So, it’s official! The Oscar nominations have been released, and there are some huge surprises. It’s mostly how I expected (many are indie dramas) but there are some nominations and lack thereof that took me by surprise. Here is the official list of Oscar nominations:
Best Picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Best Animated Feature Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Best Cinematography
Arrival
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence
Best Costume Design
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land
Best Director
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Best Film Editing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight
Best Sound Editing
Arrival
Deep water Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully
Best Sound Mixing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad
Best Original Score
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers
Best Original Song
“Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” La La Land
“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls
“City Of Stars,” La La Land
“The Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story
“How Far I’ll Go,” Moana
Best Production Design
Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
La La Land
Passengers
Best Visual Effects
Deep Water Horizon
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Best Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
Manchester by the Sea
20th Century Women
Best Adapted Screenplay
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight
Reflections on the Nominations
What immediately jumps out to me is the lack of Deadpool! While it does embody everything that the Academy hates (blockbuster, superhero, comedy), it was a great film. It was beautifully shot, had drama undertones, had a hilarious and clever script, and had a dedicated lead actor who definitely deserved a best actor nomination at the Oscars and best actor win at the Golden Globes. I also wish it got recognition for its amazing and witty script! The script definitely intrigues the audience while also making them laugh. It is the perfect mixture of the genres action, drama, and comedy, and should have gotten nominated.
La La Land got nominated 14 times. Was it that good? It did, in fact, tie with Titanic for the most Oscar nominations for one movie, and it didn’t deserve a few of the nominations it got. While it was a great film, it does not deserve 14 nominations and the Oscars should think before they give some films, like Deadpool, nothing, and give La La Land 14 nominations.
Sing Street is a film that not a ton of people saw, but it’s perfect for the Oscars! It is a romantic drama that takes place in a middle school in Ireland and it’s fantastic! It is a beautiful romance while also being about brotherhood and friendship. It also does an amazing job of calling attention to bullying. It got me clapping at the end and laughing and crying with the characters on screen. So, naturally, when the list of Oscar nominations came out I assumed I’d see it’s name. NOTHING! NOTHING? NOTHING! ZIP, ZILCH, ZERO! The Weinstein Company (the film’s production company) did nothing to promote the film, giving it a weak campaign for a nomination, so I guess it didn’t come to the minds of Oscar voters when voting day came. It was an absolutely mind-blowing film but the company wasn’t invested enough to get it out there. It’s a real shame, too, seeing as to how beautiful of a film it truly is.
#Oscarssowhite is no more! The controversy of the past two years is gone. This year, many great films had primarily African-American casts, and therefore, there were many black Oscar nominees, unlike in previous years. Mahershala Ali, nominated for Moonlight, is Muslim as well as African-American, showing some true diversity. There is some representation of India in the Lion nominations and many African-American actors and directors nominated, like Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Barry Jenkins, and many more. It’s a good thing we are getting more diversity in these awards shows, and I’m sure the American people are relieved.
So, the Oscars are kind of weird this year. However, I’m sure they will make the good choices in the end and leave us happy after the show. Happy Oscars Season!