They Shoot Oscar Prognosticators, Don't They?
Op-Ed: The La La Land Oscars in the Age of Politics
By J. Don Birnam
February 22, 2017
What Then?
The diversity of the stories in this year’s Oscar race is to be commended. I don’t mean in the facile way of diversity - skin color or gender or sexual orientation. I mean it in a much deeper sense. These stories span the globe and the ages. There are deeply personal stories of a life’s journey (Lion), stories about the problems that afflict certain segments of the country today (Hell or High Water) or in the past (Fences). There are important stories about triumph over adversity and the invidiousness of racism (Hidden Figures), and stories about the future of humanity and the importance in cooperative globalization (Arrival). And there are stories with much more modest scopes and goals, but still quintessentially different from the stories that you hear told most of the time (Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea).
Faced with this embarrassment of riches, the Academy’s upcoming choice of La La Land is obscene. They don’t necessarily need to pick the one that “sends a message” but they also don’t need to pick one (yet another one) that is all about them all the time.
Not a word of this opinion piece should be read as an attempt to minimize the achievement of La La Land, or the fact that it is a beautiful and creative tale. But let’s not pretend that they make these choices based solely on talent or quality - not when lifetime achievement Oscars abound or when Oscars to pretty young girls are the flavor of the day.
I’m really just stating the obvious. The arc of history bends forward, and quickly. More so today. It is a rapidly changing world in many respects, some welcome, some worrisome. I didn’t even touch here upon the crisis of declining movie-going audiences that Hollywood continues to struggle with.
Faced with these realities, then, what will Hollywood do? Put their money where their mouths are - as figures such as Ms. Streep do - by at the very least with what they choose to dignify as the “Best” of the year? Or be content to string together inspiring and rousing words on a stage, but giving the golds to those Fools Who Dream?
Our stories will go on and continue, our survival does not depend in any respect on what the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences does or does not do. But their survival - that is another story.
I’d love your thoughts. Twitter: @jdonbirnam
Instagram: @awards_predix
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