Why the Academy Awards still matter to society
In the world of superheroes and smash hits, why should the average person care about glitzy award shows that celebrate unseen films and applaud flawed individuals?
Because these films are pieces of art that encapsulate a single moment of our history. Even though the films nominated might take place in the past, in the future or in another world – they all highlight an important issue in today’s society.
Art is a visual commentary on human issues, and since the beginning of humanity people have acknowledged and appreciated it. While defining art is simple, the question of “what is art” seems to be a more controversial question. Paintings, sculptures and photographs are art, but so is film. Whenever these artists are celebrated, their commentary is honored as well.
The Oscars are important because it is a platform for artists to get their message out into the world, and it also allows for their work to be recognized by their peers. Some films are created for monetary reasons, some are designed to entertain but others are created for the story they tell.
The Oscars help highlight topics for the public to think about. These differ every season, but typically, the films nominated discuss topics relevant to society at the time. The nominees for Best Picture this year deal with government coverups, horrifying racism, police ineptitude, self-discovery, British wartime and isolation. In a time where everyone is telling individuals what they need to do, films show people why they should or should not do it.
Oscar-nominated films typically gross less than blockbusters. The 2017 Best Picture winner, “Moonlight,” only grossed $27.8 million in the United States and Canada which is far from the $408.1 million “Captain America: Civil War” grossed in the same market. By nominating lesser-known films, the Oscars encourage people to watch a wider range of films so they can expand their view of the world’s issues.
This year, the Academy says “Get Out” matters because the idea of race and racial relations needs to be discussed by audiences. With “The Post,” the Academy is reminding people of the importance of a time where the media acted as a check on the government. By starting a conversation on Greta Gerwig’s nominations for “Lady Bird’s” director and screenwriter, the Academy is able to bring up the topic of the female voice in film.
While these films take place in real and fictional worlds or in a different time, the themes they carry apply to today. Every aspect behind a film makes an impact. The director instructs the actors on how to bring the screenwriter’s story to life. The sound mixer works with the composer and the cinematographer to illustrate the story’s important moments. The costume director stitches a story into a dress that contrasts the room the set director designed. The producer arranges production schedules and financing to make sure the story becomes a film.
Some people might think the Oscars is just a high-brow event for America’s elite, but it is much more than that. The people who make films today are vocal, and they always have something to say about America’s current state of affairs. Whether what they are saying is something political, social or personal, they are always saying something with their art. Following this logic, their work would be just as loud as they are.
It is true superhero films or other blockbusters are not as welcomed when the Oscar nominations come out – but do they need to be? Millions of people see blockbuster films. There is a high chance people already know the message, so nominated blockbuster films have to tell their story in a new way. Films like X-Men’s “Logan,” are able to do this despite being a superhero blockbuster film.
Superheroes have been around since the 1930s, people know these characters and these stories. While the film may be nominated for its score, costumes or visual effects, with the exception of “Logan” which is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, they have never been nominated for one of the Big Five. For superhero films to be nominated, they have to have something more to say than just good versus evil. When these films start to evolve, their recognition will as well.
Without award shows like the Academy Awards, very few people would have known about “The Shape of Water” or the meaning behind it. The Oscars celebrates films that speak to society’s need to evolve, to discuss the problems within America’s culture and to celebrate the successes. If art imitates life, then films reflect the society that created it. The Academy Awards still matter because society needs it to.
