The Oscars Make Reluctant Change

Finally!

If you follow my blog I Am Geek then you know I have been very open with the fact that I’m an avid award shows junkie. I can’t get enough of them. Over time, I find that I get more excited for shows that involve television shows, i.e. The Emmys (my jaaaaaaaaam) or the Golden Globes, but that doesn’t mean I turn away from the Oscars. Not at all. It’s the Super Bowl of awards season. That’s what we’re driving for Geeklings, and I’m there for the entire broadcast. The banter between presenters, the upset wins, the predictable wins, the openings, and most importantly the winning speeches. Every time I watch an award show I listen to these victors and I find inspiration. I know it sounds cliché and borderline cheesy but it’s true. There’s that constant thought of, “why can’t that be me one day”, and that’s a thought that drives me quite often.

Why not? A question for another day I suppose.

I know that my love for award shows is kind of an anomaly. Not everyone feels the same way as I do. Some people just don’t care about awards for television and movies (*gasp*) while others find the shows bloated and too long. Why watch the whole thing when you can just go to Twitter and find out who won in the morning. Yet above all that I feel that a number of people don’t watch because they feel no connection to the show. This is mostly focused towards the Oscars as the Emmys have done a tremendous job of including all types of programming whereas the Oscars seem to constantly omit comedies, science fiction, horror and superhero movies. Which usually results in the omission of many of the biggest movies of the year leading to a major downside in viewership. The complaint you hear the most come awards season is, “why would I watch, I don’t know any of these movies”. It’s almost like the Oscars is making some sort of highbrow commentary on the movies that the mass public enjoys. Not a good way to get viewership.

Things are about to change though. As of today, the Oscars have added an “Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film” award, and while the title may need a bit of work it’s a category that is long overdo. Granted the title still keeps these films at arm’s length as if the Academy is worried that they’ll rub off on the “prestigious” films nominated for the real categories, but a win is a win. We finally have a spot in the biggest awards show in the world for the movies we love. A spot that could have seen the Dark Knight win ten years ago or could have made a Star Wars film an Oscar winner, and a spot where Black Panther, Avengers Infinity War, and maybe A Quiet Place can duke it out this year.

Now I’m sure there will be a number of award show purists who will frown at this announcements. I’m talking about the highbrow crowd who roll their eyes at the idea of including a movie that can breach popular culture. But this award isn’t for them, this award is for us. Or maybe for you considering I’m watching regardless. This award is to bring in the people who enjoy the inclusive/relaxed nature of the Golden Globes, a show willing to nominate the films the Academy ignores. This legitimately feels like the Academy trying to regain touch with its audience, and that’s not a bad thing.

Yes, we’ll still have a number of films that John Q public has “never heard of” but now we can have our Hangovers, Deadpools, Marvel movies, and sleeper blockbusters given a chance to shine. Just think about that for a second, Avengers Infinity War as a legitimate Oscar winner. Suddenly DC’s win for Suicide Squad’s makeup and hair doesn’t sting as much. And who knows what this award could lead to over time. Perhaps maybe this spins off into other awards, it’s criminal how comedies don’t have a category of their own in acting. I know the goal is to not make the show any longer but maybe people wouldn’t mind so much if the awards being presented were in categories they were invested in.

“Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film”… it’s already a win even if the title reeks of nose in the air disdain for having to include popular films. But like Michael Scott said, it’s a win-win-win.

What do you think Geeklings, are you happy to see the Academy finally branching out? What films do you think could get nominated this year? Sound off in the comments. If you’d like to talk more about this or any award show goodness you can find me on the Twitter @iamgeek32. I already can’t wait for that Infinity War “for your consideration” push in 2019.

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