It’s that time of the year again: film snobs and casual audiences alike despair! The Academy Awards have recently released their list of nominees. Don’t be too surprised if you didn’t know. The Oscars as a cultural event have lacked relevance for the past decade, affected by COVID and the lessening influence of the cinematic experience. Most of my friends know nothing about the nominees, and that makes sense. Who has seen “Power of the Dog”? Who even knows what “Power of the Dog” is? All of this leads to the ultimate question: Do the Oscars matter?

In simplest terms, they don’t. The Academy Awards serve as an arbitrary measure of a film’s quality, based on nothing more than the opinions of a select few. They always exclude popular franchise films (very few “Spider-Man:us No Way Home” nominations) and favor cliche “Oscar-bait” fare that cater directly to voters in the Academy. Many of the films to win in the last few years are the result of successful “for your consideration” marketing campaigns, revealing the biased nature inherent to these awards.

On the other hand, I can see the appeal of the Oscars. There’s a certain prestige present in the awards ceremony, and I can’t help but feel superior when I watch a film that has the Best Picture designation. Watching the program with friends and family has become an annual tradition of mine, and I enjoy trying to guess who will win what. (In case you were wondering, the ceremony itself will be held at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 27.) The Oscars don’t matter, but it’s an exciting time of year for filmgoers such as myself.

Whether you respect their credibility or not, the Academy Awards allow for more conversation about film. If you’re someone who enjoys the art form, isn’t that the most important thing? Maybe watch some nominees and take it as an opportunity to inform yourself on the “important” films of the year.