7 out of 10 for the predictions for Best Picture. My bet on Drive My Car paid off but The Lost Daughter; tick, tick... BOOM!; and The Tragedy of Macbeth lost out to King Richard, Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley.
Really surprised but not totally shocked at Nightmare Alley getting in for Best Pic. That's largely because of all the news and Hollywood gossip I've been hearing about how hard Guillermo del Toro has been campaigning for it in L.A.
If you really, truly, deeply thought that the Academy would give Spider-Man: No Way Home a nom for Best Picture, you really need to get out of the echo chambers you locked yourself in and see the sun again.
I should be really mad at Denis Villeneuve getting snubbed for Best Director but I honestly don't care that much. Still a shocking surprise though.
I really thought the Academy was going to do two women directors again but alas, nothing for Maggie Gyllenhaal. I somehow thought Paul Thomas Anderson had no chance but at least Ryusuke Hamaguchi got in after having a stellar 2021.
Best Actor noms were easy picks yet I stupidly thought Javier Bardem would go to Best Supporting Actor, with Joaquin Phoenix for C'mon C'mon taking his place.
Let's face it here and now: Will Smith will lose to Benedict Cumberbatch come Oscar night.
Jessica Chastain and Nicole Kidman locked in with ease despite my apathy for their deliberate Oscar ploys. Glad Olivia Colman, Penelope Cruz, and Kristen Stewart got in. But holy crap, no Lady Gaga?! And no Rachel Zegler?!!
I really thought Kirsten Dunst should have been included for Best Actress but she at least got in for Best Supporting Actress.
Not shocked at all for Judi Dench being included for Best Supporting Actress. I always had her as a spoiler though I really wanted Rita Moreno instead. I feel really bad Ruth Negga and Ann Dowd got snubbed (Caitriona Balfe as well to a lesser degree) but I was shocked by the inclusion of Jessie Buckley.
No Jared Leto! Hallelujah!!!
Also no Ben Affleck as well? Huh, many people in Hollywood must really loathe him.
Very happy Jesse Plemons got in for Best Supporting Actor. And wow at J.K. Simmons getting in. From the clips I've seen of Being The Ricardos, he is his usually great self. He more than likely got in due to being a favorite actor in the industry plus having Aaron Sorkin as his writer/director.
I really liked Colman Domingo in Zola but he had no chance to break through the pack.
More big acting snubs: Nicolas Cage for Best Actor; Bradley Cooper for both Best Actor and Supporting Actor; Alana Haim, Frances McDormand, and Jennifer Hudson for Best Actress; Jamie Dornan, Mike Faist, and Tony Leung for Best Supporting Actor; Marlee Matlin for Best Supporting Actress.
Of that pile of acting snubs, I'm really confused at the amount of people who honestly thought Jennifer Hudson would have been included. Respect was no Ray, not with the critics nor with the public.
God damn the Disney Machine! They got all three of their films in for Best Animated Feature with ease, leaving Belle in the dust. Damnit, Sing 2, you were supposed to take Luca out of the competition! It's up to Flee and The Mitchells vs. The Machines to try and stop Encanto from winning which sadly is a hard hill to climb.
Also, congrats to Flee for making history as a nom for Best Animated Feature, Best International Feature, and Best Documentary Feature.
No A Hero for Best International Feature. The hell?! Like Best Actor, everyone expected the obvious five noms but instead Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom took its spot. Upon investigating, i.e. checking Wikipedia, this film was already submitted and disqualified at last year's Oscars yet was able to re-submit for this year's. Again, the hell?!!
Got 4 out of 5 with Best Original Song. I wonder how many people of Twitter will be mad at "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure" from Encanto not getting nominated despite the sheer fact that Disney never submitted them to the Academy.
Freaking Van Morrison for Best Original Song. I would have liked it if I didn't have to suffocate on all of his other songs in Belfast.
Diane Warren got another nomination! Seriously, she's the Susan Lucci of the Oscars. The Academy and all of Warren's friends: Either shit or get off the pot!
I just realized that West Side Story wasn't nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. That really sucks considering the effort put forth by Tony Kushner but that's a pretty stacked five.
Oh wow, The French Dispatch was completely snubbed. Same for Annette, Petite Maman, Zola, Red Rocket, Shiva Baby, Last Night In Soho, and The Card Counter.
And the biggest snub of all goes to... Paw Patrol: The Movie for Best Animated Feature!
That about does it. Tune in next month for my predictions which I obviously will fail at.
