheap way for ABC and the Academy to try to grab more viewers for the awards show (which it is). The addition of a “popular films” category also seems like a way for Disney-owned film franchises (Marvel, Star Wars, etc.) to get both Oscar nominations and wins – since Disney also owns ABC, these changes will likely result in huge financial and acclaim-based gains for the company, which seems a tad fishy to outsiders.
So, what do the changes to the Oscars mean for movie-lovers?
1. The Academy is desperate
First and foremost, the changes indicate one thing: the Academy is extremely worried about its relevancy in 2018. Perhaps it’s decline is due to the movies it tends to recognize being smaller, lesser-known films. Perhaps it’s because many of its members are unwilling to even consider recognizing certain films of specific genres, judging them without even watching them. Perhaps it’s due to the lack of diversity (although the Academy is taking steps to better itself in this regard). Maybe it’s due to a mixture of all three. Regardless of the specific reasoning, the fact that the Academy (and ABC) saw it necessary to add more awards and shorten the length of the broadcast (they will do this by giving out some awards during commercial breaks) indicates that the Academy is desperate to retain its relevancy in 2018, and is worried that it’s losing some importance in today’s society. This should tell movie-lovers that the Academy is entering a major reconstruction era, and is looking to stay relevant in today’s society, largely by giving fan-favorites more Oscars (and nominations) that the films may deserve.
2. Prepare for some weird Oscar choices
It’s bad enough that Suicide Squad has an Oscar in its trophy case (Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling). Now, films such as Suicide Squad, which may make a ton of money at the box office, but most agree are average films at best, will have an opportunity to get nominated in the “popular films” category. As someone who admittedly cares too much about award shows and the best films getting recognized, this bothers me a great deal – it just feels like such a sell-out. How’s it going to feel when we look back in 40 years and see that Suicide Squad 2 (which recently had its filming delayed), or a similarly mediocre box office hit, won more Oscars than Eighth Grade, BlacKkKlansman, or a similarly culturally-relevant, outstanding film? I know that I won’t be too happy.
Regardless of your opinions on the matter, prepare to see films that you never thought would sniff the Oscars get nominated, and possibly win.
3. Great movies that are also box office hits will get screwed
Another thing that some fans are worried about is that great movies that should achieve Oscar acclaim without the “popular films” category will instead be snubbed from Best Picture/Actor/Actress, etc., and placed in that “popular films” category. A good example of this is Black Panther, which is a film that took the United States by storm, and is deserving of garnering a Best Picture nomination. However, with the new additions to the awards, Black Panther, a superhero film, is a lock for getting a nomination in the “popular films” category, and has a decent chance to win (though Avengers: Infinity War may have something to say about that). Since Black Panther will almost definitely get a nomination in the “popular films” category, the Academy may hesitate to give it a Best Picture nomination, even though it is deserving of such acclaim. This will likely affect many box office successes in the future, and could also result in the Best Picture nominations becoming even more obscure to the average movie fan (example: would Get Out have gotten a Best Picture nomination if the “popular films” category was in existence last year? We don’t know for sure, but it’s chances would have likely dwindled considerably).
All things considered, the changes made to the Oscars seems to be a last-ditch attempt to regain popularity for the Academy, and benefit Disney, both through ABC’s ratings for the actual telecast, and by giving Disney films more Oscar-buzz. I, for one, am disappointed in the changes, and foresee some massive effects across the industry.
