Why I Won't Be Watching the Oscars

The Oscars are happening this weekend.  Many right now will be waiting in anticipation in hopes that their favorite film of the year will win best picture.  Others will take to their computer screens to whine about the race of the contenders.  So there will be a wide range of reactions to the ceremony.  Mine, however, will be very simple: I won't be watching because I have a billion better things to do with my life.

Honestly, I haven't cared about the Oscars since 2013 when Michelle Obama introduced the best film.  It didn't bug me because of my historic distaste of the Obamas, but because it got me to question how pretentious the whole thing seemed.  Why was the spouse of a major world superpower’s leader being called in to read off the choice of best film selected by a bunch of random people I've never met?  Also, they didn't even bother to have her there in person so it came across as insane self-promotion for the Oscars just to feed their ego.  Starting with those two thoughts, I just came to view the event as pointless.

So really, the first reason is that I have no connection to the choosing process.  There's only one film that is a contender for Best Picture that I have interest in, but even that wasn't my favorite film this year.  That's really a problem then because I can't really call something the "Best Picture" if I don't actually like it.  I have no control over the Oscar voters or which picture gets selected, so the results to me are meaningless.  Therefore, the award is pointless.

The second problem is that it doesn't change the film.  I have never watched a film solely because the Oscars said it was good.  I did see Godfather, but only because my parents said it was a great film.  I intend to watch Birdman one day, but only because a friend of mine really loves it.  Meanwhile, I went to see Brooklyn last year and hated it so much that I left early.  A film is good or bad to me regardless of what the Oscars say.

The third is that there is a lot of corruption at the Oscars.  Adam Conover of Adam Ruins Everything did a special on the behind the scenes campaigns.  Essentially, the film studios send gifts to the electors or invite them to celebrity parties to win their votes.  So really, the best film isn't the one selected, but the one that pays the most.  That's just slimy.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not happy when a movie I like gets nominated or wins.  It's always nice when something you like get recognized.  However, at the end of the day it's just an award for the shelf.  It doesn't really change taste or interest.  That's why I'll probably be reading Sunday night.