Initial Reaction to the Oscar Nominations

Wow, a lot of controversy ready to brew in the next hour or so.


Before I talk about my own personal problem, let's take care of the big one first: Selma. I still haven't seen the picture but by all accounts, it was one of the best films of last year. And it gets just two, Best Picture and Song? Are you kidding me? Everybody's to blame for this slight: the generally white body of the Academy, those who engineered the smeer campaign about it's supposed historical inaccuaries about LBJ, and those who were lazy enough to not only get a screener, but couldn't get their wrinkled bottoms up to go to a free screening of it.


Now, my time to rant: How did The Lego Movie not get a nom for Best Animated Feature? It makes no logical sense other than the theory that the Academy hated its basis as a feature film devoted to a toy product. I very glad Song of the Sea and Princess Yaguya were able to contend with Hollywood here but the fact that the highly disappointing How to Train Your Dragon 2 got in over my favorite film of the year, and one of the extremely few animated films to be on many critics' "best of" lists, just makes me want to break stuff. Everything is NOT awesome.


Other people foaming at the mouths other than David Oyelowo: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ralph Fiennes, Timothy Spall, Amy Adams, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Rene Russo.


Life Itself was not included in Best Documentary. Why does the Academy loathe Steve James so, so much?


Gone Girl gets only one, which granted is the only one that truly matters, the Best Actress nom for Rosamund Pike. But still, not even for Gillian Flynn's twisty script?


Force Majeure taken out of the race for Best Foreign Language Film by a fruity-named pic.


No amount of acclaim could give any love to A Most Violent Year, including a nom for Jessica Chastain.


I knew The Immigrant would be snubbed, but Under the Skin too?


Make a boring slog of an interesting sports topic and do not receive a nomination for Best Picture. Yeah, let's give Benedict Miller a slot in the Best Director race. He's like Robert Altman, right? How does this make any sense?


Robert Duvall only nominated because of the foagie vote. He's clearly not going to win so why waste it on that forgettable movie?


Nightcrawler getting Best Screenplay. Don't make me laugh.


"Dick Poop" for Best Cinematography. We now have a new major lowlight in Oscar broadcasting history.


Now, to break up my monotonous ramble-rousing, let's look on the bright side of the nominations, shall we?


Marion Cotillard gets the dark horse spot in the Best Actress, giving her the possibility of once-again spoiling another front-runner from receiving the award. I'm also glad she snatched it away from Jennifer Aniston, for her movie that no one will be talking about ever again.


The Grand Budapest Hotel leads with Birdman for most nominations but is more likely to be the bigger winner.


Laura Dern finally got her first Oscar nomination! As did Emma Stone!


Feast is sure to easily win Best Animated Short.



That's all I can muster right now. But again, just wow at the many blown opportunities.