Will BLM Alter Oscar and Cinematic Universe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crMTGCCui5c

We know there’s no crystal ball. There hasn’t been since COVID-19 spread. But lately, depending on what side of the fence you’re on, there has been a sense of optimism poking in. The peaceful protests that have grown out of the tragic death of George Floyd have been refreshing to see and given us some hope that some change can grow out of hate. COVID-19 numbers are sliding, and “phases” are opening depending on where you live. Pretty soon, it’s possible we’ll be sitting inside a movie theater albeit socially distanced. Focusing on the latter, because I’m a cinephile, I truly think that could be one major step toward feeling together and connected albeit apart a bit and wearing masks.

Listen, I realize movies are a very small part of life. But, like music and the arts, they can lift us up when we feel like we’ve been kicked down a bit. Speaking of another part of the proverbial leg, the knee if you will, I’m wondering if and when films open back up if chains (if they’re still around) will start to blend in a bit more of “Black Cinema.” Furthermore, I’m wondering if the Oscars — if they even take place next year — will finally get the message that African Americans deserve to be honored. The #oscarsowhite was always spot on for a number of reasons. First off, not enough people of color have been honored period. They’re not often nominated, and unless your name is Mahershala Ali, they rarely win. And when they do, it’s for safe movies that appeal to white Academy Award voters. Green Book, the 2018 Best Picture winner, in my opinion, was trash. It was a reverse Driving Miss Daisy that was as cookie cutter as you could get. Ali was fabulous in it but it was a cliched film. It’s competitor that year was a sign of the times: Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman which somehow managed to incorporate the murder of Charlottesville protester Heather Heyer in it. It was a swift kick in the ass that movie, and matters more today and yesterday. Green Book, however, like so many films before it was made by white people for white people with some black people in it. In other words, it was safe. Coming off an Oscar upset just two years prior for the indie film Moonlight, a story about a young black man struggling with his sexual identity, it was a huge letdown and cut any progress in its tracks. Progress never leads to more progress. When Halle Berry won the first Best Actress honor for Monster’s Ball it didn’t set any precedent.

Black actor/actress wins are relegated to best supporting categories. Black auteurs win best screenplay categories or none at all. Sometimes they win minor categories at best. But minor categories are always major these days. Take Hair Love’s Best Animated Short win this year.

Anyway…

This is just a train of thought. Whether this Black Lives Matter movement, which has happened before but never to this global level changes the cinematic landscape forever remains to be seen. I am hopeful though. Michael B. Jordan protesting the other day to the Hollywood execs whose very offices surrounded him in Los Angeles. John Boyega’s impassioned rally cry in his native London last week. Ava Duvernay’s constant Twitter presence and films. These all give me some hope. It also gives me hope that so many of these protestors are white. It’ll never be enough but a start. I’ll shut up because I know this article shouldn’t even be written by a white guy. I will list, however, performances or artists that were completely ignored by the Academy in the past or should’ve won Oscars period in their respective categories in recent years. Asterisks denote who were nominated. I’m missing names. I’m just trying to underline some of the BS. This ultra-random list is in no particular order… please add to this list in comments.

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman*

Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing

Spike Lee, Malcolm X

Denzel Washington, Malcolm X*

Denzel Washington, Fences*

Viola Davis, The Help*

Ava DuVernay, Selma

Whoopi Goldberg, The Color Purple

Angela Bassett, What’s Love Got to Do with It

Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained

F. Gary Gray, Straight Outta Compton

Morgan Freeman, The Shawshank Redemption *

Laurence Fishburne, Boyz n the Hood

Eddie Murphy, Dolemite is My Name

Chadwick Boseman, Get on Up

David Oyelowo, Selma

John David Washington, BlackKkKlansman

James Earl Jones, Field of Dreams

Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton

Lupita Nyong’o, Us

Shereeka Epps, Half Nelson

Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip

Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher

Alfre Woodard, Clemency

Kevin Cooglar, Black Panther

Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station

Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

Michael B. Jordan, Creed