In talking with friends on the subject, our conversations devolve quickly to emotions rather than a discussion on facts and trends. So, this is going to be a logical and discussion on facts and trends. Put away the tissues, wipe the angry tears from your eyes, and put on your thinking caps as we look at Avengers Endgame and The Oscars.
You loved Endgame. Keep loving it.
TL:DR for all you skimmers:
1. Like what you like, watch what you want to watch.
2. The Oscars aren’t what you think they are.
3. There are other awards shows.
First, A Word to The Fans of Endgame
In other words, a word to EVERYONE who saw Avengers Endgame. The movie was fantastic. I haven’t met someone yet who doesn’t like it. If you’re a fan who’s seen the movie multiple times, you already know the replay value will be there for years to come. You voted for more movies like Avengers: Endgame to be made by buying tickets, recommending it to friends, and watching everything Marvel releases each year.
For us, the fans, let’s take a moment to realize that we’ve seen one of the biggest and most ambitious studio moves ever. The fact that Marvel and Disney purchased this former Paramount venture and created a canonized cinematic universe is an amazing feat!
Star Wars has never won Best Picture. Only A New Hope (1977) was nominated for the category. Yet, we have 11 Star Wars films, multiple animated series, and more Star Wars films on the way. Moral of the story? Ticket sales and Academy Awards are usually not synonymous. Endgame already won its “Oscar,” it broke box office records left and right. Buy tickets, get more Marvel.
Keep Loving Endgame
Avengers: Endgame is still your favorite movie, and is still great.
The problem is, Oscar talk can be very patronizing. It can come off as demeaning. Especially if those comments aren’t understood in context of what the Oscars are. We’re still so hard-wired to think when someone says “Endgame is not nominated for Best Picture, and it shouldn’t be,” we get defensive. It’s as if that critic is saying “you’re dumb, what you like is dumb,” but that’s not the case.
You feel like big bad Hollywood is looking down its nose at you. But that’s the wrong attitude. Endgame is a great movie, good fun, and ties up the MCU well. If it’s your favorite film of 2019, then it should stay your favorite film of 2019.
The Oscars Aren’t What You Think They Are
You can’t understand the nature and purpose of the 92nd Oscars if you don’t understand the industry, history, and politics of film. The Oscars are, simply put, an awards ceremony for the industry by the industry. The Academy consists of over 7,000 people who watch and nominate movies for the Oscars.
Who’s in the “Academy” anyway?
We don’t have a list of everyone in the Academy, but we do know who was invited just last July. Here’s a few names you’d recognize:
- Winston Duke – Us, Black Panther – Actor
- Tom Holland – Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Homecoming – Actor
- Letitia Wright – Black Panther, Ready Player One – Actor
- Vanja Černjul – Crazy Rich Asians, Adult Beginners – Cinematographer
- Jonathan M. Chu – Crazy Rich Asians, Now You See Me 2 – Director
- Phil Lord – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, 21 Jump Street
- Christopher Miller – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, 21 Jump Street
- Michael Abels – Us, Get Out – Music
- Alessandro Cioffi – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Thor: Ragnarok – Visual Effects
The Academy is not made up of only paper-pushers and studio execs. It’s not just dusty, decrepit, grumpy old men, yet I guarantee there’s a lot of those. These are folks just getting invited this year. There’s no full list of who’s in the Academy, so we don’t know every single person who votes each year, but you get the jist of who’s getting in.
You’ve Been Lied To: The Oscars Unveiled
We’ve all been fed a lie each year: The Oscars are what matter. There’s the commercials, pop-up ads, articles all across the web, social media blurbs and blogs, and hell, even this very article you’re reading right now, all talking about The Oscars. Fact of the matter is: The Academy doesn’t really care about your opinions.
Art criticism is important because it creates a place for a work of art to mean, irrelevant of market forces.
Elena Martinique, in 2017’s ‘What is the Purpose of Art Criticism Today?‘
Appreciation and value don’t have to be equated with dollar signs. Doesn’t mean movies aren’t seeking to make money, but criticism and praise can outlast and stand apart from the economics. Wonder why The Shape of Water won Best Picture? Or Crash? Or Moonlight? Well, join the crew. It’s less about why and more about what does it mean to The Academy voters.
What The Oscars Mean to the Industry
The Oscars are by the industry, for the industry. We’re watching something that has no bearing on our daily lives, and with no input from us as moviegoers. Yet, for the industry, The Oscars are monumental.
Let’s take an actor. If Adam Driver takes home the Oscar for best performance by actor in a leading role, his career takes a MAJOR leap forward. As an actor, this is the highest award he can receive. If he wins, his salary increases exponentially. Why? For the next film, it’s not just “starring Adam Driver,” it’s “starring Academy Award-winning actor Adam Driver.”
Every role Adam Driver takes after he wins his Oscar (now I’m getting prophetic here), he can negotiate the wage of a SAG union actor who also has an Oscar for Best Actor. This applies to everyone involved on a Best Picture nominee, cinematography nominee, etc.
Let’s look at a good Tweet to make another point.
jake gyllenhaal going back to his indie movies after collecting his mcu check pic.twitter.com/iYK6k6DGfr
— jas 🌠 (@infinitespider) July 3, 2019
Jake starred as the villain in the most recent Spider-man film, and he did a great job. He came, he acted, he collected a fat paycheck, and went back to what he wants to be doing. Artsy, gritty, emotional, smaller-budget films. And why? Because he is an a-c-t-o-r! We sometimes forget that actors love acting for the art of it. Within their profession, it’s more respected to be in the emotional and powerful small films. Oscar-y films. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for box office hits, but most artists want the art. The Oscar stuff.
There Are Other Awards Shows
There are so many more options out there. The problem is, not all are televised on your cable station or through one of your streaming services. As one article pointed out, the “BAFTA or British Academy of Film and Television awards is Britain’s equivalent to the Oscars” and yet you’re not hearing about those winners unless you’re looking through the trade magazines. The WGA (Writer’s Guild of America) awards great writers, the DGA (Director’s Guild of America) awards all things production and directing, SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild) awards actors from other actors. They award their peers. Director Bong Joon-Ho‘s quote is spot on.
He’s kind of a big deal.
The Oscars are massive because the industry values them, studios and networks pump tons of money into the ceremony, then they televise it. Find the awards shows that nominate Endgame and follow those instead. Endgame won for Favorite Movie of 2019 at The People’s Choice Awards. Cast your vote and watch that next year. Golden Globes, The Critic’s Choice Awards, Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards, the Teen’s Choice Awards, BET Awards, Gotham Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and way too many to list. For a full list of awards and major festivals worldwide, click here.
Final Note on The Oscars
I hope it makes more sense and you understand The Oscars better. Do you still love Endgame? Find your brand, find your thing, and enjoy it.
Watch what you like, don’t what you don’t, but be open to other kinds of film too. I’d say broaden your views and see things that challenge you sometimes. I was pleasantly surprised seeing Parasite, loved Dolemite is My Name, John Wick 3 ,and The Irishmen, and that’s okay! Watch The Oscars or don’t, I don’t care. Just Be Excellent to Each Other.
