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

The nominations for the 94^th Academy Awards were announced this morning. Here is how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious. 

 

THE GOOD

-The announcement was hosted by Leslie Jordan and Tracee Ellis Ross, who made a great pair. In a nice touch, there were category announcements by healthcare workers, NYPD firemen, Phylicia Rashad at Howard University, and others. Despite a few technical glitches due to both hosts in their respective homes, it was a well-thought-out show as the kickoff to Oscar Season. 

 

-Jane Campion’s THE POWER OF THE DOG led the way with 12 nominations, including four for acting: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Campion’s nomination for Best Director makes her the first woman to be nominated twice in that category. 

 

-Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST earned seven nominations. Branagh is now the first person in history to earn nominations in seven different categories; Best Director, Screenplay, and Picture for BELFAST, Adapted Screenplay for HAMLET in 1996, Supporting Actor for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN in 2011, and for Live Action Short Film for SWAN SONG in 1992. 

 

-The animated docudrama film FLEE earned three nominations: Best Documentary Feature, Animated Feature, and International Film. It is the first of its kind to be nominated in all three categories. 

 

-CODA, Reel Speak’s pick for the best film of the year, earned three nominations, including Best Picture. 

 

THE BAD

-No nomination for Lady Gaga for her terrific performance in HOUSE OF GUCCI. Despite numerous nominations in BAFTA and the Guild Awards, the Ridley Scott-directed film only pulled one nomination: Makeup and Hair Styling. 

 

-Denis Villeneuve, whose magnificent DUNE earned 10 nominations (second most of the year), did not earn a nomination for Best Director. 

 

-Not necessarily good or bad, but Aaron Sorkin failed to earn a nomination for Best Screenplay for his BEING THE RICARDOS; a category that he is usually an automatic entry. 

 

 

THE GLORIOUS

-Denzel Washington’s nomination for Best Actor for THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH makes him the most nominated Black actor of all time. 

 

-Judi Dench’s Best Supporting Actress nomination for BELFAST makes her an eight-time nominee. At 87 years and 61 days, she is the second-oldest nominee in this category, behind Gloria Stuart for TITANIC in 1997 (87 years, 221 days). 

 

-As said above, 10 nominations for DUNE is noteworthy, as it’s always good to see science fiction and fantasy films get their deserved credit. 

 

-Steven Spielberg’s WEST SIDE STORY earned seven nominations, including Best Picture and Director. Spielberg set several historical marks; He is the first to score Best Director nominations in six different decades, has a record 11 Best Picture nominations, and is one of four filmmakers to have received at least eight Best Director nominations. His success today was like welcoming back an old friend. 

 

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The Oscars will be awarded March 27^th.