6. It's Self-Congratulatory
Tying in with the notion that the Academy are a sentimental bunch, they're also pretty damn self-congratulatory and keen to pat their own backs; take Benh Zeitlin, the director of Beasts of the Southern Wild, who I would argue should not at all be in contention for Best Director. Still, it gives these old-timer Oscar voters a chance to give themselves a pat on the back and nominate "the little film that could" while giving the director a much-needed boost to his career. It gives voters a chance to feel good about themselves and provide the rub to someone else, as though they're "giving back" to the industry in some way, when really, the Oscars is just an ego-stroking fest essentially. Do some people deserve these awards? Of course, but a lot of the time, especially when it's Meryl Streep or a highly successful actor or director, one can't help but think that a multi-millionaire winning a gold statue probably isn't something we should be devoting much of our care or attention to.