Another Oscar Sunday has come and gone and year after year, I sit with the same questions. We’ve all been there, sitting through the glitzy, high-pressure spectacle of the Academy Awards (the Oscars), eagerly awaiting the results, trying to predict who will take home the golden statue. For years, the Oscars have been the ultimate measure of success in film, a night where everyone gets dolled up, takes their turn on the red carpet, and for some, their one shining moment in the spotlight. But lately, it’s feeling like we might be watching a relic in slow decline. So, what’s going on? Are the Oscars aging out? Are they even still relevant? And, let’s be real, are they just becoming a mirror reflecting outdated, problematic views of what’s valuable in film?
The Oscars: Stuck in a Time Warp?
Let’s be honest for a second: the Oscars haven’t always been a beacon of progress. As much as they like to parade their star-studded guest lists and show off their diverse red carpets, there’s a lingering issue that refuses to go away—the overwhelming whiteness of it all for example (we’ve been talking about this since 2020). For decades, the Academy has been criticized for excluding people of colour, both in terms of nominees and winners. Sure, there have been efforts to diversify, but the real question is whether these are just surface-level fixes to a much deeper issue.
Remember when Parasite (a South Korean film) made history in 2020 by winning Best Picture? That was a big deal, and it was refreshing. But it also feels like a rare exception in a history where the Oscars have largely been dominated by white Hollywood. It’s easy to celebrate the diversity wins when they feel like “one-offs,” but it’s harder to ignore the fact that even now, we’re still grappling with the systemic barriers in the entertainment industry.
Even the #OscarsSoWhite movement, which made headlines in 2015, highlighted a pattern of exclusion that continues to echo through the years. And while the Academy has since made some attempts at reforming its voting bodies to increase diversity, it’s tough to ignore that the push for inclusivity often feels like a Band-Aid on a much bigger wound.
Political Controversies and the Oscars: A Hall of Mirrors
The Oscars have always been a place for glamour, but they’ve also become a lightning rod for political controversies. The stage has seen a fair share of impassioned speeches, some moving, some divisive, but all raising questions about the role of politics in art. Whether it’s debates on climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, or race relations, the Oscars have served as a backdrop for what feels like a crossfire between celebrities and political ideologies.
But here’s the thing: should the Oscars even be the place for such discourse? On one hand, we can’t ignore the influence that film and media have on culture, so it makes sense that big events like the Oscars should reflect the world we live in. On the other, it feels like the show has become a platform for personal agendas more than a genuine celebration of the artistry of filmmaking. Every year we hear about “politically charged” speeches, and there’s always some drama surrounding who said what and how the audience reacts.
It raises the question: Are these shows about art and creativity, or are they just a giant political stage? And, more critically, should we even be looking to award shows like the Oscars to set the cultural agenda?
The Bigger Picture: Do We Even Need Award Shows?
And here’s the real kicker: Do we even need the Oscars anymore? With the way film, TV, and entertainment are evolving in the age of streaming, digital platforms, and social media, the traditional model of awards shows feels increasingly outdated. The Oscars represent a kind of elitism, where the opinions of a select group of voters (who often don’t represent the broader population) determine who is deemed worthy of recognition. In a world where audiences are more diverse and more vocal than ever, it seems increasingly disconnected to have these few “gatekeepers” decide who wins.
Let’s not forget, this is a multi-million-dollar business, and award shows like the Oscars are there to keep Hollywood’s machine running smoothly. They drum up publicity, drive box office sales, and keep the brand of Hollywood as the “gold standard” of cinema alive. But when we live in a world of viral content, social media influencers, and YouTube stars who are getting just as much attention (if not more), the idea of a few select judges deciding who deserves praise just feels… a bit archaic, don’t you think?
Should We Just End the Oscars?
So, maybe it’s time to ask the big question: Should award shows be a thing of the past? I mean, the very concept of awarding people for doing their jobs feels strange when you think about it. Aren’t artists supposed to create freely without chasing a statue? Aren’t we all supposed to celebrate art for what it is, not because of some arbitrary judgment?
While it’s true that awards can bring attention to films, help lesser-known movies get the spotlight, and give actors a chance to raise their voices, there’s no denying that the Oscars and other award shows are starting to look a little out of touch with the world we live in. The idea of celebrating one “best” film or actor out of the entire pool of creativity just doesn’t seem to line up with the diversity of voices and experiences that we’re witnessing today.
Maybe it’s time we let go of the idea that an award is the only way to measure value in art. There are countless films, actors, and creators who don’t win awards but have a lasting impact, who shape culture without stepping foot in the spotlight of a red carpet. If anything, maybe we should be celebrating these moments in different ways, moving away from the glitzy pageantry and acknowledging that art, in all its forms, deserves to be experienced, not just awarded.
Wrapping Up
The Academy Awards, for all their glamour, are struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world. Their legacy is clouded by a history of exclusion, political controversies, and an industry that’s evolving faster than they can keep up. It’s worth questioning whether award shows should even have a place in modern culture. If the Oscars are starting to feel like an outdated symbol of a bygone era, it’s time to ask: do we really need them, or is it time to let this tradition go, gracefully, into the past?
Featured Image by Ben Hershey on Unsplash
