Oscar Nomination Reactions


The Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday morning and, as with each year, it brings a flood of praises and disappointments. The ceremony will be Sunday, February 26, and until then we'll have plenty of time to debate the nominees and guess who will win.

But for now, I wanted to offer some thoughts on those that missed the field.

* Amy Adams. Adams was great in "Arrival," a Best Picture nominee that gathered eight total nominations. The film's director even singled out the Adams snub as a great miss by the Academy. I, too, though she should be a lock in the category. She was not only great in "Arrival," but in "Nocturnal Animals," a weird but beautifully crafted film snubbed by the Academy. I'm wondering if Adams great double effort cost her a single nomination as voters were split on which performance was better...

* "Sully" and "Silence" were ignored. Clint Eastwood offered us the portrait of a hero with "Sully," while Martin Scorsese explored faith in "Silence." Both filmmakers are Academy favorites, but both movies were ignored. I haven't seen "Silence" yet, but I enjoyed "Sully." There is a case to be made for its inclusion.

* Taraji P. Henson. Henson is a fierce firebrand on the small screen in "Empire," a role that earned her a Golden Globe in January. She brought a different kind of fierceness to "Hidden Figures," a gem of a film that earned a Best Picture nomination. Sadly, she didn't get the Academy recognition she deserved.

* Aaron Taylor Johnson. He won the Golden Globe for "Nocturnal Animals" but didn't even make the field for the Academy Awards. That feels like a miss. He's creepy and compelling in that film. I was happy Michael Shannon was recognized, but I can't help but feel like Taylor-Johnson should have been, too.

* "Deadpool." Many thought the Merc with a Mouth and his film should make the final Academy Award field. It didn't. I don't think that was the wrong call. "Deadpool" was fun and different, but that doesn't make it Best Picture material.

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