Team Experience Grieving the Oscar Shut-Outs
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 8:00AM Nathaniel R
We're not supposed to use the word "snub" anymore (stop trying to make "snubbed" rehappen). It's true that it's become overused to the point of insanity. The word implies a purposeful disdain, a rebuff, when Oscar voters surely aren't saying "ugh, that Franco!" when they vote (errr, bad example perhaps they were). The point is they're merely voting on the ones they keep hearing about their favorites. Some films and performances and achievements just don't quite make the cut. And who knows? Someone or something you love might have been one vote shy of a nomination so it wasn't "snubbed" at all, just unlucky! This is what I'm choosing to believe about Jake Gyllenhaal's raw, rangey, vulnerable, and altogether stunning turn in Stronger. He's one of his generations very best actors and keeps proving it in film after film and they just keep ignoring him year after year. It's driving me mad. So...
Which omission pissed you off the most? That's the question that I ask you in the comments and that I already asked the (usually) Oscar loving Team Experience. Their angry-fun answers are after the jump...
WHICH OSCAR OMISSION PISSED YOU OFF THE MOST?
CHRIS FEIL: Tiffany Haddish wasn't exactly the likeliest of nominees, but her Girls Trip performance is one of the performances we'll be adoring long after the Oscar ceremony. As if the notion that Oscar doesn't reward comedy needed fuel added to its fire - if only Tiffany could have ziplined over that fire and, well, put it out.
GLENN DUNKS: I had resigned myself to the obvious fact that Tiffany Haddish was not going to be nominated, but to then invite her to announce the nominees so we can witness that first hand? Yikes. I know the category was stacked - my heart aches for Hong Chau, thwarted by giving a great performance in a disappointing film that I don't feel people allowed themselves to see the virtues of (those visual effects! that production design!) - but it just came off as rude.
TEO BUGBEE: Lady Bird for Best Editing. Economic, elegant editing, but each cut has impact.
MATTHEW ENG: Paul Thomas Anderson’s funny, full-hearted, and deeply audacious script for Phantom Thread really couldn’t claim a spot in Original Screenplay amid Guillermo Del Toro and Vanessa Taylor’s absurd fish-shtupping and Martin McDonagh’s clunky portents and insulting medley of gendered, racialized, and sizeist stereotypes? Sometimes the writers’ branch gets it, but other times it’s just a sucker for flashy narrative gimmicks.
DEBORAH LIPP: The haunting and heartbreaking Wind River could surely have earned one nomination somewhere. What pisses me off is, truth be told, not that it wasn't nominated, but that it never made it to the conversation. No one discussed it as a possibility, no one found it "buzzworthy." This wonderful movie deserved better.
TIMOTHY BRAYTON: I had cocooned myself in enough cynicism that I didn't expect good things to happen, but Call Me by Your Name missing both Supporting Actor bids was certainly... annoying.
KIERAN SCARLETT: Hong Chau for Downsizing. She's very good in that movie. Better than it deserves. And I was really rooting for her.
ILICH MEJIA: Not thrilled The Big Sick’s Holly Hunter missed out for making the concerned mother funny, intelligent, kind, and then some. Wish she’d have been there to heckle the announcement (if only to woo-hoo Lesley Manville’s nomination: heckling doesn’t have to be negative).
SPENCER COILE: Where on earth is The Beguiled? I would’ve been happy with a Kirsten Dunst nomination, an Adapted Screenplay nomination, a Costume Design nomination. Anything!
JASON ADAMS: My first thought was Stuhlbarg but I'm more sad than angry about that (I know he'll get his due soon) - I think I'm angrier about the lack of love for Luca Guadagnino all season long. There isn't an element of CMBYN that Luca didn't wrangle into a visual and aural feast, from the performances to the look to the music, the whole damn thing works, and it's both a departure for him (kinder, more bucolic and adult, less show-offy) while it also couldn't have been made by anyone else.
BEN MILLER: Armie Hammer. That performance is incredibly difficult to pull off. You have to toe the line between manipulation and adoration. At no point did I feel like Oliver was corrupting Elio and their romance became immediately intimate in ways film rarely shows. Transformative stuff. I will never understand why he failed to gain the traction he deserved while Richard Jenkins (who I always enjoy) gets a nod for a listless performance.
JOHN GUERIN: My heart truly breaks for Annette Bening, fantastic and eminently deserving of a nomination for Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool.
ERIC BLUME: James Franco. He was astonishing and found the heart of that crazy guy, without going soft. And what does Jessica Chastain have to do for another nomination? We've seen Meryl do what she does in The Post before, and her slot should have gone to Jessica's resourceful, smashing, funny work in Molly's Game.
But, as you might have guessed, dear reader. One name kept popping up in the conversation...
KATEY RICH: Justice for Michael Stuhlbarg! At this point he's just going to win for some subpar performance in two decades because everyone feels guilty for snubbing him so long, but it would have been so lovely to see him nominated for being the beating heart of his film.
SEÁN MCGOVERN: I join the chorus of queers lamenting the same name: Michael Stuhlbarg. There's a reason so many of us desired that this tender-hearted progressive father receive his just rewards. And it's a true supporting role: quiet, warm, unshowy. There's a place for these performances. Just not at the 90th Oscars!
NICK DAVIS: I don't really know what Michael Stuhlbarg had to do to garner a nomination or any awards traction whatsoever except be quietly but unmistakably stupendous in a genuinely supporting role in one of the three Best Picture nominees in which he appeared, but I guess that's just not enough. Runner-up is Félicité for Foreign Film, but I was already less optimistic about that one.
DANCIN DAN: The lack of Armie Hammer and/or Michael Stuhlbarg in Supporting Actor. If forced to pick one of them for my ballot, it would be Stuhlbarg, who would frankly win the category hands down with his line reading of "Nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot" ALONE. It's the kind of small-scale, generous, film-elevating work that this category was designed to honor, and he was a key ensemble member in THREE of the Best Picture nominees this year! A nomination for his finest work of the year would have been the least AMPAS could do honor this hard-working, humble performer.
Your turn. Which snub sent you into a rage spiral?
Reader Comments (103)
I won't complain because my favorite performances never had a shot.
People have given Jeremy Renner a lot of (deserved) shit because of his surrender to franchises, but when he gives us a performance as great as the one in Wind River (he should WIN best actor) people just don't pay attention.
I was team Natalie Portman last year, but I'd be glad if Stone could get a very deserved nomination and maybe a win for Battle of the Sexes. I also loved Winslet in Wonder Wheel.
I am not passionate about anybody in Supporting Actor, but I really wanted to see Julianne Moore win again for her heartbreaking 20 final minutes in Wonderstruck. Such a beautiful, depply felt performance. Brilliant.
I get that the Academy doesn't always go for more contemporary time frames in costuming. I get it.
But they have the audacity to nominate Beauty and the Beast (with that wretched, poorly constructed ball gown? The lace details don't even line up and some of the hems are crooked and wavy) instead of any other film that could have taken the nomination with properly fit and sewn costumes? I usually love Jacqueline Durran's work, too, but there is no way she deserved two competing nominations this year. Darkest Hour? Sure. But Beauty and the Beast? No.
I, Tonya's not everyone's thing, but the costumes were spot on and looked great even with the laughable actor head on figure skater's body editing.
Wonder Woman was everything, from the armor to an entire scene dedicated to finding fancy but not too fancy proper civilian clothes for Diana to pass in London. And that dress with the holster for the sword built into the back? Come on. No puckered seams and poorly placed lace on those costumes.
Shoot, go with another period drama if you have to. The Beguiled and Lady Macbeth were right there with properly tailored and finished costumes. Or if you want intentionally bad (versus accidentally bad), you could go with The Disaster Artist.
It could be worse. They could have nominated The Greatest Showman, which clearly took inspiration from opening a 128 pack of Crayola crayons and saying "all of these in every costume in every circus scene."
Gyllenhaal really was terrific in Stronger. And Tatiana Maslany and Miranda Richardson were pretty nomination worthy themselves and far more deserving/nuanced/lived-in than say Janney or Spencer, but that's the game I guess. In an ideal world, Haddish would have got a nomination for really elevating her film.
It's not really a snub because she had little to no chance ot being nominated but Cynthia Nixon was career-best in A Quiet Passion. I also have a lot of time for Sam Elliott in The Hero and Laurence Fishburne in Last Flag Flying.
Holly Hunter definitely hurt the most. What a warm, sharp and funny performance. The scene of her saying goodbye to Kumail in the hospital made the movie for me.
I'm also sad that The Lost City of Z was never really in the conversation.
And now I am sad again reading about how many were disappointed that Stuhlbarg missed a nod. Sigh.
Emma Stone and Steve Carrell both deserved nominations for Battle of the Sexes. I liked that film as well, so sad it didn’t even get a single nod.
I feel I should point out that I too, loved JG in STRONGER. So much so that I've seen it TWICE. Boston Strong! The poor boy can't get a break.
I admired Call Me by Your Name way more than I actually liked it, so I'm fine with its nominations.
I can't say that I was rooting for any one film or person in particular, though it would have been nice had someone like Betty Gabriel had even an outside shot.
Theme of this post: 3 Billboards sucks
"And what does Jessica Chastain have to do for another nomination? We've seen Meryl do what she does in The Post before, and her slot should have gone to Jessica's resourceful, smashing, funny work in Molly's Game."
I'd opt for Chastain or Bening or Cynthia Nixon over Frances McDormand...instead of over Streep. Yes, McDormand will go on to win (and normally I love her), but her movie is repugnant. Why isn't this obvious???
Also, Armie... I think his was a rare performance, even better for me than Stuhlbarg's. I won't soon recover from either of them losing a spot to Harrelson and/or Rockwell.
cal roth -- I see you.
I’m glad Call Me by Your Name missed out on key nominations (like Hammer was snubbed...oh please!). Serves Luca right for panning away to a window.
If there had to be film with multiple male nominees, than any of the three actors from Mudbound (Mitchell, Morgan, Hedlund) deserved it.
The Three Billboards actors getting in over Hammer and Stuhlbarg really pisses me off.
I love Woody Harrelson and he was one of the few bright spots of 3BB but they didn't need to nominate him. Definitely not over Hammer's trickier, more complex work.
I like Jake you like Jake we all like Jake but sometimes I can see him straining esp in Stronger and that OTT banging on glass scene.
The only time i'll be talking about Haddish if I ever do is to thank the Oscar voters for nominating the class of Blige and Spencer rather than the crass ottness of Haddish.
Holly Hunter's snub hurt the most.
She gave my second favorite supporting performance of the year after Laurie Metcalf.
Annette. Guadagnino. Stuhlbarg. Armie. Visions of Gideon
cal roth Renner and Stone are my picks for hardly entering the conversation when Stone was all over the place last year just cos she was in the juggernaut LLL,this year noone cared,she's far better in BOTS and I thought Carell was gr8 too but Renners none nod in a weak race has a lot to with Harvey.
I get the feeling no one liked Jenkins in TSOW he's my pick,I love lonely gay neighbours in movies.
Editing for Lady Bird, Stone, Franco, Hammer, Visions of Gideon. I also wish Kristen Stewart, Tracy Letts, The Meyerowitz Stories, and A Ghost Story somehow made it into the conversation.
I’m more hurt by the people who did get nominated, but had their names mutilated by the presenter...
For me, it's Jane...How did it NOT make the cut when it was the most revered documentary next to Faces Places???
Issit too Nat Geo for the voters??
Guadagnino deserves his omission for his caving to the straights with that window shot (sorry, not buying the BS that it was done as a homage to old movies or whatever and to give what was happening a feeling of intimacy. Nope, it was done not to alienate its mainstream appeal with an "icky" gay sex scene).
Chastain & Gyllenhaal were unfortunate. Also would have liked Renner to score a nom if only to prove wrong the pretentious movie "purists" who act like Superhero movies is where acting abilities go to die.
Sad Hunter missed and that Romano never even contended, sadder that The Post underperformed so painfully, saddest that Stuhlbarg lost out.
Zero nominations for the sublime WONDERSTRUCK is just devastating.
I would have liked Lawrence and Pfeiffer nominated for mother! But I knew that was wishful thinking.
But what really irks, is how is got completely shut out of the sound categories, when none of the other nominess there come anywhere close to what that film did.
All on board with the early-released "Wind River" - Jeremy Renner was great as the bitter father taking what is left of his life one day at a time, while still able to do his job. Every performance in this movie was spot on, and the script tells a story that needed to be told with a nearly perfect balance (minus an over-the-top violent conclusion). This should also have been in the conversation for best cinematography and best sound design (whichever one that is), maybe best score, and certainly best picture.
"He's one of his generations very best actors and keeps proving it in film after film" -- and we would definitely bone him! Actually that's what keeps him from winning trophies. Same goes for Armie.
The Skarsgaard swept would have never happened if BLL were a movie.
I'm still sad that Betty Gabriel never really entered the conversation.
BPM FOREVER
It was a strange feeling to be upset about Holly Hunter and Hong Chau (who's career would surely benefit from the exposure) missing out for their excellent performances, while also being over-the-moon about the Lesley Manville nomination that likely edged them out.
Would that they could have dumped Spencer and Blige and nominated all three.
Bria Vinaite for supporting actress in "The Florida Project" - wow! - and Vicky Krieps (Best Actress in "Phantom Thread"). Though, sadly, neither seemed to have been much in the conversation. I often find Nicole Kidman a tough sell but she was magnificent in "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" and definitely rated an Actress nomination this year. I'd have honored that film for Cinematography as well. And whatever one thinks of Guy Ritchie's "King Arthur", production design was out of this world.
Yes, of course Stuhlbarg. But putting another name out there... Lucas Hedges. Great to very good in two of this year's Best Picture nominees.
BATTLE OF THE SEXES (hair/makeup or costumes at the VERY least) and THE FLORIDA PROJECT (cinematography and screenplay) also should've gotten more love.
For other technical nods I was rooting for CMBYN's cinematography, GET OUT's editing, and I TONYA's costumes.
The only miss that made me genuinely sad this year was “In a Heartbeat” for Animated Short.
Hear hear on Wind River never being in the conversation when it should have been for so many.
And Wonder Woman at least deserved some of the below-the-line nods; heck, even maybe for some of the acting nods.
The snubs that frustrate me the most are Bening (for the 2nd year in a row), hammer, Hunter, and Hammer. People get snubbed for different reasons, but sometimes I do wonder what goes into voters' minds when placing some of the nominees higher than others. I definitely thought Bening's near miss last year would translate into a nomination this year.
One day I hope awards bodies wake up to the technical precision in all of Gudagnino's films and not just the acting and writing. Except for BR2049, there wasn't a more beautifully shot film than CMBYN. Some of the best film editing work of the year - certainly deserved a nomination. The Sound work on all of his films has been fantastic.
As far as acting snubs, I think the saddest one for me all season has been Patrick Stewart. With every viewing this performance gets better and better. I'd go as far as calling it the greatest performance in superhero movie ever.
One name and only. JAMIE BELL
Annette Bening!!
Michael Stuhlbarg!!!
Armie Hammer!
Hong Chau
Holly Hunter
Jake Gylenhaal
Tom Hanks
Luca Guadagnino
Phantom Thread's screenplay (over a romcom of all things)
Here we go again... People complaining that Luca panned to a window and from that they derive he thinks gay sex is Gross. Because apparently oral sex is not gay sex.
Vicki Krieps and Emma Stone for BOTS, which was one of the more underrated films of the year.
I was probably the only one holding out hope for a shock posthumous nomination for the late great Harry Dean Stanton in Lucky. Just a lovely man, actor, performance. It would've been the highlight of nomination morning for me.
Otherwise, the non-noms that sting the most for me are #1 Michael Stuhlbarg, #2 Jake Gyllenhaal, #3 Holly Hunter, #4 Jessica Chastain & #5 Tracy Letts :( :( :(
The only happy surprise for me was Lesley Manville in Supporting Actress.
Stuhlbarg for sure, but i’ll also add costume design for Call Me By Your Name. The category always goes for period flashy but CMBYN instead went for authentically period that it felt like we were watching a film from that era. “I, Tonya” was probably more likely to get a costume nomination than CMBYN because it mocked the 1990s with its costume choices. It felt like Halloween costumes than real clothes. Subtle never wins an Oscar so sadly CMBYN’s costumes had no chance.
1. Gyllenhaal - how could he never even enter the conversation? No GG? No SAG? No critics prizes?
2. Stuhlbarg and Hammer (although I liked Jenkins - I'd probably get rid of Rockwell - haven't seen Plummer yet)
3. Gabriel - infinitely more deserving of a spot than Blige
4. Okja in special effects - so smoothly integrated you never for once question what you're seeing, and they're clearly over their Netflix animosity
Betty Gabriel was very memorable in GET OUT. Her "No no no no no no" scene is already a classic. It was a small but pivotal supporting performance. BSA this year has several nominees that I am less than enthused about, none moreso than Blige. Gabriel would have been a much more exciting choice, I feel.
Michael Stuhlbarg, of course.
Finally, I don't know if AMPAS will ever make it up to Annette Bening - 2 years in a row now she's been missing from the final list, but last yr her great performance in 20th Century Women not getting recognized - that still sucks.
We've seen Frances McDormand do what she always does in 3B, and she is probably going to win. Like Meryl, that shouldn't be a barometer for who should be nominated or not.
Armie Hammer
Michael Stuhlbarg
Jake Gyllenhaal
Emma Stone
Betty Gabriel
Holly Hunter
I think some performers like a Jessica Chastain or Jake Gyllenhaal are respected but don’t generate much enthusiasm from voters or audiences. Others like Tom Hanks or Holly Hunter are taken for granted. An Armie Hammer can’t compete with the inexplicable love for Three Billboards. Life is not fair sometimes, except the appropriate rejection of James Franco.
PFEIFFER not one but two AMAZING performances this year :(
Michelle Pfeiffer in supporting
Blade Runner 2049 in best picture
Wonder Woman in costume design, special effects
The Killing of a Sacred Deer original screenplay
Wind River in best picture, original screenplay, best actor
BETTY GABRIEL
Also yes, WONDER WOMAN should have gotten *something*. I really liked the movie and I've come to pretty much hate superhero movies.