2016 Oscar Snubs & Surprises

Oscar.go.com

I was not a happy camper this morning when Oscar nominations were announced. While many of the expected nominees got their deserved recognition, a few worthy names were overlooked by the Academy in favor of some surprises. At the Oscars, snubs are inevitable. Every year there are several achievements in each of the Academy's 24 categories but only a handful of nominations to go around. Having said that, there were some glaring omissions that I can't seem to fathom. Additionally, there were a couple shockers this morning that left me pleasantly surprised as a movie-goer.

Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson giving underrated performances
in The Hateful Eight (Hitfix.com)

Snub: The Hateful Eight. I figured it was only right to start this article off with the biggest snub of the morning. Tarantino's western didn't garner much buzz for Best Picture or Best Director, but nominations for Original Score, Supporting Actress, and Original Screenplay were supposedly guaranteed. However, one of these categories did not feature The Hateful Eight on its final ballot.

Somehow, some way, Quentin Tarantino's script was left off the Best Original Screenplay list despite its rich, quotable, and signature dialogue and ability to captivate for over two and a half hours. It went on to receive nominations from the BFCA and HFPA as well as a win from the NBR. Coming fresh off his win for Django Unchained in 2013, Tarantino should have been on this list. But for whatever reason, he's not. Another disappointment is the film's absences from the Best Costume Design category and the Best Supporting Actor category - especially for Tim Roth and Walton Goggins. But with a cast of several supporting males, I'm sure the Academy had a tough time determining a standout.

Surprise: Rachel McAdams for Spotlight. The Supporting Actor and Actress fields are a collective mess this year. With all that craziness, I'm thrilled that Rachel McAdams was able to emerge from the never-ending list of contenders with a nomination for her confident and crucial performance in Spotlight. While her win is less than likely, it's reassuring that we can finally refer to this insanely talented and multi-faceted actress as "Oscar-nominee Rachel McAdams."

Jason Mitchell electrifies the screen in Straight Outta Compton (MoviePilot)

Snub: Jason Mitchell for Straight Outta Compton. Compton snagged an Original Screenplay nod, but the movie's greatest asset was left empty handed. Throughout the film and particularly in his character's final moments, Jason Mitchell's portrayal of gangster and rapper Eazy E was an on-screen revelation. I'm disheartened that the Academy didn't feel the same way.

Surprise: Carol. Upon seeing Carol, I immediately labeled it as Oscar-bait. It was good Oscar-bait, but Oscar-bait nonetheless. The screenplay and performances of Mara and Blanchett were recognized, but the Academy saw through the film's imperfections and did not laud it with nominations for Best Picture or Best Director - both of which seemed like sure things.

Snub: Aaron Sorkin for Steve Jobs. This film did not have an immediate payoff for me. But over the days after I saw it, I came to appreciate the daring move that Sorkin took with Steve Jobs' screenplay - and more importantly - how much it paid off. It was enough to win him this year's Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, yet for the Oscars (which split the category into Adapted and Original Screenplay, meaning there should have been even less competition), the biopic's script didn't make the cut.

Joel Edgerton co-starred in, wrote, and directed the year's best thriller (Variety).

Snub: The Gift. As breathtaking and original as Edgerton's performance and direction are in The Gift, they were nothing compared to his screenplay. It's disappointing that Edgerton did not receive recognition in any of these categories this morning. Its film editing and Jason Bateman's performance were also overlooked despite contributing to one of the year's best films - and its best thriller by far.

Surprise: Adam McKay for The Big Short. McKay's comedy-drama on America's housing market collapse has picked up noticeable steam as awards season has reached its culmination, and nominations for Adapted Screenplay, Picture, and even Christian Bale's supporting performance were considerable locks. With a packed field of contenders for Best Director, McKay was assumed to be out of the running. Surprisingly, he pulled through, beating out expected names like The Martian's Ridley Scott and Carol's Todd Haynes for a spot on the list.

Snub: Johnny Depp for Black Mass. The film itself was so-so, but Depp does his best work in years as real-life Boston criminal Whitey Bulger. Part of me thinks he should have been on this list over Matt Damon.

(Movies With Mae)

Snub: Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro for Sicario. I wasn't the biggest fan of Sicario, but that does not mean I didn't recognize the immersive performances from Blunt and Del Toro. If anything, I came to value them more for keeping my attention during the movie's boring moments. I would have loved to have seen one or both of these performers recognized for their efforts.

Surprise: The Revenant for Best Visual Effects. That bear scene was breathtaking, but I didn't think it would be enough to impress over the heroes of Avengers: Age of Ultron or the dinos of Jurassic World. Which brings me to my next item...

(ScreenCrush)

Snub: Jurassic World. Michael Giacchino's score? The visual effects of the Indominus Rex? The production design of the park? The sound design? Come on, Academy. Throw me a bone here. Not even one nomination?

Snub: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Fans can rejoice at the film's nominations for Original Score, Film Editing, and a few more. But our high hopes for Best Picture were left unrealized this morning. Even more disappointing was the absence of J.J. Abrams from the Best Director list, considering what a stellar job he did under the tremendous amount pressure he was under from studios, audiences, and critics alike.