After a year of remarkable highs and standout performances on the big screen, the Oscars return to remind us all just how competitive this year has been for film.
Nominations for the 96th Annual Academy Awards were released on Tuesday. As always, audience reactions to the most anticipated lists varied from praise to contempt. Among the most controversial categories were Best Picture, Directing and Actor in a Leading Role.
Best Picture
Often considered the most prestigious award, the Best Picture category holds a fierce selection of critically acclaimed films. Perhaps, most notably, “Oppenheimer” received a nomination for Best Picture along with 12 other nods across various categories. The film’s summertime rival “Barbie” was also nominated.
Other lucrative contenders include “Maestro,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Despite this impressive sequence of nominations, many felt Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” and Sean Durkin’s “The Iron Claw” were snubbed. Both films did not receive any nominations from any category despite having higher ratings, box office performances and virality than films like “Maestro.”
Directing
The Best Picture category often previews what films will make appearances in other categories. Naturally, Christopher Nolan earned himself a directing nomination for “Oppenheimer” alongside “Killers of the Flower Moon” director Martin Scorese. Justine Triet also made the cut for “Anatomy of a Fall,” pleasing many fans.
Despite racking up eight nominations, “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig did not make the list in this category. Her exclusion sparked online controversy in parallel to outrage over Margot Robbie’s exclusion from Actress in a Leading Role for her part in the film. Many have pointed to the lack of prominent women in these categories as a testament to the feminist themes in Gerwig’s film.
Actor in a Leading Role
Undoubtedly contentious, the Actor in a Leading Role category sheds light on the stand-out performances of Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers,” Bradley Cooper in “Maestro” and, of course, Cillian Murphy in “Oppenheimer.” It’s clear that every actor in this group has earned this feat.
Film fanatics, however, were surprised to see Zac Efron fail to receive a nomination for his performance in “The Iron Claw.” Efron’s performance has been described by top critics as his career best. In spite of this snub, the winner of this category will not disappoint audiences, as each nominee delivered an impressive performance.
The Oscars continue to overlook crucial spectacular productions and the creative minds behind them. But like any award ceremony, it’s important to take these nominations with a grain of salt and disallow arbitrary recognitions of talent to lessen our appreciation of the astounding films 2023 gifted us.
