Initial Reaction to Oscar Nominations

Was Nebraska that damn good? Really? It plus Philomena getting included in several major categories certainly show that the old folk in the Academy love movies about old folk.


For the most part, I'm fine with those in the acting departments. But wow, were there a lot of significant snubs: Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Oscar Isaac, Robert Redford, Michael B. Jordan, Julia Delpy, Emma Thompson, Greta Gerwig, Daniel Bruhl, James Gandolfini, James Franco, and Jeremy Renner.


The Butler was thankfully snubbed (bye bye, Oprah!) but how the hell did August: Osage County get in, especially in the acting categories? Granted, I still haven't seen it but the fact that Streep has yet another nomination severely pisses me off. She pulls off a occasional very good performance but then follows that up with some awful ones, i.e. going from Julie & Julia to Mamma Mia!. Maybe when I see the movie, I may shut my yapper but I'll still feel guilty that the better contenders for the award were off the ballot.


All the love for Her but not for Spike Jonze or Scarlett Johannson. Stupid Payne, Russell and Roberts.


Need further proof that Pixar has fallen apart and Disney has risen from the ashes? Look at Best Animated Feature. The return of the Monsters Inc. crew lost out to a bear-mouse duo. I'm also glad that Miyazaki got in.


Can't really say much about Best Foreign Language Film. I heard they are all good in various degrees but The Great Beauty is sure to win, chiefly because of its high critical consensus.


I was okay with Best Documentary until I remember that the most high-profile doc Blackfish was nowhere in sight. Others have complained about the absence of Stories We Tell, though many were divided on Sarah Polley's exploration of her family and home videos. The documentary genre was amazing last year so it's hard for me to really complain about the five that got through.


Not happy with 12 Years a Slave being snubbed for Cinematography and Score. Stupid John Williams.


U2 better not win Best Song again!


When it comes to Sound Editing and Mixing, I heard a lot recently about the praise towards Lone Survivor. I also find it funny that Gravity got in.


I would mock The Lone Ranger for getting in for Visual Effects (did they see that train-to-train jump?) but I actually watched some special features that showed how much effort the special effects crew actually put into creating a wild west world.


Poor, poor Inside Llewyn Davis. Not even for Best Song.


Jackass now has one Oscar nomination under its long, seemingly expanding belt.


Sorry Labor Day, no one loved you. Have fun bombing in two weeks.


Overall, pretty much expected where the chips were going to go, but the snubs all around were really shocking this year.


**MAJOR POST-NOTE**: Everybody has been scrambling to find out about the most obscure nomination on the ballot: "Alone Yet Not Alone" from Alone Yet Not Alone for Best Song. It seems some disgusting backstage wheeling and dealing caused the evangelical Christian song to get in. After listening to it fully, I am just utterly appalled, both by it and Bruce Broughton's practices. You could have had Taylor Swift or Justin Timberlake or Coldplay or even Lana Del Rey performing on the Oscar stage; instead, you benefited a wolf in sheep's clothing