Red carpet, movie stars, and great movies. Every February the Oscars happen in Los Angeles to celebrate the best of Cinema in the former year. With the pandemics closing up movie theaters, the widespread popularity of streaming platforms, and the backslash for lack of diversity, the event has been losing both its prestige and audience. Still, studios and platforms fight hard for nominations and wins.
To be eligible, movies have to have been released from January to December 2021. Another rule - that has been suspended for the pandemic - is beeing released at the cinemas in LA. That was also true for those produced by big streaming platforms such as Amazon and Netflix. So, a first clue to which movies those platforms are betting on is seeing what has been released for the big screens as well.
Another clue is timing. Usually, movies that are aiming for the Oscars are released at the end of the year. That way, they are fresher in the minds of the voters. After all, the voters are just like you and me and have no idea what we've watched 5 months ago. They can also still collect some extra box office money from the great propaganda that is being nominated for the Oscars. There are even cases of movies that have been released twice to cache on that.
So other than being released late in the year, what a movie has to have to get the attention of the academy? And what are the so-called Oscar bait?
War movies
In the past, the Academy (composed mostly of white older men) has shown a preference for movies portrayed during wars, especially WW1 or WW2. It's hard to find Oscar nominations where there weren't any movies set during wars. They can even win big such is the case of Saving Private Ryan. So, if there's any war movie being released on the months of November or December, it's a safe bet they will be nominated in the Oscars. They are usually always there even when the story is not that great or innovative.
Big transformation by actors
Movies in which actors that were mostly known for comedy or lighter movies act in a drama are highly appreciated. I'm talking about Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, Will Smith in Ali, and Jim Carrey in Truman Show, for instance. This transformation and expectation break usually translate into nominations and wins.
In the same tone, movies, where actors go through enormous bodily transformations, are a must. Matthew McConaughey can fit both things in Dallas Buyers Club. Before taking the lead in this movie, he had only played parts where he relied heavily on his looks, being a love interest or a more action guy. For Dallas Buyers Club he lost many kilos and took on a 'serious’ role, and voilá: Oscar win!
That happens over and over again, either with physical transformation, or heavy make-up. (Charlize Theron in Monster, also springs to mind). To the point that this is one of the most well-known Oscar baits. An actor that is quite famous, being completely unrecognizable on the screens.
A cast full of previous Oscar winners and nominees
This one is quite easy. Oscar winners attract both viewers and other Oscar nominations. Whenever you have a cast with highly respected actors in a drama being released around this time, you can rest assured that they are aiming for an Oscar nomination.
Netflix has already shown its main Oscar bait to be released soon: Don't Look up! With no one less than the biggest Oscar winner Maryl Streep and a constellation of other actors that have won or been nominated: Leonardo di Caprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet…
Biographies
Another favorite from the Academy is biographies. Movies about musicians are a must. Only in recent years, I can think of Ray Charles, Freddie Mercury, and Elton John. But we don't stop at musicians. Historic figures such as politicians, kings, and queens, are always there. Athletes are also common and even businessmen such as Steve Jobs and the main character from Pursuit of Happyness, Chris Gardner.
Movies about movies
Another a common Oscar bait (and we can even say Emmy-bait) is a movie or series about the industry. Movies about actors, directors, and about making movies themselves. Yes, I'm talking about you La la land. But, there are many others such as Mank, Cinema Paradiso, Hitchcock…
Huge and expensive productions full of CGI
Big productions, usually more on the fantasy side are also certain to be nominated. Maybe they will not be on the running for best movies, but surely on more technical nominations such as Costume, Sound, and Visual effects. This year, Dune is a good bet to fit in this category.
Exploring racism ( through a white-savior lens)
This is probably the most contradictory and badly reviewed Oscar bait. The Academy loves movies that talk about slavery and black social movements. The problem is, that many of them have white main characters, while the black characters are either minor or just there to suffer. They have very little agency in most of the movies that have won. The Green Book, the Help and To kill a Mocking Bird are all in this category.
There has been some improvement though, with movies like Django Unchained and BlacKkKlansman, receiving some love from the Academy and taking some statues home.
Oscar Bait
By now, you are able to spot an Oscar bait by just watching its trailer. They have one or even more of those common themes, plots and characteristics. That sometimes cause some friction and get's a little tiring. It can make the public be unwilling to give the movie a chance.
Nevertheless, being in one of those lists doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie. Not at all. The truth is, movies that are nominated are usually of good quality.
And actually, the last wins for best movies have been quite the opposit to what we would expect from the Academy. Nomadland and Parasite are both great movies exploring social issues, without the famous Hollywood directors, actors body transformation and the such. Parasite especially, is one of the best movies I've seen and the meticulous work of the director Bong Joon Ho deserve all the praises.
What to watch?
Trending as #1 now on Netflix is a movie that will probably figurate on the Oscars or at least is trying to: Unforgivable. It stars Sandra Bullock as a woman released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime. She is trying to re-enter society, but her past just keeps hunting her. It also has Viola Davis in it, which I'm just obsessed with, and so are the Academy Awards.
It's an interesting movie. It shows some well-know social issues in the US, mass-imprisioment, gun acessibility, house evictions, deamining jobs, and re-integration of convicts. But, it doesn't go deeply enough on any of them, as it should.
By showcasing those social issues, it is probably trying to capitalize on the last 2 best-movie wins Nomadland and Parasite.
What to read?
Another Oscar bet, Dune. I've been reading the first book of the saga and it's full of action and adventure. A fast-paced and fun book to read if you are looking for one for the Holidays.
What to Binge?
Netflix has lately been acquiring some of the public's favorite TV shows. Downton Abbey has been trending on the platform even though it has already finished a few years ago. With its great actors and movie looks, it's worth watching this period drama if you still haven't.
I have been binging an even older fan-favorite: Seinfeld. Netflix has paid over 500 million dollars for the rights of Seinfeld, which I think is worth every penny as a subscriber.