And the Oscar Goes To…

By Evelina Jarosz

It’s that time of the year again. A time when glitz and glamour fill our television screens and we watch on high alert to see who wore what on the red carpet.

The 84th Annual Academy Awards are upon us and will air February 26th, 2012. The nominations were announced in the wee hours of the morning, and Tinsel town was a buzz. This will mark yet another successful year of films for Hollywood, and will be celebrated by awarding the Oscar to one of the nominees in each category.            

Halle Berry, Acadamy Awards 2011

Before we gather around the television in our living rooms, for those of us not lucky to be in the Kodak Theatre that night, let’s take a look to see why certain films get the Academy’s attention while others do not. What is it that a film needs in order to be considered for an award?

While there is no clear formula, looking back on who won in the past we do see some familiarities; an actor has drastically changed his/her physical appearance for a role, a film was shot using over the top visual effects, an actor has also participated in the film’s production as either producer, writer or director.

Since filmmakers recognize that these types of movies tend to get attention in Hollywood, why doesn’t every movie out there fit the mould? I would hope every filmmaker strives to develop motion pictures that tell a new story or the same story in a new way. I applaud the filmmakers who are bold enough to go in a direction that they believe in, rather than deliver to the industry a presumed “guaranteed hit”.

These brave choices do get recognition at the Academy Awards, maybe not as often, but it does happen. These odds pay off when Hollywood finally gives recognition to films that didn’t necessarily fit the mould.The Oscars is an exciting and glamorous award show. Critics and movie buffs make their predictions, and they are usually accurate because this award show follows the Golden Globes. Most often, those who won at the Golden Globes do go on to win an Oscar.

Yet surprises do happen, and an underdog might just take the Oscar home that evening. This is why we watch with anticipation! I am not going to single out any particular films that I believe should or should not win. I, like many of you, have made my predictions as well. I am looking forward to either being proven right or pleasantly surprised on Oscar night!

For those of you who would like to join in on the action, here are some ideas on how you can partake in the celebrations on Oscar night! Invite friends and family over for an Oscar themed party; dress up, have Hollywood themed décor, serve movie treats like popcorn, which is the classic go-to movie snack. Have your guests write down their predictions for each category, and see who was right! You can even award each guest with an “Oscar” for their right answer!

Regardless of what you do, I hope you have fun watching the stars celebrate on February 26th, 2012. I know I will! The main thing to remember on Oscar night is…”It’s an honor just to be nominated”.