Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Why do the Academy Awards Exist?


The Academy Awards come around every year, and for better or worse form a big part of our movie culture. Winning an Oscar is a big deal in our society. It is also a big deal for the studio, because it means money. According to the Huffington Post, the money a studio can make off of an Oscar win is substantial

However, it is a common realization that the Oscars regularly snub excellent films, while giving awards to poor films. This is of course a subjective analysis, but the feeling is nonetheless pervasive, even among prominent film critics. The fact that the Academy declares a film the best does not mean it is the best, it does not mean that history will see it as the best, and it doesn't even mean that the critics of the time see it as best. It really only means that a small group of people see it as especially deserving an award.

Does this mean that the Academy Awards are irrelevant and should be scrapped? I don't think so. I think the thoughts above miss the point of the awards.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Everyone's a Little Bit Racist

The musical Avenue Q has a cute and funny (and at times terribly offensive) song about, of all things, racism. Its title is "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist", and it talks about the little ways we all act on the basis of racial stereotypes, even those of us who value racial tolerance and reject all forms of racism as unethical.




The song makes the point that its better to admit to our racist faults than to try and hide them. Acknowledgement is the first step to getting past some of our problems. It also demonstrates how deeply entrenched certain types of racial thought our embedded in our ways of thinking. Even when we try our best to not be racist, we often fail.