a reply to:
olaru12
Dang..I have straight up starred almost everyone here because I find bits of all the respondents are saying to be true.
So I guess I have to try my own thought
I guess the problem I have is this issue of what "art" is. I can largely agree that the pure definition of art is rather objective if you prefer to
define it as the first part of the definition: visual or auditory expression of creativity. If this is the case then EVERYTHING ever made is
"art."
But then there is that subjective, and also true, second part: works appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.
Now I start to think that art is truly going to be in the eye of the beholder. I was a largely an 80's child and have always preferred pop for my
listening pleasure. I've also largely enjoyed humorous movies that have a strong tinge of intelligence (same as stand up comedians). Sometimes so
called "stupid humor" can really make you think a bit. But if you look at comedy greats you're going to often see movies like The Jerk, or
Groundhog Day, or Airplane. These classics become classic by being enjoyable time and again. Over and over. To me, they are enjoyable over and over
because their is such intelligence to their humor. Something that makes you double over even though you've heard it a million times.
For some reason, Steve Martin can kill me if I watch a Man With Two Brains a thousand times. The scene where the little girl says the head injury is
subdural and Steve blasts her and claims it's epidural. It kills me.
But I digress because here is where the problem comes in. WHO exactly decides what is classic and watchable a thousand times? I cannot STAND Big
Lebowski. Didn't once manage to curl my lips into a smile. But, who am I to tell anyone else it's garbage?
The Oscars to me seem to often be about two things.
1. Movies that carry some message. I can largely stand behind this IF they didn't seem to cast aside movies that as mentioned before; redefined or
defined a genre. But they do...every year.
2. It's popularity based on people whose opinions I really don't care about. Votes by the AMPA? Then you have to lobby to win votes. I feel like a
movie should be voted on by its merits, not by its extravagant parties.
But I agree that the Oscars are a snooze-fest that ignore some really great films.
I used to think "well at least the Teen Choice Awards" let teens vote...but then that's just a popularity contest too
cool thread