The Oscars' insulting new award

The new "popular films" category is terrible for popular films

Black Panther.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Collection Christophel / Alamy Stock Photo, CasPhotography/iStock, Wikimedia Commons)

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday it will debut a new category at the 91st Oscars: the award for "outstanding achievement in popular film."

The decision was immediately laughable — the Oscars are not exactly a bastion of artistic achievement to begin with — but it's also insulting to any blockbusters that get slapped with the label. The misguided attempt to give "popular" films the handicap of their own category does far more to hurt said films than to actually help them.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.