The Oscars Suck

Oscar night is a dead party. Film lovers left the ceremony for streaming, scrolling, and real movie joy at home.

Nobody outside of the Hollywood bubble even knows these films.  

I used to be one of them. Mid-90s broke screenwriter with a stack of coffee-shop napkins that were absolutely going to become the next big script. Every year, I would sit in front of the TV with all of my actor and writer friends and our pizza and beers and watch the entire ceremony. I had friends who voted, friends who attended the red carpet, friends who rehearsed acceptance speeches in the shower. We all rehearsed our Oscar speeches in the shower.

The speeches felt real then. It was art acknowledging art. I have a photo of my best friend and me crying while watching Halle Berry’s acceptance speech in 2002. We hugged after it, we were so moved. Close to twenty-five years later, I’m not following any of the awards. I may pause in my doom scrolling to see highlights, but even though I still write and I still watch films, I don’t watch with Oscars in mind. I don’t care what has award buzz. I just watch what appeals to me or what stumbles into my world. 

I’m outside of the Hollywood bubble and the bubble has stopped talking to anyone but itself. So I don’t watch. And I’m not alone. The Oscars drew 57.2 million viewers in 1998. Last year: 19.7 million. Even the Golden Globes fell 66% from their 2004 peak of 27 million to 9.3 million. The Academy added 310 international journalists, increased international nominees, hoped the world would start watching. It didn’t.

Oscar Night Is a Dead Party…

And it stopped mattering to the films. In 1998, TITANIC won and earned another $105 million afterward. In 2025, ANORA won with a domestic total of $16 million, the lowest non-pandemic Best Picture gross on record. It’s not a total wash. Streaming sees a bump: +68% on nomination, +112% on a win. That’s something, but it doesn’t cover marketing costs or theatrical distribution. The trophy used to sell tickets. Now it only moves a thumbnail up your streaming queue.

I would say it’s the way the Oscars works that makes it its worst enemy. The Academy voters are in the industry. That doesn’t represent the person buying a ticket to see TERRIFIER 3 on opening night. I’m not saying TERRIFIER 3 deserves an Oscar, but, you know, David Howard Thornton does deserve some kind of kudos for being the most fun horror villain since NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. And I have seen the acting in some independent films that DID qualify for an Oscar and don’t have a chance because they do not have the budget large films have. 

When MOONLIGHT won in 2017, I thought maybe an independent film would have a fighting chance in subsequent years. But I knew the reality. I know the money required to get these films in front of people, to get cast and director in front of voters, and to have the nominee liked as much as the film loved. 

I don’t know the real numbers like I used to, but a quick Google shows that a qualifying run in Los Angeles is about $15,000. And the full campaign (events, travel, screenings, billboards) costs about $1–5 million for a serious effort. Independent films don’t budget for the kind of lobbying that moves Academy votes. And when we really think about it, if an independent film had that budget, they would do better getting reviews and marketing to be seen.

So why do we still have these awards shows?

Viewership has been declining for two decades and nothing has reversed the trend. The times people rejected the system (Marlon Brando, Peter O’Toole, George C. Scott) has aged better than the institution itself.

The real audience isn’t at the ceremony anymore. The dreamers have left. We’re scattered, streaming, scrolling. Oscar night is a dead party now. Most of us stopped attending years ago.

Mini FAQ: Oscar night is a dead party

Q: Why do people say Oscar night is a dead party?
A: Many film lovers feel disconnected from the ceremony. They prefer streaming, festivals, and community driven film discussions.

Q: Do the Oscars still matter to the film industry?
A: Yes, especially for marketing and awards campaigns. But cultural influence has shifted beyond the ceremony.

Q: Where do film lovers celebrate movies now?
A: At home screenings, local cinemas, festivals, and online communities where passion and debate thrive.

Oscar night is a dead party, but cinema itself is wide awake. Film lovers did not abandon movies. They reclaimed them. If you feel bored by the ceremony, you are not alone. Lean into the joy instead. Watch what excites you. Share what moves you. Build your own celebration and invite others in. That is where the real magic lives.