And The Oscar Goes To...

I’m excited - elated in fact - because today is the 86th broadcast of the Academy Awards.  Some people live for football; they tailgate before big games and count down the seconds until the Super Bowl rolls around.  Other people worship fashion week; they lay in wait for the hottest and most innovative trends to be debuted in Paris, Los Angeles and New York City. Now that’s all well and dandy for them, and I enjoy a good sporting event or fashion show as much as the next person (in all actuality and all honesty, I’ve only been to one college football game over the past five years and my experience of fashion shows is limited to Project Runway reruns), but I can relate to the excitement and obsession involved in committing to a personal pastime. For me, the Academy Awards is my “Super Bowl.” It’s my “Fashion Week.” At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, it’s my favorite night of the year.

3.2.TW

86th Academy Awards

I absolutely adore movies, and have the Entertainment Weekly subscription to prove it, but my love for this commercialized and ridiculously expensive award show goes beyond that of the films themselves. I love the tradition of it. I am not naïve enough to believe that the people who deserve the awards the most always receive a statuette, nor am I silly enough to think that the dresses worn or the personalities portrayed by the celebrities in attendance are a practical picture of society. I simply love the class and tradition surrounding the Academy. Over the years, the Academy has existed, in wartime and in peace, to curate creativity, to advance the arts and sciences surrounding filmmaking and to uplift the most innovative and influential men and women in the motion picture industry, and I believe there’s something truly commendable and breathtaking about such a mission. We as a society are invited to share common emotions and create along with actors, designers, directors, and producers every time we walk into a movie theatre. For me that open invitation is never more tangible than on Oscar night. To witness a room full of such boundless genius is both empowering and inspiring to a wannabe actress like myself.

This evening is slated to be a most interesting race to the gold. While I am highly invested in the frontrunners (Leonardo DiCaprio, anyone?), recently my attention has been split between the nominated films themselves and the moviemakers and collaborators that are making waves in the media, among which are many inspiring women. While not necessarily ideally represented this year nomination-wise (Kathryn Bigelow still remains the sole female Best Director recipient in the history of the Academy Awards, and no ladies are nominated this year in that crucial category), tonight I’ll be on the lookout for these inspirational women and female leaders who are doing big things, as they both take the stage and walk the red-carpet.

All Hail Queen Meryl

For years now, I’ve envisioned that the Academy should make a motion to change the figure of the coveted statuette from it’s traditional Oscar shape into trophies depicting little mini-golden “Meryls”; she’s just that good. While there’s no need to argue Ms. Streep’s merit with regards to influencing the world of acting, what’s proving even more inspirational to me as of late is her capacity to influence the media as an independent and intelligent woman. As an advocate for Equality Now, Meryl Streep works to give a voice to women who otherwise do not have one due to sexual violence and trafficking or due to discrimination under the law. She, along with countless other grassroots organizations, is fighting to overrun labels women face in the workplace, in relationships, and around the world. So, while it looks like Meryl Streep is not favored to win an Oscar this evening (though her performance in August: Osage County is not to be missed), I will be a forever fan and admirer of this brilliant actress, inspirational woman and social advocate. Long live the Queen!

Princess Anna and Princess Elsa “Freeze” Out Female Stereotypes

While not physical women (in the sense that they are animated), Princess Anna and Princess Elsa, along with the entire Disney brand, have been making headlines for the past two months via the mega blockbuster Frozen. As the biggest financial success for Disney since The Lion King in 1994, Frozen has gained a massive platform both domestically as well as internationally, thanks in part to the vocal talents of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, and Jonathan Groff.  Disney, while not always known for breaking down walls when it comes to portraying damsels in distress, utilizes this movie and the relationship of Princess Anna and Princess Elsa to address issues such as empowerment, equality (both marital and gender), and independence, leaving bloggers and reviewers alike to name Frozen the most progressive film in Disney’s history. Let me put it this way: this is one fairytale that does not end with true love’s kiss saving the day. While the message portrayed onscreen in and of itself is awesome, what’s even more exciting is the key role women played in the production of this nominated film. Frozen was co-directed and written by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, and it’s soaring musical numbers were composed by husband and wife team Robert and Kristen Lopez. After all the negative press, whether warranted or not (that’s a whole other argument), associated with Disney’s firing of their first female director from the production team of Brave (last year’s best animated picture winner), Disney, along with millions of other fans, has a lot of stock in seeing that Frozen ices out the competition and brings home the Oscar gold this evening.

Irresistibly Irreverent J-Law Keeps It Raw and Real

Jennifer Lawrence seems to be everyone’s spirit animal these days (guilty as charged!). Since landing the role of the girl on fire, Katniss Everdeen, J-Law has won over audiences with her brash and brave behavior in addressing the media regarding hot topics such as self-acceptance and perception of body image. Whether you despise her irreverence or adore her would-be realness, one thing is above debate - Jennifer Lawrence is instigating thought-provoking conversation surrounding marketing and media portrayals of the female image. While her ruthless and sometimes rude commentary has left a sour taste in the mouths of many bloggers, her comments are slowly shedding light on the fact that Hollywood, as well as society in general, is stuck in a severely limited mindset regarding the female body and what should and should not be deemed socially beautiful or acceptable.  As the frontrunner in the Best Supporting Actress category for her incredible work in American Hustle, we can expect to see plenty of red carpet interviews with this spitfire beauty and female leader, and I for one can’t wait to see what debate she instigates next.       

Ellen’s Aim is Positivity

As I mentioned earlier, what really captivates me about the Academy Awards is the class and tradition of the whole evening. That being said, the position of host is one I anxiously wait to be filled year after year, because the execution of that job has the propensity to make or break the whole event. Over the past few years, we’ve had some real doozies in terms of classless and crass hosts. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy a raunchy Chris McFarland comedy just as much as the next person, but what I don’t enjoy is a master of ceremonies going for the quick laugh via a sexist or racist joke or by way of deprecating comments to others. A classy host is encouraging to all those nominated, is well-informed in terms of the front-running films, and gains big laughs by making fun of themselves rather than others (for these very reasons Hugh Jackman will forever win the place in my heart as the classiest Oscar host of all time). That being said, I am thrilled that the master of ceremonies tonight will be comedian and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres! A woman who makes her money by encouraging people to “be kind to one another,” Ellen is certain to bring a lighthearted and joyous spirit to the award show this evening. As a second-time host, she represents not only the homosexual minority but also women as a whole, seeing as this year no females are represented in the crucial categories of Best Director or Best Cinematography. The best part? Ellen is really funny.  Not crude, walk-the-line, or prudishly socially-acceptable funny. But truly, laugh-out-loud hilarious. If her previous job hosting and the positive nature of her talk show are any indication of the nature of tonight’s Academy Awards, we are in for a real treat!

While I’m certain to have my fingers crossed for my favorite films tonight, I can honestly say I have more interest invested in these women, along with many other inspirational women and female leaders that will be in attendance tonight. Let their stories and initiative on and off screen challenge and inspire you, and then sit back with some friends and great food and enjoy the 86th annual Academy Awards.          

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