A Reel Opinion: Oscar Nominations - The Good, The Weird, & The Glorious

The nominations for the 93^rd Academy Awards were announced this morning, marking the beginning of the final wrap on the messed-up year in film 2020. Reel Speak has traditionally reacted to the nominations in the categories of Good, Bad, and Glorious…but this year there was nothing really bad, controversial, or anything to be upset about. That is a good thing, but we did have some oddities worth mentioning…making this year’s annual blog The Good, The Weird, and The Glorious. Perhaps fitting, as we are talking about 2020; the oddest cinematic year of all time. 

 

Here’s how it landed: 

 

 

THE GOOD

 

-The presentation was hosted by Priyonka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas. Both hosts were charming and professional. The overall broadcast was clean with no bloopers, and the pacing was tight with very little baloney in-between categories. 

 

-The comedy BORAT: SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM received three nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for young newcomer Maria Bakalova; a rightful nomination being that the young actress was dealing with dangerous, real-life situations while filming. 

 

-Pixar’s ONWARD and SOUL were both nominated for Best Animated Feature. These nods made Pete Docter the most nominated person in that category with four overall. 

 

-Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson became the first black women nominated for Best Hair and Makeup, for their work on MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM. 

 

-Changing of the Guard? Twelve of the 20 acting nominees are first-timers. A big step up from last year where there only five.  

 

 

THE WEIRD

 

-Actors Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield were both nominated for Best Supporting Actor for their work in JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. Both deserving, but many are questioning why at least one of them wasn’t considered the lead and put into the Best Actor category. The counter-point is that the film is more of an ensemble piece. Both arguments are valid, but unfortunate…as the excellent work that both actors did is being overshadowed. 

 

-One of BORAT’s nominations was for Best Adapted Screenplay; an oddity since most of the film seemed to be ad-libbed. 

 

-The drama MINARI, which just won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, did not get a nomination for the newly renamed Best International Feature. But it did get in for Best Picture. 

 

 

THE GLORIOUS

 

-For the first time in history, two women were nominated for Best Director in the same year; Chloe Zhao for NOMADLAND, and Emerald Fennell for PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. 

 

-Chadwick Boseman was given a posthumous nomination for Best Actor for his performance in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM. 

 

-Sometimes a non-nomination is the best thing to happen. No Screenplay nomination for MANK; a film that that had no idea what story it was trying to tell. 

 

-As expected, the favorited NOMADLAND earned nominations in all the right categories, and has excellent company in THE FATHER, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, MANK, MINARI, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, SOUND OF METAL, and THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7. All well-deserved. 

 

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See the full list of nominees HERE

 

The 93^rd Academy Awards will be held on April 25^th.