Top 5 Personal Annoyances of the Oscars (Film List)

Let’s just be clear here, everybody has his/her own opinions on what were the best films of the year and what were the worst.  The Oscars are never going to be able to appeal to everyone’s opinions when it comes to which films get nominated (or which films win for that matter).  That being said, for a ceremony trying to represent the best of the year, the Academy Awards can really make some horrible decisions on what films to elect and (often more infuriatingly) what films to snub.  For example, we have nine films chosen to represent the best of the ENTIRE YEAR (its actual slogan is “Recognizing the year’s best films”), and yet not a single one was wide released in the U.S. before October!  Take a look;

All Best Picture Nominations & Their Wide Release Month:

October: Captain Phillips, Gravity

November: 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, Philomena

December: American Hustle, Her, Wolf of Wall Street

At least last year’s nominees had one summer film (Beasts of the Southern Wild) to compensate for a whole underrepresented 9 months; in fact out of the big five, Blue Jasmine is the only summer film of 2013 to represent!

While that’s my major complaint for this year’s (and likely many more to come) Academy Awards, there were other pet peeves I found when looking at the nominations that made my eye twitch.  So instead of boiling them up in my head, I thought I’d try the healthy way and bitc..I mean express my top five annoyances of the Oscars.

#5: Robert Redford Not Being Nominated for Best Actor

All is Lost stars Robert Redford and Robert Redford alone.  There’s minimal talking and the film’s success relied solely on the then 76 year old man’s ability to entertain with only anaerobic movement and facial expressions; and succeeded above expectations!  Yet to not even NOMINATE his incredible performance is a straight up insult to the actor.

#4: Blue is the Warmest Color Nowhere in Sight

I expected the possibility of Blue is the Warmest Color not to be nominated for best picture; I did not however expect it snubbed in the foreign language category!  The nerve to not nominate one of the most widely seen and critically acclaimed foreign language films of 2013 (right up there with The Great Beauty) is mind boggling.  Representing the people indeed!
Writer's Edit: So after some researching (which I should have done in the first place) I found out the film was ineligible for best foreign film because it was released too late in France.  It however still could have been nominated in other categories such as best actress/supporting actress, yet still wasn't (see my number one annoyance for who could have been replaced for this film).

#3: Fruitvale Station’s Complete Snubbing

This one’s truly personal.  Not one single nomination in any category for such a great film (and a summer film for that matter).  What makes it even worse is that Fruitvale Station is director Ryan Coogler’s debut film.  For such an amazing achievement of a first film, it’s truly a shame that Coogler wasn't even nominated for best director. L

#2: The Wind Rises Being Nominated for Best Animated Feature

Masterpiece director Hayao Miyazaki’s apparent last film has received positive reviews and been nominated for best animated feature.  The problem?  Many, many people (myself included) will be unable to see it until late February 2014!  The only reason it was allowed to be nominated was due to a brief showing in New York and Los Angeles (which by the way is nowhere near my home) in November.  Well isn't that f$@%ing nice!  Forget about good, widely seen animated films such as Monster’s University, Turbo, and Epic; let’s pick a film nobody will be able to see until two months into the New Year!

#1: Shailene Woodley Not Being Nominated for Best Actress

This, is truly unforgivable.  Shailene Woodley’s performance as high school teen Aimee Finecky in The Spectacular Now was incredibly realistic, natural and just the right amount of emotion and quirkiness to bring together one spectacular (pun definitely intended) performance.  Yet the Oscars apparently think Sandra “oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh” Bullock’s “amazing” performance was more worthy of nomination.  Woodley didn't just deserve to be nominated, she deserved to win!  Yet thanks to its choices, the Academy Awards made it impossible for her to do so this year (but perhaps she’ll have another great performance, and the Academy will notice this time; I can only hope.)