The Oscar nominations are out which means it’s time to ruin relationships over who did and did not get nominated. After last year’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy, people were anxious to see if the Academy learned its lesson. Well, it did and it didn’t. While there was a plethora of people of color nominated this year, there were still some questionable choices. Here are the 10 biggest snubs and surprises.
Snub: Amy Adams
I think it’s safe to say that Amy Adams has become our new Leo DiCaprio. After having a stunning year with both Arrival and Nocturnal Animals, everyone thought she was a shoe-in for at least one of those films. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Despite being the Academy’s sweetheart, she was completely left out this year.
I’m going to be the one to say it: I’m so tired of Meryl Streep being nominated for just breathing. Streep is a no doubt a cultural icon, but that doesn’t mean she needs to be recognized for it every year. Her spot could have easily gone to Adams.
Surprise: Michael Shannon
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There was an uproar over the Best Supporting Actor categories at this year’s Golden Globes. Everyone thought that Mahershala Ali had it in the bag, but it ended up going to Aaron Taylor Johnson for Nocturnal Animals. However, Aaron Taylor Johnson’s name wasn’t called for the Academy Awards; instead, his co-star, Michael Shannon, got the nomination. Shannon has been an indie darling for years but has recently come into the spotlight. He’s beyond talented and deserves an award, but 2016 should be Ali’s year.
Snub: Martin Scorsese
To put it bluntly, marketing really fucked up with Martin Scorsese’s Silence. Scorsese’s 23-year-old passion project had little to no publicity going into its release and was only in limited theaters for a good while. Critics associations couldn’t even get their paws on screeners for nominations. It’s a tragedy seeing this film get no recognition because it was certainly one of the best of 2016. I might even go as far as saying that Andrew Garfield should have been nominated for this film instead of Hacksaw Ridge.
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Surprise: Denis Villeneuve
And here we thought that Denis Villeneuve would have to direct an Oscar-baity film to get noticed. Villeneuve has repeatedly been snubbed by awards shows, and folks thought the genre director wasn’t going to get a chance. Thankfully, the Academy noticed how beautifully directed Arrival was. With his ability to create a compelling, smart science fiction film, could Blade Runner 2049 be an Oscar contender?
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Snub: The Handmaiden
Chan-Wook Park’s The Handmaiden is a beautiful film in almost every way. Its structure, tone, and cinematography are just the few things that make it stand out from the rest of the foreign film selection. Despite its vigorous Oscar campaign, it didn’t manage to make the cut.
Surprise: Mel Gibson
We all know that Mel Gibson is a competent director (he’s already won an Oscar), but he’s been in Hollywood jail since the early 2000’s. Hacksaw Ridge was his first directing job since Apocalypto and has been critically acclaimed for its accurate depiction of war. In another life, where Gibson didn’t say all of those racial slurs, this nomination would be a no-brainer. However, it’s surprising that the Academy is so quick to welcome him back.
Snub: Taraji P. Henson
Hidden Figures was such an important film and encouraged many young girls of color to go into STEM. Taraji P. Henson’s Oscar chances were a little shaky when she wasn’t nominated for a Screen Actors Guild or Golden Globe Award. Moviegoers thought that Hidden Figures’s huge debut would put her in the spotlight, but sadly, it did not. At least Octavia Spencer got nominated.
Surprise: Arrival
Folks were anxiously wondering if Deadpool was going to be the first comic book film to be nominated for best picture. This debate caused a divide among the movie buffs and casual watchers. Should the Academy be more open to genre film movies? Despite its surprising Golden Globe, Director’s Guild, and Producer’s Guild awards, it didn’t make the cut.
Thankfully, another genre film took its place. Arrival is a wonderfully crafted picture that proved that alien invasion films aren’t just popcorn movies.
Snub: Sing Street
Yeah, Yeah, La La Land has great original songs, but what about Sing Street? This hidden gem got almost no recognition despite being loved by everyone who watches it. You’re telling me that Trolls’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” is better than “Drive it Like You Stole it?”
Surprise: Black Actresses Dominate the Best Supporting Actress Category
Last year, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite was trending after the severe lack of minorities in the Oscar nominations. The Academy president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, made a promise that she would include more women and people of color in the voting process. While we still have a way to go, it was a wonderful surprise to see that the majority of Best Supporting Actress nominees were black. Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Naomie Harris dominated the category with their compelling performances. (Oh, Michelle Williams and Nicole Kidman were also nominated, I guess.)
View the complete list of Oscar nominations here.
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