2019 Oscars Nominations Breakdown: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises
The 2019 Oscar Nominations were announced today, and with them came very few surprises. Many of the films recognized by the Golden Globes ceremony are present here, with a few changes. After a horror film and a dark fantasy film struck gold last year, the Academy has largely taken genre films out of the equation for this ceremony (Black Panther is the only genre film up for any major awards). This is particularly disappointing, as genre films in 2018 had more to say than some of the movies up for those awards.
Snub: Sorry to Bother You
Boots Riley’s dark comedy sci-fi movie was one of the most daring and inventive cinematic experiences of last year. I was late to the party on this one, but after receiving the blu-ray for Christmas (thanks, Mom), I was blown away by this movie. A scathing satire that takes on institutional racism, unchecked late capitalism, and losing oneself in the corporate ladder, Sorry to Bother You doesn’t pull its punches in the slightest. Everything about this movie is great, from Riley’s direction, to the two lead performances from Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson, to the editing, to the production design, to the script that builds to an absolutely bonkers third act, which I won’t spoil here. Both critics and audiences dug this weird little acid trip of a movie, which makes its omission rather baffling. Oscar nomination or not, you should check this movie out.
Snubbed for: Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Production Design, Editing.
Surprise: Two Best Picture contenders have mixed critical reception
Remember when people got up in arms about Argo winning Best Picture in 2013 due to its positive but muted critical reception? Well, this year, we have not only one, but two movies that have (at best) mixed critical reception.
Bohemian Rhapsody, a film that most definitely is a crowd-pleaser, only has a 62% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences decidedly loved it, so this may be another attempt by the Academy to relate to a wider audience with a “popular film.” That being said, aren’t there popular films with more to say than “remember how great Queen was?” Isn’t there a popular film to nominate that wouldn’t further the platform of a man who (allegedly) uses said platform for illegal and immoral activity?
Vice is also an interesting choice in the Best Picture race. It didn’t light the box office on fire, its critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a 64%, and its audience approval rating is even lower. It is by no means a “popular film.” One has to believe that it was nominated for its performances, as it boasts a terrific cast. Obviously, as a total package it falls flat for many people, though. There are other actors that have been nominated for roles in movies that didn’t get a Best Picture nomination. It’s actually a rather common occurrence. So why not give that nomination to a film that was more lauded than Vice?
Perhaps it could have gone to…
Snub: A Quiet Place
I dare you to name a better theater experience in 2018 than this movie. I went into this movie expecting a fun, creature flick in the vein of Jurassic Park. What I got was something totally different. Sure, it has elements of Spielberg’s classic, but at its core, it is a movie about a family struggling with grief and loss. Beautifully written characters and the use of a deaf actress (the wonderful Millicent Simmonds) to play a deaf character make this movie a real winner. Both Simmonds’ and Emily Blunt’s performances are something to behold. They ground the movie in real emotion, despite its outlandish genre-film premise. Director John Krasinski delivers the goods in both the dramatic and horrific, ratcheting up the tension throughout. This movie is hands down one of the best movies of 2018. At least it got a nomination for Sound Editing.
Snubbed for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Sound Mixing.
Relief: Black Panther not getting a Visual Effects nomination
Black Panther is well-deserving of every nomination it received (seven in total). It was a cultural phenomenon, an important movie that stuck to the superhero template while using that template to explore rich themes. Michael B. Jordan would have been a welcome addition to the Best Actor in a Supporting Role nominee list, but with seven nominations, I hesitate to consider Black Panther being snubbed in any form. With as great as the movie is, it’s easy to forget the wobbly visual effects that bring the third act down a few notches. Groundbreaking superhero films losing steam in the third act is nothing new (Wonder Woman suffered the same fate), but the Academy tends to give Visual Effects nominations to Marvel movies frequently. I’m glad the Academy didn’t decide to give recognition to the only piece of Black Panther that just didn’t work.
Snub: John David Washington
Yes, I am aware that BlackKklansman is currently nominated for six Academy Awards, but this is too big of a snub to ignore. How John David Washington’s portrayal of Ron Stallworth went unrecognized when the film was clearly watched by a majority of Academy members, I have no idea. His co-star, Adam Driver, was rightfully nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, but those two should have been a package deal. Washington puts in a nuanced performance that will break your heart and make you laugh in the course of one scene. It’s a performance that deserves be recognized along with the other great aspects of this movie.
Snubbed for: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Snub: Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham’s first outing as a feature film director was an empathetic, nerve-shredding look at the life of a modern middle schooler. Equal parts hilarious, cringe-worthy, and heart breaking, Burnham elicits a one-of-a-kind performance from young star Elsie Fisher. Beautifully written and directed, with a truly uplifting message of self-confidence, Eighth Grade is an instant classic. Despite being set in 2018 and being very specific to modern times, it’s emotions and themes are relevant to anyone who went through middle school. This movie should have been on the Academy’s radar in a big way. It’s a shame it wasn’t.
Snubbed for: Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Editing, Best Original Score
Most Deserved Wins:
Amy Adams — Best Actress in a Supporting Role — “Vice”
Amy Adams is one of the best actresses working today. She has consistently elevated any material given to her, and is arguably the highlight of nearly every movie she is in. This will be her sixth nomination (and should be her seventh or eighth, to be totally honest), and she still hasn’t gotten that Oscar. Leonardo DiCaprio, by comparison, had four nominations under his belt before winning the fifth time he was nominated. Double standard much? Adams shouldn’t have to eat a raw bison organ to get her Oscar. She’s put in the work, and it’s about time she was honored for it.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — Best Animated Feature
For being the fourth incarnation of Spider-Man hitting movie theaters in the last two decades, Into the Spider-Verse sure felt different. The story revolves around Miles Morales, a half-black, half-Latino teenager who takes on the mantle of Spider-Man. The movie also rounds out its cast with a crew of diverse Spider-people (and the second Spider-pig we’ve seen since The Simpsons Movie). The innovative animation is jaw-dropping and gorgeously rendered, and the story takes familiar elements and makes them fresh and impactful. It sends the message that we are all important in our own way. It’s inclusive, diverse, and a joyful celebration of everything in comic books and superheroes. This is not only one of the best animated films of the year, it is simply one of the best films of the year, period. It deserves a win.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m a slightly disappointed in the nominations, which were pretty predictable (I even saw my “surprise” coming before it happened). That being said, I’m glad to see films like BlackKklansman, Black Panther, and Roma being recognized. With a lack of host, it will be interesting to see how the ceremony plays out this year. The ceremony can tend to drag even with a host to help keep it on track, so here’s to hoping it doesn’t completely go off the rails. The producers must have some kind of plan up their sleeves. Whatever the case is, this year’s ceremony should be an interesting one, to say the least. What did you think of the nominations? Will you be tuning in on February 24th?
