The 2021 Oscars nominations are out! Who made the cut, and who got left out?
With the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards done and dusted, we were all eagerly waiting to see who finally made the list of Academy Awards nominations this year. With the pandemic year of 2020, it was a foregone conclusion that a number of ‘made for streaming’ movies (which had token theatrical releases to qualify), and indie releases would make the cut, as most of the major studios held back from releasing their big budget films. Thankfully, Hollywood ‘smallness’ doesn’t necessarily mean a letdown in quality.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas hosted the show for the nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards. So let’s do a rundown of the major snubs and surprises; and in less than a week’s time, I’ll give you my bold predictions of who will take home Oscar, come April 25th Los Angeles time (Monday morning here in Manila).
The Snubs:
One Night in Miami for Best Picture - There are 8 films vying for Best Picture; but this stirring play adaptation got lost in the shuffle, and Regina King in her debut as Director also got snubbed. Thankfully, there are still two women vying for Best Director - Chlo Zhao for Nomadland, and Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman. But it’s One Night in Miami left out in the cold, except for Leslie Odom, Jr., included in the Best Upporting Actor category, and Kemp Powers for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Zendaya for Malcolm & Marie in Lead Actress - Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday), Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman), Carey Mulligan ((Promising Young Woman), Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), and Frances McDormand (Nomadland) make the list, and there was an outside chance Zendaya would make it, but not to be.
Da 5 Bloods - a virtual shut out, whether for Chadwick Boseman as Supporting Actor, Delroy Lindo for Best Actor, or Spike Lee for Best Director. The only nomination it snagged is for Best Original Score.
Aaron Sorkin as Best Director for The Trial of the Chicago 7 is snubbed; while Lee Isaac Chung for Minari, and Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round made it. Trial of the Chicago 7 made the cut for Best Picture, and Sorkin is there for Best Original Screenplay.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for left out of the Best Picture list, with Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis snagging Best Actor and Best Actress nominations.
The Surprises:
Maria Bakalova in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm for Supporting Actress - it was touch and go as to whether this newbie would make the cut for this category; but she did, and I can see her going far on this, thanks to doing that crazy interview with Rudy Giuliani in the film.
The Father for Best Picture - Some felt this heavy, drawn out drama might not have made the cut, but it ends up beating out One Night in Miami, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. It joins Sound of Metal, Mank, Minari, Promising Young Woman, Judas and the Black Messiah, Trial of the Chicago 7, and Nomadland.
Rahmin Bahrani for his The White Tiger Adapted Screenplay - based on the novel of Aravind Adiga’s novel, which won the 2008 Booker Prize, it’s good to see this getting the attention it fully deserves. You can watch this picaresque on Netflix, and it’s a riveting story.
Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round in Best Director - No Regina King for One Night in Miami, Spike Lee for Da 5 Bloods, or Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7. But in a film vying for Best International Feature Film, Vinterberg gets a nomination.
LaKeith Stanfield as Best Supporting Actor, along with Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah. It’s just hoped that the two don’t end up cancelling each other out. Kaluuya has been taking home Best Supporting in the Golden Globes and Critics Choice, so is the inclusion of Stanfield here going to slow Kaluuya down?
Youn Yuh-Jung in the Best Supporting Actress list for Minari. At the age of 73, this South Korean actress garners a nomination for her role as the matriarch in Minari. Minari continues the Korean streak started by Parasite last year, as Steven Yuen is up for Best Actor, and its in the Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay lists.
Be sure to look out for my fearless predictions, coming soon. But for now, let’s sit back and reflect on how this definitely is an Oscars list ripe with gender and racial diversity. Some of the snubs are real head-scratchers (like why didn’t they include more films for Best Picture), but that is what Oscars is all about - making some jump for joy, and others weep with regrets.