Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Post - Athens, OH
The independent newspaper covering campus and community since 1911.
The Post

‘Beautiful Boy’ walked away with zero nominations for the 91st Academy Awards. (Photo via @enews on Twitter) 

8 thoughts about this year’s Oscar nominees

Editor’s Note: Click here for more Oscars content.

The nominees for the 91st Academy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, and it’s already causing quite the discussion. As with every year, history was made, and people were snubbed. But there are also achievements to celebrate in this year’s lineup. Here are eight thoughts about the nominees and what they could mean for the ceremony:

It’s the most competitive Oscars in recent history

Whether it’s because the movies released in 2018 were good or they were mediocre, the level of the films seem to be of the same caliber. Right now, there is no clear frontman for Best Picture, and that’s because Roma, A Star Is Born, Green Book and The Favourite are earning various guild nominations.

Probably the most competitive category is that of the Lead Actress race. Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), Glenn Close (The Wife), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) and Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) are all nominated. The Academy should just roll a die because there’s no telling who should win.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor was snubbed

Though one of the highest-grossing documentaries of all time, the documentary about Mr. Rogers wasn’t welcomed to the Oscars. The film, which grossed more than $22 million, was received with critical and fan acclaim. But fan-favorite RBG picked up a nomination for Best Documentary Feature and Best Original Song. 

Bradley Cooper isn’t nominated for Best Director

Though A Star Is Born picked up eight nominations, Bradley Cooper was left out of the race. The already testosterone-filled category failed to recognize Cooper’s directorial debut, but commended his acting and writing.

Spike Lee got his first director nod

Lee has criticized the Academy in the past for its #OscarsSoWhite remarks, but it seems the voters are moving toward more accepting realms. The director picked up his first ever nomination in the Best Director category for his complex BlackkKlansman. That marks the sixth time in Oscars history that a black man has been nominated in the category.

Roma picks up firsts in big categories 

Also picking up a first is Roma director Alfonso Cuarón, who became the first director to be nominated for achievements in directing and cinematography. But Roma had a first that could define Oscars from here on out. 

Roma earned Netflix its first Best Picture nomination, solidifying the streaming giant as a contender for the future. Roma was a risk Netflix was willing to take, but it was also a risk for Cuarón. It was met with high reward for both parties involved.

Foreign films made prominent moves in major categories 

Roma was also nominated for Best Foreign Film, but it was not the only film in that category to make major moves in other ones. Academy Award-winning director Pawel Pawlikowski picked up a nomination for Best Director and Best Cinematography for Cold War. The German film Never Look Away also scored a nomination for Best Cinematography.

Black Panther becomes the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture

When Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was left out of the Best Picture in 2009, the Academy expanded the category to include up to 10 films. That made it easier for popular films to infiltrate the elite group, and 10 years later, a superhero film was nominated. 

Black Panther appealed to the younger body of Academy voters and its social impact propelled it into the Best Picture race. Though it might be far from winning the race, it’s still monumental that it received a nomination.

Beautiful Boy and Eighth Grade received zero nominations

Almost shoo-ins for the screenplay categories, Beautiful Boy and Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade received no love from the Academy. The voters also neglected to nominate Timothée Chalamet for his poignant performance as a teen riddled with drug addiction. Hopefully the Academy will allow him to present one of the awards, so we can still witness his impeccable style.

@georgiadee35

gd497415@ohio.edu 

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2016-2024 The Post, Athens OH