12,000 Films

The nominations have been released, I’ve reeled about the general lack of critical love for The Greatest Showman, and the internet is flooded with film reviews…it’s Oscar season! But, I’m not really sure the Oscars always lives up to its prestige, rewarding the best of the best in the film industry. Of course, there are many fantastic films being recognized in the ceremony, but with several films being nominated multiple times, in reality approximately 60 films have at least one nomination this year. However, with over 12,000 films recorded on IMDb’s list of films released in 2017, we realise that less than 0.5% of films from the year are getting such wide recognition.

There’s not all that much to say other than that’s a huge shame, and I want to encourage people to try and access more films, away from the Oscar-bait films this year! This isn’t me saying you can’t enjoy all that Hollywood and your local chain-cinema has to offer, like The Greatest Showman *cough cough*, but maybe just try out some films you wouldn’t naturally pick out when going to the cinema. Subscription services, such as Netflix, are really good for finding something new to watch; however, they also allow you to look back on films from years gone by that didn’t get the star treatment they probably deserved.

Believe it or not but some of the most highly regarded films have never won an Oscar (even if they were nominated, in some cases); for example, The Shawshank Redemption, The Sixth Sense, 12 Angry Men, Psycho, The Big Lebowski, Groundhog Day, The Shining…and that’s only to a name a few, not to mention the fact these are all American films, originally produced in English; there’s a whole world of films out there!

From someone who has a deep love of Spanish cinema I’d always encourage people to try films from different nations. Pan’s Labyrinth is an Academy Award winning Spanish film, so in some ways it could ease you in gently; why not give it a go?

I’d love to hear what sort of films you enjoy, or which cinemas you have explored away from Hollywood. I’m currently studying a module in world cinema so this is definitely a huge interest of mine.

Take Care Everyone, I’ll Speak to You All Soon!