One of the biggest moments of the year for anyone that loves movies is the announcement of the nominations for the year’s Academy Awards. Every year, we pick our favorites as we wade through, arguably, lesser award shows while we wait on the reveal of the casts and crews that earn the top honors in the industry. Chances are always good that deserving films will receive the nominations that they deserve, but with such limited availability on ballots and the bias of any given critic, there will always be those that miss out on being a part of the conversation.
Let’s take a look, in no particular order, at five of the craziest snubs in this year’s Oscar nominations:
Creed (Snubbed for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography)
Back in 1976, the winner of Best Picture at the Academy Awards was Rocky, the tale of an underdog boxer that overcomes adversity before finally getting a shot at the world heavyweight championship. The story is a strong adaptation of the “American Dream,” and it spawned a successful string of films over the next forty years.
Flash-forward to 2015, and we’ve gotten the latest entry in the franchise. Essentially both a sequel and a “restart” to the series, Creed, directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station and the upcoming Marvel film Black Panther), seemed like a mistake from the very beginning. Hadn’t this story been played out enough? Luckily, though, the film ended up being a spectacular production, largely due to Coogler and the film’s cast, led by Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle and Fruitvale Station). While the film did receive a single award nomination for supporting actor Sylvester Stallone (reprising his Acadamy Award-winning role of Rocky Balboa), many expected the Academy to show at least some love to the rest of the film. While a Best Picture nomination may have always been a longshot (even though I would include it on my own personal list), Michael B. Jordan seemed like a shoe-in for a Best Actor nomination, and Coogler has proven himself to be one of the next big directors in the industry. Additionally, the film’s cinematography was absolutely inspired, with the film’s fight sequences being among the best of the year. Despite the reception of the audience, though, Creed will have to settle with its single nomination. Fortunately, nostalgia and a solid performance by Stallone may be enough to earn the win there.
Ridley Scott (Snubbed for Best Director of The Martian)
One of the biggest crimes in Academy Award history is the fact that Ridley Scott has never won for Best Director. A critical- and fan-favorite director, Scott’s films have never seemed to resonate quite enough with the Academy. People around the world thought that this egregious error would finally be corrected after the massive success of The Martian, adapted from Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name, but, alas, we were all wrong again. Scott still has plenty to be proud of with his film, though: in addition to being loved by the masses, The Martian managed to earn seven Oscar nominations this year, including Best Picture and Best Actor for star Matt Damon. Still, though, one can’t help but wonder why Ridley Scott’s accomplishments have yet to earn him that coveted award. The director still has a lot of life left in him, though, so maybe this mistake will be corrected in the future.
Michael Keaton (Snubbed for Best Supporting Actor in Spotlight)
I’ll be upfront: Spotlight is my pick for Best Picture of 2015. Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a good film based on a true story, but Spotlight took that love to an entirely different level. A master class in storytelling, Spotlight took an incredibly tough subject and presented it in a way that never took away from the truth it was trying to tell. The film has earned numerous Academy Award nominations this year, including Best Picture, but the name that I couldn’t believe was left off the list was Michael Keaton (last year’s nominee for Best Actor for Birdman). While Mark Ruffalo, Keaton’s co-star who did earn a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, was one of the best things about an already great film, none of the performances in the film could have held together as well without Keaton’s contribution. The film was, without a doubt, an ensemble’s accomplishment, but Michael Keaton was the glue that kept everything strong. I would argue that Ruffalo’s character fit a lead actor nomination rather than a supporting one, but that’s open to interpretation. Nevertheless, Keaton should be incredibly proud of his performance, and I feel that respect for it will only grow larger and larger over time.
Jacob Tremblay (Snubbed for Best Supporting Actor in Room)
Ever since TVOvermind’s Chris King started talking about it, I became incredibly excited about the opportunity to see Room. I avoided all spoilers and trailers for the film, only taking in a few images from the movie before finally having the chance to watch it. Almost unexpectedly, I fell absolutely in love with what I believe to be the best dramatic thriller on the big screen in years. From the very first shot, I knew that this would be a film to talk about, and I’m so happy that the Academy has surprised us all and shown it the love it deserves. The film is up for four Oscars this year, including the coveted Best Picture award, and Brie Larson’s dynamic performance has her listed as the front-runner for Best Actress on more than one list.
While I’m glad Room is getting some well-earned exposure, one thing that I feel the Academy got wrong was the decision to not nominate Jacob Tremblay for Best Supporting Actor. I’m typically not a fan of child actors; they try their best, but there’s only so much that you can expect from them. Jacob Tremblay, though, delivered one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by someone this young (and better than a lot of adult actors, too). Room would have been absolutely nothing without Tremblay’s raw talent, and I would even make the argument that he deserves a nomination for Best Lead Actor.
Straight Outta Compton (Snubbed for Best Picture)
Straight Outta Compton, the story of the rise and fall of rap group N.W.A. and its members, never seemed like an awards contender. Even in a time where the niche market can be the way to go, nobody ever expected Straight Outta Compton to be the achievement that it was. In spite of all the odds, though, it was clear at the end of the film that director F. Gary Gray had created something very special. From top to bottom, Straight Outta Compton is admirable for the love that clearly went into the production. Every shot is beautiful. Every performer gives it his or her all. The story presented is one that, somehow, everyone can relate: we try our best to succeed, for better or worse, and we never know how things will end.
Unfortunately, the Academy didn’t agree, giving Straight Outta Compton a single nomination in the Best Original Screenplay category. Even more unfortunate is the fact that its chances of winning are slim, considering the competition it will face this year. One of the best pictures of the year, Straight Outta Compton will be a film that we look back on and wonder “how was that overlooked?”
The 88th Academy Awards air Sunday, February 28 on ABC. What do you think were the biggest snubs this year? Who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments down below!
