Lot’s of really interesting nominations today – I was thrilled that the Academy recognized the artistry behind Mad Max and rewarded it with six nominations (it was, hands down, my favorite movie of the year). And Charlotte Rampling! There’s your shot of old-school glamour to give the proceedings a bit of class! I haven’t seen her performance in 45 Years, but I’m sure it was exquisite. Everything she does is exquisite. Other fun nominations include one for Lady Gaga (which will put her firmly on the path for an EGOT), a sentimental nom for Sylvester Stallone, and a best documentary nomination for Amy. Awww, Amy.
But there were some real shockeroos, too. Lots of “sure bets” didn’t pan out, leaving movie fans howling on Twitter this morning. Here are some of the more memorable snubs.
Blythe Danner and Lily Tomlin: Blythe has never been nominated in her 50+ year career – why, she’s never even had a starring role! – so this would have been special. And long overdue. 75-year-old Tomlin hasn’t had a nomination since 1975’s Nashville, so that would have been a lovely career-capper for her, too (especially after her work on Grace and Frankie this year!)
Charlize Theron: It was a long shot, I know, but a best actress nomination for her turn as the surprisingly complex Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road would have been nice. As Bustle points out: it would have been good news for feminism, and great for action and genre films in general, to have a strong female lead (that earned boffo box office!) be nominated.
Ridley Scott and Todd Haynes: The absence of these two in the Best Director category is a real head-scratcher. Though Ridley Scott directed a Best Picture winner in Gladiator, he’s never won the Best Director trophy himself. The Martian was a huge hit, and was technically magnificent, so he SHOULD be recognized. Todd Haynes is a genius, flat-out. Nobody does period detail like him. Both the Martian and Carol were nominated for Best Picture, so it kind of beggars the imagination that both men would be excluded.
Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarintino: I’m not a big fan of Sorkin, so his omission for Steve Jobs didn’t really bother me, but both men really soar in the screenwriting department so it’s just… a bit odd… that didn’t nab nominations in that field. Says Vulture:
Tarantino’s two Oscars have come in the Best Original Screenplay field, and he’s said that he wants to win so many that the category comes to unofficially be thought of as the Quentin Tarantino Award. Well, that ambition will take longer to realize than he anticipated, since The Hateful Eight wasn’t even nominated in that category this morning. He’s got A-list company to commiserate with, though: At the beginning of the season, people pegged Aaron Sorkin’s wordy, Golden Globe–winning Steve Jobs script as a front-runner, but the Oscar-winning writer didn’t make Best Adapted Screenplay’s final five.
Inside Out: Yes, it was nominated for best animated film, but seeing as both Toy Story 3 and Up earned Best Picture nominations – and Inside Out was JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER as they were – you would think it might have gotten some big-boy love.
“See You Again”: Furious 7‘s emotional theme song – WE’LL NEVER FORGET YOU, PAUL WALKER! – should have warranted a nod, if only to get a reaction shot of Vin Diesel in the audience with a single tear rolling down his face ( à la Chris Pine).
Carol: It wasn’t COMPLETELY shut out. In fact, it did OK for itself, garnering Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Score nods. And both its leading ladies were nominated (even though Rooney Mara‘s nod came in the Best Supporting Actress category when she should have been nominated as a lead alongside Cate Blanchett). But HOLY HELL, no Best Director and Best Picture nominations? That’s some serious miscarriage of justice right there.
Johnny Depp: He was an early contender for his prosthetic-enhanced performance in Black Mass, but his chance faded when flashier contenders (Redmayne, DiCaprio) entered the fray. A shame. I would have loved to see Johnny slug it out with Leo and Matt.
Jacob Tremblay: The pint-size Room star scored a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild but was ignored at last weekend’s Golden Globes and, now, by the Academy. At only 9, it would have set him up to be the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award.
Idris Elba: No love for the Beasts of No Nation actor. And the general snub of ALL black actors is such a serious issue YET AGAIN that #OscarsSoWhite is trending on Twitter as we speak. Which brings us to…
Straight Outta Compton: Just a straight-up travesty. Great movie, great performances – and to only receive one nomination for Best Original Screenplay is just sad.