The Oscars are known for their idiosyncratic behavior, whether it may be nominating a kid alongside Meryl Streep for best actress or giving an award for a role lasting two minutes. Being the longest standing award ceremony, the legacy of Oscars is what saves it from these minor pitfalls and continues to attract millions to watch the show.
Lately Oscars has been reaching out to people more than ever before and its stage is being used to do things more than recognize notable contributions to cinema. With Michelle Obama presenting an award for best movie yesteryear, ’12 Years A Slave’ winning the award for best picture which digs deeper into an overly exploited genre (no offense intended) and Daniel Day-Lewis winning the best actor award for playing a 150 year old American civil war hero Mr. Abraham Lincoln (with all due respect) pointing to one thing – the American Dream of equality, opportunity and recognition. Promoting all this rather than new concepts like that of the movie ‘Her’ which adds a new dimension to the very fabric of human existence or the movie ‘Gravity’ which redefines the human will from an entirely new perspective is demeaning to the power and effect of the show on people.
Coming to the point on how the show being run, there was a time when Hugh Jackman as a host did an opening number with a bunch of dancers and a few cardboard pieces. And to see a selfie being taken in the middle of the show while blatantly ignoring the majority of the crowd in the room was pretty disappointing. The producers took a safe bet appointing Ellen Degeneres as the host after making a dismal choice with Seth MacFarlane last year in trying to reach to a younger demographic. Hopefully, Billy Crystal would return next year and remind us the magic of movies.
Sometimes when things are kept small enough trusting a few people who know how to run a show and doing things in a classical manner while maintaining its integrity it works out for the best. It sets a stage for aspiring directors,producers,actors and puts into perspective the kind of work they have to do to be in the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars are presented.