The Fun Oscars

It has been refreshing to see all the chatter around this year’s Oscars because it’s been really positively received.

The first big reason for bringing a fun vibe to it all was the fact that the front-runner for Best Picture and many other top awards was a movie (Oppenheimer) that was seen by a wide swath of the country.

It was also one half of a cultural phenomenon (Barbie obviously being the dance partner with its own handful of nominations) and when that happens, people tune in.

Because of the simple fact that they’ve seen it, they’re along for the ride with skin in the game. They’re able to care and feel included in the chatter and buzz since they have opinions on the merits of the film(s) themselves and the outcomes of the awards. (Industry-insider politicking aside).

The challenge, over the past decade plus, is that many more art house and independent films are what grabs the attention of critics and die-hard movie fans. But the general audiences are left out of that conversation because these movies don’t register with them, mostly because they haven’t seen them.

This is the problem for the Oscars and the harbinger of its seemingly continued existential crisis of cultural relevance. It wants to be the arbiter of the best in film throughout the industry from a given year, AND an entertaining show with cultural prominence that scores of people tune in to watch and discuss.

Recently, those dueling priorities clashed, leading to a downturn in viewership and attention. Which is something that has everyone wringing their hands about, but the fact is that the most interesting films are not mainstream anymore. And this has been the case for the past 20 plus years.

It’s a tough nut to crack because it can be a virtuous cycle or vicious cycle, but the reality is that people tune in for things they recognize and are familiar with. As our culture has at once balkanized yet conversely commodified (streaming strikes again!), it is a challenge for any film to break through on a mass scale.

But every so often you get these intentions to sync up, and you have a piqued interest. This was one of those years.

Fortunately, the show masters, including Jimmy Kimmel and the Producing team, touched on a great balance of charm, sentiment, and modesty that equaled fun.

So I’ll take the win, pause all the constant doom and gloom chatter about every part of the industry, and enjoy the celebration of movies and their continued cultural impact.

Now I need to go catch up on Poor Things.