Published on March 9, 2024, 12:42 am

As the annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gala draws nearer, attentions are once again honing in on critical insights and predictions surrounding prospective award winners. Remaining steadfast to its timeless lure, the event continues to captivate interest globally despite a notable decrease in significance over recent years. This year’s sparsely dramatic landscape appears dominated by “Oppenheimer,” with several other less conspicuous titles jostling for recognition.

Every awards season elicits a certain fascination towards films typically referred to as “Oscar Bait.” This vaguely understood term denotes films that regularly earn nominations yet struggle to make it into the top echelon of contenders. Analyzing this phenomenon brings back memories from my previous employment at Movieline when we passionately discussed titles like Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse,” serving as our reference point for Oscar-bait material.

An accurate definition of an “Oscar bait” is elusive; there are no fixed guidelines or characteristics. Typically, these films boast noteworthy attributes indicative of an Oscar-worthy contender—an impressive cast, excellent cinematography, and gripping narratives—but lack any strong promise for winning awards. These are films generally expected to be liked and nominated without any implicit motivation or passionate response from critics or audiences.

Take “War Horse,” for instance—it was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, but only managed modest success at the box office and has faded into oblivity over time.

These Oscar-bait movies typically feature quality content with esteemed casts, reputable directors, stellar cinematography backed by commendable scores yet never fully resonate with their audience due to their machine-made feel. It’s as though studios have manufactured these productions purely as award hunters rather than organically conceived masterpieces.

Additionally, the nominations process can inadvertently contribute to the proliferation of such instances—members from each field pick their standouts: directors nominate directors; cinematographers choose cinematographers et al. This means that even if a film showcases only one significant strength, it gets a shot at being nominated in those categories.

Further evidence of an Oscar-bait film is reflected in the nominations versus wins ratio. Consider Spielberg’s “The Fablemans” or Anthony Hopkins’ “The Father”—they generated buzz during awards season, although they failed to garner substantial viewer interest or win any meaningful awards. Another contender that might fit into the Oscar Bait category this year is Bradley Cooper’s ambitious venture—“Maestro.” Despite accumulating numerous nominations, the film barely made a ripple in the sea of viewership.

It is important to mention that the phenomenon of ‘Oscar Bait’ is not exclusive to movies; actor performances can also fall into this category. Despite intense initial spotlight and predictions, many performances dissipate from the collective memory soon after awards season if they fail to secure a win.

This year’s potential nominee for this undesirable title appears to be Annette Benning for her role in “Nyad,” despite little preceding chatter about this biopic featuring on Netflix.

As we await the 96th Academy Awards set to air on ABC at 8:00 pm Sunday, our focus remains dedicated towards real news and trusted narratives from a Christian worldview in order to provide audiences with accurate breaking updates and informed reporting on Hollywood’s prestigious night of honours. Let us brace ourselves for the outcome while enjoying another year of superb cinematic artistry.