The Governors Awards happened in Los Angeles this last weekend and as part of the celebration, Tom Cruise received and honorary Oscar. The actor, who has been dubbed “Mr. Movies” by fans, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the past but did not win. But as the man who is responsible for keeping the art of cinema alive, we should have given him the honorary one during the actual ceremony.
Cruise is someone who you either love or, at the very least, you respect what he’s done for cinema. He is a champion of movies in theaters, he’s been quoted as seeing every movie that comes out, and he is probably single-handedly keeping the popcorn industry in business. But more than that, it is clear that Cruise genuinely cares about movies and the movie-going experience.
Recently, we’ve been gifted with a resurgence of Cruise’s films getting a second life. Famously, Top Gun: Maverick helped to revitalize move theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic. And his speech at the Governors Awards is yet another reminder of how Cruise is one of the last great movie stars.
“Making films is not what I do, it’s who I am… no matter where you’re from, in a theater we laugh, we feel, we hope together, and that’s the power of this art form,” Cruise said in his speech. He also talked about how his entire life has been about movies and his love for them. Sharing a story of making sure he had money to go see the latest new film.
It’s relatable! At least to someone like me who would spend entire days at the movies in high school!
So why not allow this speech to happen at the actual Oscars?!
It feels like a loss to not have this aired, primetime, at the ceremony when everyone is watching and it can encourage people to get back into the movie theaters. Right now, we’re seeing a dip in box office totals and no one quite knows how to deal with it. Trade publications and box office reporters certainly don’t know how to talk about the changing cinematic landscape. But Cruise constantly encourages people to go back to the movies.
“I want you to know that I will do everything I can for this art form, to support and champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful. Hopefully without too many more broken bones.”
I think a speech like this is important. No matter how you feel about Cruise, he’s right. And trust me, I was a teenager in the early 2000s, I pretended like Tom Cruise movies weren’t fun. But I am now in my 30s and very much a fan of his movies so we all go on a journey with the Jerry Maguire actor. All that aside, it doesn’t change the fact that he continues champion movies in a way that is inspiring.
So it is nice that Cruise is now an Academy Award honoree. I just wish his speech was broadcast during the live show so that everyone could be inspired to go back to the movies.
(featured image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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