2018 Oscars Review - What Makes a Film Worthy of an Oscar?
- Kayleigh Rose McFadden
- Jan 19, 2020
- 2 min read
This years Oscar ceremony has awarded a range of people for their contribution to film. The best visual effects award was no exception. Two highly anticipated films of the year were put against one another for the award, Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Although Blade Runner 2049 won the Oscar, the box office for Star Wars: The Last Jedi exceeded with the highest grossing title of 2017 (1.321 billion USD). This brings in the question of the correlation between being a box office hit and winning an Oscar, it seems you can rarely have both.
Can mainstream films win Oscar awards? It seems that the more obscure prestige films are more likely to win awards, regardless of box office and popularity, almost excluding all Hollywood blockbusters. The winnings have almost become predictable. The original Blade Runner is a classic so it is understandable that audiences were itching to see the second film. However, there is no comparison for it against the Star Wars franchise. So why did Star Wars: The Last Jedi not take home an Oscar, despite the overwhelming turn out?
Blade Runner 2049 has exceptional visual effects that are arguably better than that in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but that should not disregard the Star Wars franchise, which has not won an Oscar since 1981. Some may not take Star Wars as seriously because of the huge fan base it has and the sci-fi fantasy genre it portrays. Star Wars should be praised for the legacy of visual effects it has always had. Take the supreme leader Snoke throne room scene for instance. It was so impressive that audiences almost forgot it was created via computers. The lightsabers, guns and much more were part of the visual effects in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Blade Runner 2049 had streets and buildings that were full of intense visual effects. The film is also part of the sci-fi genre, but has less of a fan base. Both films had equally memorable breathtaking visual effects. Star War effects have been seen a thousand times before though, which may be the reason for the films Oscar losses. Blade Runner 2049 is only the second instalment and had more space to experiment, whereas Star Wars is already renowned for its effects and does not bring anything new to the table in that respect. Blade Runner 2049 might not be as iconic as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but that is the price of an Oscar award.
The academies are favouring the barely seen underdog titles more and more over mainstream films. Not to forget this similar situation in 2010 with The Hurt Locker and Avatar, which was one of the biggest ever shocks at the Oscars concerning this debate. It seems they want to award new ideas and as a result, large franchises do not make the cut.
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