Fandango’s Provocative Question #214

So what about those Oscars, eh? They have become increasingly irrelevant to many of us, especially since many of us haven’t seen any of the movies up for awards — and the ones we saw and liked are never nominated.

Here’s the question:

Do you think that the metrics the Academy Awards will start applying in 2024 regarding composition of at least 30% of the cast and crew by under-represented groups in order for a film to even qualify for a Best Picture Oscar nomination is appropriate? Or, do you share Richard Dreyfuss’ opinion that because filmmaking is an art form, imposing such criteria in order for a film to even be considered for an Oscar is inappropriate?

Inappropriate? A stronger word should be applied!

We used to really enjoy the Oscars. Of course, those were days when we went to the movies and the movies that were nominated were acted by people we recognized. Sure there were newcomers, but rarely did we see movies where we didn’t know a single actor or the director or anyone. Nor were the winners always movies so serious I wouldn’t voluntarily go to see them anyway.

Last year, we watched a piece of the Oscars, having forgotten they were on until they were half over. That would not have happened even even five years ago. Now? Assuming we’ve actually seen any of the movies that have been nominated, we rarely know any of the actors. The subjects tend to be grim, grimmer and grimmest. It would seem that a movie with humor or wit is automatically not considered worthy of nomination, much less election.

The idea of making that kind of rigidity mandatory for all movies is absurd and embarrassing to any movie lover. Is this going to be enforced for all the arts? Will painters and photographers be required to make sure that if they do portraits, at least 30% of them are of non-white subjects? Seriously?

As we march backward towards autocracy and right-wing religious control over our bodies and beliefs, let’s not forget the left-wingers who are determined to make us into whatever their version of “righteous” is.

I hate being controlled. It’s why I was so unsuited to working in a corporate environment. I didn’t like them and they didn’t like me.

I am tired of people trying to control me. I’m tired of everyone thinking “freedom of speech” means freedom to say what they believe I should say. I am tired of being told I will have to drive an electric car when I don’t want and couldn’t afford one. I’m tired of a country that’s supposed to be a beacon of freedom and democracy becoming a sump of corruption and division. I’m sure the only reason we get away with blogging is because no one is paying attention.

I don’t know what has happened to this country, this world. I don’t know if it will get better or worse or if there will even be a world in which humans can survive. With the way things are going, I’m not sure it matters. Do we deserve a world?

Categories: #FPQ, Bureacracy, corruption, film, Movies, old movies, Provocative Questions, Word Prompt

Tags: #FPQ, awards, Fandango's Provocative Questions, films, Marilyn Armstrong, Movies, oscars