Awards outdated, futile

The oversaturation of white actors getting recognized is a side-effect of a flawed industry. For the past two years, only caucasian actors have been nominated for the four big categories of the Academy, with all 20 acting nominees being white. All-white nominee lists had not occurred since the 1996 Academies.

 
This year’s list of Oscar nominees did not include the successful performances in the movies “Creed” and “Straight Outta Compton, though both were box offices hits that made more than $100 million. Furthermore, the list excludes prominent actors of color in 2015 films including Idris Elba, Samuel L. Jackson and Will Smith.

 
In an already biased business, it is albeit difficult to reward distinguished minority actors, as they are limited in numbers. Perhaps the solution is not face-saving to give more awards to colored actors to assuage the diverse consumer base, but perhaps (shocking!), to cast more diverse roles.

 
Furthermore, every awards season, consumers look forward to see who will be chosen as the best of the best in the film business. For an industry that makes a living by putting people in the spotlight, there are a plethora of subsequent ceremonies and accolades for these films and actors.

 
From the Oscars to the Golden Globes, too many vague awards exist. The Razzies, an institute dedicated solely mocking the worst films and performances of the year. Isn’t it all just a little too much?

 
It’s not like people are going to the theaters to watch flicks that often. The average American sees approximately five movies a year at the theatre, according to a 2014 Harris poll. Those films are usually the same five movies everyone else is watching. If everyone is just seeing the same films, why would we need to give out countless awards to movies no one has even seen?

 
Award season is just a self-congratulatory period where a narcissistic industry gives out prizes to people who already have inflated egos. Some films are even specifically created as Oscar-bait to gain the prestige associated with the award, stripping them of any creative intention.

 
The template for the majority of award-winning films is quite simple. It’s the same formula directors have been milking for decades.

 
Movies like these almost always stay within a certain mold. For example, biopics telling tales of some event in history, released near the end of the year so it can qualify for a nomination. It must be directed by someone with previous awards. Slap on some mildly violent or sexual scenes to win that R rating and voila, you got yourself an almost surefire way to win that nomination.