Oscar nominations are both the best and worst days of people's lives. The best for films like The Irishmen, Marriage Story, and 1917, which are all up for things like Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture, and the worst for me, who can't believe Hustlers wasn't anywhere to be found in any of the categories.
This award season has already been one of snubs, with people like Greta Gerwig missing out on the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes when it comes to her recent directorial masterpiece, Little Women. Luckily, the Oscars righted those wrongs, giving the film a Best Picture nod and Gerwig a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
But the rest is more of the same. A huge number of categories are entirely white (where was the love for The Farewell and Queen & Slim?) and the Best Director nominations are all men — Natalie Portman, do your thing.
I just have so many questions. Where's the justice for Lorene Scafaria, who wrote and directed Hustlers? The recognition for Jennifer Lopez, who starred in Hustlers? The props for Awkwafina, who just won a Golden Globe for her role in The Farewell?
Some of our other 2019 favourites didn't make it into the nominations list, like Booksmart. The clever female-led comedy has been largely ignored by award shows — except for Beanie Feldstein's Golden Globe nomination — despite Olivia Wilde's superb directing and Katie Silberman's incredible script.
And then there's Adam Sandler, who shocked everyone when he successfully tackled the dramatic role of Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems. However, he didn't get any kind of nod from the Academy, meaning he might just make good on his threat.
"If I don't get it, I'm going to fucking come back and do [a movie] again that is so bad on purpose just to make you all pay," he told Howard Stern. "That's how I get them."
While these snubbed actors, movies, directors, and writers will live on in my heart via streaming services and even iTunes downloads, the betrayal will always plague my soul. Come on — no J.Lo? Really?