Team Experience Oscar Reaction #1: Odes to the Fallen!
Monday, January 13, 2020 at 5:56PM We've polled Team Experience to answer the following two questions and we hope you'll chime in too.
- Which omission most upset you? Sing your ode to the fallen!
- Which nominee/nominees would absolutely kill a moody commissioned short film about you and your reactions / feelings on Oscar nomination day? Tell us all about it.
Let's begin.
WHICH OMISSION MOST UPSET YOU?
CHRIS FEIL: Did the acting branch not get their Swimona swag?? Jennifer Lopez's omission will be a wound that is going to take some time to heal for all of us, a snub some had been predicting because of whispers of a misogynistic and reductive POV on Hustlers from voters. It's not just the omission of the performance that infuriates, but the probable reasons for it...
A second omission that stings: Atlantics in International Feature. Why didn't Netflix give this film, its only contender in the category, the effort afforded even its many documentary contenders, let alone their major players?
ERIC BLUME: Two things. Booksmart missing Best Original Screenplay, when they found room for Knives Out. Booksmart is an honest and hilarious teen buddy comedy, an update of that genre, a subversion of that genre, and packed with actual jokes written in classical joke formats. Knives Out...isn't any of those things in regards to its genre. Also, a bummer that Shia LaBeouf couldn't find his way into Best Supporting Actor for Honey Boy: it's a truly brave and uncompromising piece of acting in a beautiful movie.
CAMILA HENRIQUES: I knew Awkwafina and Lupita were fighting for that last spot, but it didn't stop me from being sad over their snubs. J.Lo's omission crushed me the most, though, as she gave a career-best performance that was also the best of her category and also because I feel like she won't have another chance like this.
MICHAEL FRANK: The Farewell getting shut out of the ceremony as a whole. Though Oscar expectations should remain tepid for A24 films, Wang’s story of love and family shot out of a cannon during its release, creating both awards buzz and commercial success. The story features strong performances by both Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen, and creates a heartfelt atmosphere full of honest struggles and real family dynamics. It deserved a Best Picture nomination.
EUROCHEESE: The Academy's determination to avoid diversity at every single turn. The Academy had eight women with viable options at taking an Actress slot. Four were white, and hey look, four white women made it. Also that Farewell movie doesn't need any love. Let's give another nod to Joker!
MARK BRINKERHOFF: Jennifer Lopez, but more broadly Hustlers‘ zero noms. I mean, having spent three and half hours watching The Irishman, I can’t recall a single memorable moment but vividly remember dozens in Hustlers.
NATHANIEL R: You guys I feel so weird typing this because a) I don't like Joker and b) it got 11 nominations (gulp) but what does Production Designer Extraordinaire Mark Friedberg have to do to get a nomination? While it's true that the word "snub" is overused, doesn't this qualify? Everyone from this movie is nominated EXCEPT YOU! And they've ignored him before. He's done everything: Best Picture nominees (Selma, The Help), incredible feats of showmanship (Synecdoche New York), whimsical visual spectacles (The Life Aquatic, Darjeeling Limited), sober period dramas (The Ice Storm), critical darlings (If Beale Street Could Talk) and yet his own branch just won't nominate him. What gives?
Okay okay that's not what upset me most (that'd be Lupita Nyongo's absence for a shockingly inspired dual role in a huge hit. It's right there Academy, COME ON) but it's the one I've been thinking about the most since this morning.
JASON ADAMS: I'm always more surprised when something I love gets a nomination than when they didn't -- Oscar and me ain't super simpatico. That said I suppose it at one point early on seemed possible that Willem Dafoe could have been nominated for The Lighthouse, but I don't think anybody's truly surprised that the sadomasochistic semen-drenched old-timey sea-yarn slash my favorite movie of the year only had its title read once today. Dafoe and Elisabeth Moss gave my performances of the year and they were both clearly Too Much for yawn-inducing AMPAS from the get-go.
LYNN LEE: No Lulu Wang (The Farewell) for Original Screenplay - I had a feeling the movie was going to get shut out, but held on to a sliver of hope that it would squeak through here. Alas, 'twas not to be. And while I really dug 1917, I'm scratching my head at its inclusion in this category.
SPENCER COILE: Nothing hit harder than “Glasgow (No Place Like Home)” missing that Song nomination. In a relatively bleak year for the category, it shone like the brightest star. How dare they deny Mary Steenburgen this !?!?
ABE FRIED-TANZER: "Glasgow" for Best Original Song. Jessie Buckley's BAFTA nomination made it clear that the fantastic Wild Rose at least reached British audiences, and its placement on the finalist list for one of its best tunes, by Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen (!) , meant it might have been able to sneak away with one small representative bid. I've been singing it as I type the names of other nominees.
BEN MILLER: I get that Best Supporting Actor has turned into the Brad Pitt coronation, but Song Kang-Ho was right there! Anthony Hopkins doesn't need another nomination and I don't know of anyone championing his placement. How often do we have the chance to nominated actors in foreign films? Wouldn't it be nice if that happened occasionally for character actors instead of only movie stars (like Banderas)?
PAOLO: None for The Farewell? None for Zhao Shuzhen? None for Awkwafina? None for the way Lulu Wang wrote and directed a movie with subtle politics? Did the Academy watch their screeners?
WHICH NOMINEE WOULD ABSOLUTELY KILL A SHORT FILM ABOUT YOUR REACTIONS THIS MORNING?
GINNY O'KEEFE: Adam Driver begins a deep dive investigation on what happened to JLo’s oscar nomination. Charlize Theron reports about it on Fox News as Megyn Kelly. Laura Dern shows up to defend JLo in court because JLo sues the academy. It ends with Saoirse Ronan retelling the tale at a publishing company. She’s trying to get her novel, “Little Strippers” published. The entire thing is a story she came up with. Credits roll. Directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Rian Johnson!
CLAUDIO: I trust Florence Pugh could pull the sort of emotional whiplash these nominations caused. One moment there's the elation of Petra Costa and Parasite, and then there's the nightmarish realization Joker's the nomination leader. A mixture of her delightfulness from Little Women's and Midsommar's traumatized catatonics would be perfect. Throw in some of the wrestler's combative spirit from Fighting with My Family and you have a good semblance of today's emotional rollercoaster.
BEN: I had to get ready for work while catching the announcement, partially while driving. The natural pick would have been the Safdie Brothers, but they missed a nomination. Instead, I'll go with Scorsese so that the short would receive undue praise for subpar work while inexplicably being scored by a Rolling Stones song.
MICHAEL: Going with a non-nominee. Howard Ratner played by Adam Sandler from Uncut Gems by a long shot. His pure mania, huge confidence, and ultimate struggle to balance his emotions and decisions feeds into my own topsy-turvy feelings about Oscar nomination day. Sandler deserved a nomination himself, but his pure insanity in the Safdie brothers’ film encapsulates how many of us feel towards the Academy. Admiration, anger, uncertainty, and disappointment.
TRAVIS CRAGG: I am tired and just want to retire (to bed, because it's 1.15am here in Australia), and am very underwhelmed by the state of affairs today. That seems to fit with Anthony Hopkins' Two Popes performance.
How about you dear reader? Which snub (sorry about that word) most bothered you and which nominee might best act out your feelings about today's announcements?
Reader Comments (53)
What is most upsetting to me is that not one Asian actor was nominated. The entire cast of Parasite alone were way better than the actors nominated this year. They could have at the very least given Song Kang Ho and Shao Zhushen a well-deserved nomination, but of course no.
Then again, there is only outrage when not enough women or black people are nominated. As if Asians don’t matter.
Sadness about all the mentioned snubs--JLo, Lupita, Booksmart, Farewell, Parasite cast.
But, I'm greatly relieved that there is no one I'm actively rooting against (Green Book, Bohemian Rhapsody). That was aggravating!
Jennifer López, a snub for the ages. The biggest since Fassy in Shame. If they want to fuck you, they won't nominate you. I think it's very unhealthy.
Joaquin Phoenix inducing rioters to take the streets and burn things.
(I would love to read an interview with Mark Friedberg)
I hope when J.Lo inevitably is asked by the Academy to present at the Oscars that she tells 'em to go. Fuck. Them. Selves. #justiceforhustlers
No, no, no Mareko. She must say yes and dress like Cher in '85.
The writers branch used to be adventurous and go in directions not dictated wholly by the precursors. Not anymore, hence Luce and The Last Black Man in San Francisco couldn't be recognized anywhere else.
Pick one: Lulu Wang, Marielle Heller, Greta Gerwig.
I hope JLO gives the ultimate “fuck you” by dominating the Super Bowl halftime performance and making people realize the force she is. They done fucked up this time!!
Wow, what a moment! I'm a Laura Dern voter now.
The Lopez snub and it definitely is one bothers me most but Bafta alerted me to it happening but she should go just like MADONNA did in 96 when she was snubbed due to her film record up to that point and her persona,she performed too the winning song,I think that's what happened to J Lo,snobbery or whatever you want to call it.
I also agree she's probably not going to be at this point again.Maybe she'll get fire in her belly from this and choose good projects
The complete lack of love for Horror,yes there's been the odd one here and there but there's masses of crativity in horror film performances,a lot of iconic roles on some actors resumes come from Horror,Lupita was the casualty and for Jo March again!
I know some feel Hopkins stole a spot and yes he's old and has an Oscar but he is very good in The Two Popes and it's not like he has been nominated recently
In future Bates is going to be judged as the Robert Duvall/The Judge nod..
Jennifer Lopez's omission stings. It felt like such a wonder concentric circle of the right actress, the right time, and the right role. It's too bad. I hope she continues to push herself as an actress.
Lady, you killed it. Keep up the great work.
I'd love to see Baumbach's sardonic yet hopeful look at my reactions to the nominations.
I know I'm extra grumpy today, but I will say I thought Knives Out updates and subverts its genre beautifully. I am mystified by the 1917 nomination in that category. I'll hand it multiple tech awards but that nomination makes absolutely no sense to me. That should be the one to make room for The Farewell. *sigh
Too bad there isn't a Best Generalized Striptease/Pole Dancing category.
Never thought I'd ever feel bad for JLo re: awards but I do. This snub f-ing sucks.
Like Jason, I'm seldom on the Academy's wavelength but this year we're way off. There's very little to like about these nominations outside of Parasite and Antonio Banderas and that piddling lone nomination for The Lighthouse's cinematography.
Snubs don't "upset" me but one that seemed possible but didn't happen was Claire Mathon for either Atlantics or Portrait of a Woman on Fire. The cinematographers tend to embrace foreign language (see: last year) AND rising talent (see Jarin Blaschke) more than the rest of the Academy. Regardless, I have a feeling she'll be getting lots of work based on those two calling cards.
My short film would follow Tom Hanks as he hangs up his sweater (vest, in my case), kicks off his shoes and has a nice, relaxing evening at home. "Oscars? What Oscars?"
The love for Hustlers and JLo continues to baffle me.
I’m most pissed about the Lupita snub. Erivo was always getting a song nom and Ronan really didn’t need another nomination—especially at the expense of such a creative and indelible turn as the one Lupita gives. Weakest Best Actress lineup in decades.
Omissions that would have been possible: only two Song Kanh-ho and Willem Dafoe.
Omissions that would not have been possible with these kind of save Academy picks: nods for Midsommar, Her Smell, High Life, The Souvenir, The Image Book, Portrait de la jeune fille en feu and Climax.
Yeah, yeah. JLo was fine but not even in the same league as Juliette Binoche in HIGH LIFE. You think a strip pole is hard?!? Try The F*ck Box.
There are a lot of sad omissions, but as Corey says, there's nothing that made it I really disliked (haven't seen Ford v Ferrari, Judy, or Richard Jewell). There doesn't seem to be a strongly offensive film or individual nomination up there on the lists. But damn, all that testosterone....
The saddest omission is The Farewell overall. I imagine the movie of my reactions to the nominations is just replaying Cho Yeo-Jeong gasping from Parasite over and over again.
I’m saddest about The Farewell getting shut out, and most surprised about One Child Nation missing out in Best Documentary Feature. I suppose they felt that between Sister and American Factory, two films about China were enough.
I'll answer the first question by posting my SAG awards ballot, which I submitted less than ten minutes after the Oscar nominations were announced:
Male Actor - Leading: Christian Bale
Female Actor - Leading: Lupita Nyong'o
Male Actor - Supporting: Jamie Foxx
Female Actor - Supporting: Jennifer Lopez
Cast - Motion Picture: Parasite
Stunt Ensemble - Motion Picture: Avengers Endgame
Male Actor - Television Movie/Limited Series: Mahershala Ali
Female Actor - Television Movie/Limited Series: Michelle Williams
Male Actor - Drama Series: Billy Crudup
Female Actor - Drama Series: Jodie Comer
Male Actor - Comedy Series: Bill Hader
Female Actor - Comedy Series: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Ensemble - Drama Series: Big Little Lies
Ensemble - Comedy Series: Fleabag
Stunt Ensemble - Comedy/Drama Series: Watchmen
I won't deny that this was also partially in reaction to the Globes. (Unfortunately, most Guild members don't share my taste.)
So happy JLo did not get nominated. She has no talent. Sorry nobody from The Farwell was nominated. Such a good film with touching performances.
The Farewell. My favourite film. Zero nominations.
And no Nai Nai or Mrs Park the two best supporting actress performances.
In future Bates is going to be judged as the Robert Duvall/The Judge nod.
I suspected that was her path to securing the nod. The category was fluid anyway. Also, she's better than Duvall in The Judge. I know her nomination is partially legacy but the performance is there and valid.
I disagree that it's disgraceful Knives Out took Booksmart's spot.
Booksmart is a remake of so many other teenage comedies, like Superbad.
It survives on the chemistry of its leads, not on its normal script.
What hurts most is zero nominations for Uncut Gems. Any category, pick one. It wasn’t my #1 favorite film but it was so well made. This film suffered from the academy voting for the same 4 films in all categories. I was really rooting for the Safdie Brothers to get that fifth Director spot. Even if you don’t love Uncut Gems, wouldn’t you have rather the Safdies over Phillips?
I was originally going to put Octavia Spencer missing for Luce but that film had zero Oscar buzz. So the Academy will probably just continue to waste nominations on her when she is doing literally nothing like they usually do.
The worst/most baffling is the absence of "Rocketman" from Best Actor and Best Costume Design and Sound Mixing in particular. Just dumb. You're telling me THE IRISHMAN's suits deserved it more, or the literally one memorable outfit from JOKER???
THE FAREWELL getting nothing is the deepest cut for me. It's probably my favorite film of the year and it really did have buzz. Awkwafina just won the Globes! And as everyone has already mentioned here and everywhere, PARASITE not getting ANY acting awards is just plain stupid and, I'll say it, racist.
I always have a feeling that J-Lo is never gonna be respected enough by the voters to vote for her.
The same thing also goes for Sandler.
The Farewell snub stings much worse.
The thing about Hopkins in The Two Popes is that..he's great. I mean, yiu guys are saying "it's right there"..well, his is a strong performance. And the film isn't even by the numbers, with Meirelles adding layers, and also doing too much.
You guys cling to things too much. And I don't really buy the whinging about a lack of diversity. The lack of diversity isn't about the final nominations, but something else. Jordan Peele writes for people of color. We also need people who are not of color, to write about people of color..or to write a character that can't be defined by color, whether they thought of Denzel or some kid knocked his audition out of the park.
But to wait until nomination morning...Lopez is not a snub that you can hash tag to SoWhite move. The only reason she won't get this chance again is because HER CAREER IS A CASH GRAB. So why feel sorry for HER? Feel sorry for yourself that a performance which moved you is ignored. Feel sorry for her film. Stop feeling sorry for her. She hasn't done a thing in the mainsteam for the advancement of anything other than her celebrity. And she's one of the biggest celebrities of the last 20 years.
The Farewell is the sort of film forgotten every year, deserving or not. Personally, I like it. But it has some shortcomings, tho maybe shortcomings that aren't so bad on another viewing. But the fim is slow and somber, and it doesn't contain a bunch of stars. And came out in like April. And the lead's name is Awkwafina.
Hustlers...if you like it, like it. But the film has clear shortcomings that any bit of objectivity will leave for you to see. The main lead is bland and brings nothing to the story but a disingenuous character, which the film doesn't ever deal with beyond her need to be accepted. Her character isn't fleshed out, and Julia Stiles is a nearly unusable tool. Bland and boring and BLAND, providing an entire side narrative that is a waste of time beyond giving some base for calling Lopez supporting so she can campaign there.
Film has potentcy. I can move it up to good, but if not about women and directed by one, most of the crying wouldn't be.
The Farewell snubs are the most glaring. It's the best film of the year for me and probably my favorite of the last decade.
JLo being snubbed for her best performance ever, that not only deserved to get nominated but to also win the category. Like why is Laura Dern a lock for the win when she literally plays the same character she does in Big Little Lies? We can't just get mad at white mediocrity being rewarded when they're bad people (like ScarJo).
Also the Lupita snub is outrageous, and she should have won. Parasite deserves acting noms, but I didn't expect them so I'm not as surprised.
Overall none of these nominations hurt because the Oscars is a white supremacist institution that continues to double down on white supremacist values. I had 0 expectations for it 5 months ago, and I still don't now. I don't think it's an awards body deserving of my attention or care.
And I have to agree with Nathaniel. How is this man and his work on Joker not nominated? As someone who disliked the movie for, what I think, is a HACK of a directing job, I have to feel for the snub, especially given everything else in the film is nominated.
Emma Thompson in Best Actress...in my head she was a super dark horse.
Parasite for Best Cinematography and Original Score.
Dafoe in Best Supporting Actor. I think he's supporting, and he was eligible there. And should have been.
Most others were never really in the running.
JLo. And The Lighthouse should’ve been nominated for like, 6 more Oscars.
Can add to the Rocketman misses in Sound and Costume Design..and maybe Production Design.
Dolomite across the board, Jlo, Dafoe, and Lupita.
Why do people think Antonio Banderas is Latino? Why did he, Javier Bardem, & Penelope Cruz keep getting paid to play so many important Latino characters in movies? Did Hollywood people believe all Spanish speaking people are from Latin America?
@Alex - I'm curious to hear what they think of the treatment they get in the US. They know they're white, but when they're in North America, they're categorized as Latinx, who are sadly still treated like second class citizens generally.
Still bitter about ScarJo getting two nominations. Ugh! She only deserved and needed one. I also never thought I would mind the presence of Kathy Bates, a fine actress, but between their two entirely undeserved nominations, they robbed J.Lo of hers.
It's so depressing and discouraging that a majority of the acting snubs are all people of color. If I took a shot for every one of them, I'll be drunk in 2 minutes, but maybe I will take those shots anyway. Here's one for Awkwafina, Alfre Woodard, Lupita Nyong'o, Jennifer Lopez, Song Kang-ho, Zhao Shuzhen, and Eddie Murphy. To those who never had a shot but put in good work anyway and should have gotten more attention: Aldis Hodge, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park So-dam, Choi Woo-shik, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. This person salutes all of you!
Playing for 10 minutes a slave into slavery century? Nailed it, girl!
Playing two complex characters in a modern horror/comedy movie? Sorry girl, we can't
The most glaring ones r obviously JLo, Lupita n Taron, n to a lesser extent, Song Kang Ho, Awkwafina n Lulu Wang.
I cannot in my mind fathom the two-digits nods o luv for FOUR white male-centric films. Did the voters only watch like 10 or 12 screeners before casting their votes.
There are so many other smaller films they cld've choose to honor like The Farewell in screenplay or Portrait o a Lady on Fire in cinematography, but no...they juz default to the big four!! This is such a lazy grouptink!! 😕
Lulu Wang actually rejected a huge payout fr Netflix(?) so tt audiences cld enjoy her intimate story on the big screen!! Had The Farewell been released as a TV movie, she n Awkwafina might hav enjoy more award luv fr The Emmys, GG or even SAG. Its sad tt her holdout ultimately comes to this.. 😣
The resistance to Asian performers n story (Parasite aside) is REAL!!
Peggy, your rage turns me on
@Alex Thanks for pointing this out. People don't really understand what "Latin" means in the racial context. People from Spain are not Latin, nor are they any more "persons of color" than people from Italy, Greece, Albania, Serbia, or Romania.
I never thought JLo was getting in for that type of film.
I didn't expect them to get nominated, but with a better Academy, Greta Gerwig and Adam Sandler would have gotten nominations. And it makes me sad that Elisabeth Moss never received any attention beyond Indie Spirit and Gotham nominations for the best performance of the year.
I think all nominations should be awarded on the merits of an individual performance—but hear me out on Jennifer Lopez.
There's a handful of actors and actresses who enjoy A-list status (7-to-8-figure paychecks, priority casting, the power to greenlight projects, endorsements, media coverage) while rarely—truly almost never—contributing anything of value to the medium. Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez come to mind. These people are Razzie regulars, inconsistent box office draws and still the industry keeps their star status afloat. Their filmographies and performances don't flirt with quality the way Will Smith and Sandra Bullock's did, and those two are powerful moneymakers, anyway.
On a lizard brain level I can understand why a "working actor" of the actors' branch who possibly takes him/herself too seriously, might resent these people or feel tempted to withhold recognition until the person really proves himself. Remember, a stripper movie (no Oscar nomination) was the start of the McConaussance.
I'm not saying it's right—again, nominations should be granted based on the individual merits of a performance. But since we don't live in a vacuum, I think this is what explains AMPAS snobbery about J-Lo.
The only thing I can say is thank you to the Golden Globes for recognizing The Farewell. And Hustlers.
I find it hilarious that the one Asian film that broke through is the one that they're now planning to remake as a TV show.
JF, I can see that argument. I do wish they could flip that sentiment and honor actors who rarely get prestige pics or wide releases but work wonders with indie fare. Alfre and Mary Kay (and Aldis Hodge) were never really in contention, so I won't call those omissions, but it irks me that Clemency didn't even get a chance to be seen and championed (I got to see it early at a festival screening). For those of you who can stream Diane--and you still can!--I don't know what to say about why there wasn't more forum enthusiasm. Zhao Shuzhen and Song Kang Ho--those are the two I felt saddest for, since they felt close enough to dream about.
Frozen II not being there is most upsetting. If Academy didn’t wish to awards more sequels there and a 3rd and 4th in a series which were less deserving.
Taron's snub hits hardest. I haven't seen Clemency yet, but I have a feeling that Alfre is gonna be the second.