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It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the injustice of Oscar snubs, the general lack of diversity and other matters that forever plague the Academy Awards. One must remember, however, that, in the middle of this week's justifiable discontent, there are silver linings to consider. While the 92nd round of Oscar nominations are exhaustively dominated by Best Picture contenders (the most films ever with double digit nomination tallies), a few films managed to squeeze into the mix with just one nomination. In the past, many a great film ended the season with just a sole Oscar nod for its trouble.
Looking back at the last few years, we have such gems as First Reformed, Border, 20th Century Women, The Lobster, Elle, Silence, 45 Years and Gone Girl among many other notable movies. These films' nominations are little morsels of hope that remind us that the Academy isn't completely wrong, not always. So, let's celebrate those films that might not have conquered handfuls of nominations, but are still in the Oscar conversation…
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, Tom Hanks
A deserved nomination for a miracle of a performance. Tom Hanks manages to play an incompatible duality with utmost ease. He is both an abstract ideal and a complex man with a multidimensional personality. There's a scene where, upon being asked about his children, Mr. Rogers lets escape an expression that boldly suggests his congenial attitude isn't a preternatural attribute but something he actively works at. It's a brilliant, Oscar-worthy, touch.
RICHARD JEWELL
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, Kathy Bates
In the face of Jennifer Lopez's snub, Bates' presence is a bit painful, it's true. Even so, her work in Clint Eastwood's latest isn't any sort of mediocre horror stealing a spot in the line-up. The character is a bit limited, but the actress plays this aggrieved mother with gusto and intensity, finding bits of humor, anger, and rightful annoyance amid the real-life drama. Her big Oscar clip may not be subtle, but it's powerful.
KNIVES OUT
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, Rian Johnson
A deliciously tart script, with a spicy punch and a sweet aftertaste in the shape of a perfect denouement. Some details irk and are a bit too precious, but the general quality more than makes up for whatever faults it may possess. At a structural level, this Oscar-nominated screenplay's a miracle of genre subversion that moves with a spring in its step and at a quick pace.
THE LIGHTHOUSE
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, Jarin Blaschke
Persona's seasick twin is a visual wonder as full of poisonous testosterone as it is beautiful images. Even those tableaux made with slippery fluids, dirt and guts are careful evocation of aesthetics long lost to cinema history. The last couple of shots are especially haunting, their content shocking, their lensing breathtakingly beautiful.
MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING, Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten & David White
This year's line-up (the first to include five films) is curiously lacking in fantastical transformations or otherworldly designs. Except, of course, Maleficent's world of horned dark fairies with razor-sharp cheekbones and long flowing hair. The movie might be lacking, but the makeup work impresses.
AD ASTRA
BEST SOUND MIXING, Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson & Mark Ulano
This year's most unexpected nomination is both delightful and amply deserved. James Gray's space opus is a technical marvel whose virtuosity is always in service of an idiosyncratic mood. The sound's no exception, revealing layers of world-building in splendid soundscapes at the same time it employs muffled noise and silence as weapons of audience immersion.
AVENGERS: ENDGAME
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS, Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken & Daniel Sudick
Don't let the uninspired cinematography cloud your judgment of this movie's visual effects. This is accomplished work at an epic scale, vital to the film's narrative, sense of awe and emotional impact. That moment with the portals is one for the ages.
THE LION KING
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS, Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones & Elliot Newman
Hey, not all of these examples can be winners. The less said about this expressionless hyper-realistic rendering of Disney's beloved classic, the better.
For the sake of clarity and succinctness, we didn't include features nominated in categories that traditionally produce truckloads of one-nomination wonders (International Film, Animated Feature, Documentary) or the Best Original Song nominees - Chris has already posted a wonderful piece about them. For what it's worth, I believe the Oscar conversation is much richer having most of these films among the nominated.