The Academy awards went the Filmfare way when they made a rather eyebrow-raising announcement and introduced a new category called, 'Most Popular Films'. After they made the announcement on Wednesday, little did they expect that they would be critiqued by the Twitterati. Of course, most of the flak directed at the Academy Awards committee had more to say about how it's plain lazy and ham-fisted.
It has been a known fact that the Academy Awards don't consider box office hits as critically aesthetic and artful. The past is a good example of how they snubbed some of the best films from entering the Best Film category that includes WonderWoman (in the recent past) and The Dark Knight.
There was an outrage for not nominating WonderWoman as Best Film considering it was the first female-centric film that broke records and won hearts! Christopher Nolan's iteration of Batman, The Dark Knight received 8 nominations in various categories except Best Film, whereas it is a globally recognized view that the film deserved to be in the Best Film category.
Twitterati is now wondering whether this move has been finalized so as to involve as many box office successes who are also plot-driven. Black Panther is the only film that comes to everyone's mind at the moment. While some have taken straight-up digs at the committee's "lazy work", many are calling it a move to give the Oscars to Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B Jordan starrer Black Panther.
Check out the tweets below:
Change is coming to the #Oscars. Here's what you need to know:
- A new category is being designed around achievement in popular film.
- We've set an earlier airdate for 2020: mark your calendars for February 9.
- We're planning a more globally accessible, three-hour telecast. pic.twitter.com/oKTwjV1Qv9
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) August 8, 2018
i actually think the "Popular Film" oscar category is a good thing. when Deadpool 2 becomes a legitimate Oscar nominee, it'll go a long way toward everyone realizing that all of the awards are completely stupid and meaningless. and thats a good thing
— jack allison (@jackallisonLOL) August 8, 2018
Both of these emanate from the same place: A misguided belief that there is a way to improve ratings for the Oscar show. That comes from deep ignorance about overall trends in network TV viewing over the last thirty years. And it will not work. >
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) August 8, 2018
Best Popular Film? oof
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) August 8, 2018
#BlackPanther got this Oscar on lock then. https://t.co/XD5lkXp3Q3
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) August 8, 2018
The film business passed away today with the announcement of the “popular” film Oscar. It had been in poor health for a number of years. It is survived by sequels, tent-poles, and vertical integration.
— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) August 8, 2018
the Oscars is adding a Best Popular Film category to be determined thru a combination of box office, fan voting, and number of a films costars bullied off social media due to constant death threats from racist trolls
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) August 8, 2018
Personally, this feels like a HUGE step back for genre film. Dark Knight, LOTR, District 9, Get Out, & Shape of Water broke the mindsets that scifi and fantasy could be considered BEST PICTURE. Does this new POPULAR category give snobbier members an out? https://t.co/CeMf7B1Cul
— Meredith Woerner (@MdellW) August 8, 2018
This is staggeringly ham-fisted. https://t.co/m7T6PtMf7r via @variety
— Kristopher Tapley (@kristapley) August 8, 2018
re. these Oscar changes: I want #BlackPanther nominated for **Best Film**, not whatever new Popular Trending Thing category they making up
— Evan Narcisse (@EvNarc) August 8, 2018
Interesting how folks are assuming this new popular film Oscar category is for Black Panther.
— ReBecca Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) August 8, 2018
We wonder how many people accept the Academy Awards' new category Most Popular. Well, if it is anything like the awards that happen in Bollywood, the credibility of the Academy Awards is hanging by a gossamer rope!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 09, 2018 04:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).