The Oscar For Biggest Fails Goes To The Academy

Photo: Kevork Djansezian (Getty Images)

Maybe the Academy should just skip this year’s Oscars? The movie awards show, now in its 91st year, seems destined to face-plant after a series of bad ideas that have made a barely watchable show that much more unappealing.

We’ve compiled a list of fails in case you’ve lost track because unfortunately, the Oscars show will go on Sun. Feb. 24 on ABC. So without further ado, The Oscar For Biggest Fails Of The Year goes to…

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Oscar for the Biggest Fail

Oscar Category Indecision

The Oscars' worst move since awarding Crash Best Picture was their recent decision to not broadcast four awards (Best Cinematography, Film Editing, Live Action Short, and Makeup and Hairstyling) essential to filmmaking. The controversial move created a shit-storm of Michael Bay proportions as A-listers like Brad Pitt, Emma Stone, and Alfonso Cuarón came out in defense of their collaborators. The Academy has tried to save face by saying that this drastic action was about saving time and that the categories would be on a rotating basis, but the damage was done.

Filmmaking is collaborative art form, so to focus only on the stars that draw ratings was a lowdown dirty shame.

In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing.
— Alfonso Cuaron (@alfonsocuaron) February 12, 2019

The Academy has since reversed its decision.

Photo: James Devaney (Getty Images)
No Love for Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart has never met a job he didn’t take. Have you seen The Upside? The diminutive funnyman even accepted what many consider the “most thankless job in Hollywood" as host of the 91st Academy Awards. That was short-lived as a series of his old homophobic tweets resurfaced. Hart stepped down the from gig, but refused to apologize for the comments, claiming "Kevin Hart" had addressed them earlier. Hart eventually did apologize on Ellen who encouraged him to host the Oscars but he wasn’t having it.
No Oscar Host

For the first time in 30 years, the 2019 Oscars will not have a host. This decision comes after the Kevin Hart debacle, followed by the Academy’s desperate search for a replacement that went nowhere. Instead, the show will focus on the celebrities handing out the awards. Great! More self-serving banter between stars pushing their latest film or social justice agenda.
The Oscars are a Bad Neighbor

Won’t You Be My Neighbor was not only a critical darling but a box office hit. The Mr. Rogers documentary seemed like a shoo-in for an Oscar but wasn’t even nominated and will now go down as one of the greatest snubs of all-time.

Mr. Rogers to The Academy #OscarNominations pic.twitter.com/yZxlSF1Rwz
— Will Mavity (@mavericksmovies) January 22, 2019
'Unpopular' Most Popular Movie Award

The Oscars have been caught in the middle of the art versus commerce battle for years. Should it award high-brow movies that appeal to a few or acknowledge mainstream films that sell tickets? The Academy picked the wrong time to choose a side when it came up with the Most Popular Movie category. The ill-timed move was obviously made to acknowledge Black Panther which would have ruffled the tuxedos of Academy blue-hairs who view it as just a comic book movie. The Most Popular Movie category was shelved and Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture so well done, Academy.