The road to the 2024 Oscars began Tuesday morning with the nominations reveal. Oppenheimer led the field with 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. "Poor Things," Yorgos Lanthimos’ black comedy starring Emma Stone, received 11 nominations, followed by Martin Scorsese’s "Killers of the Flower Moon" with 10.
With only a finite amount of nominees, snubs will happen, with some more egregious than others. Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio were left out of the acting categories, while Greta Gerwig did not earn a spot in Best Director. Still, "Barbie" and "Killers of the Flower Moon" combined for 18 nominations, while some of the best films of 2023 did not receive a single nomination.
Yes, here's how you can watch all of the Oscar nominations, but these seven snubs are Oscar-worthy films deserving of your time and attention.
'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.'
The Oscars are slowly starting to recognize more coming-of-age stories. "Licorice Pizza," "The Fabelmans," and Best Picture-winner "CODA" all scored multiple nominations at the previous two ceremonies. Unfortunately, "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret" did not make the cut after receiving zero nominations. Nevertheless, the film based on Judy Blume’s 1970 novel deserves our praise.
The life of 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) is thrown into disarray when she moves from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs, forcing the young girl to attend a different school and make new friends. As she enters puberty, Margaret relies on her mother, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), and grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates), for support and guidance in this beautiful film about self-discovery.
Watch on Starz.
'Asteroid City'
Wes Anderson’s feature films have received 15 Academy Award nominations, with the writer-director receiving seven himself. Though Anderson may win an Oscar for "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" in the live-action short category, his 2023 film, "Asteroid City," was completely shut out of the field. Yet, "Asteroid City" is arguably Anderson’s best film in a decade.
The film depicts the events in the play "Asteroid City" along with a behind-the-scenes documentary about the production. In the play, Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman), a writer and recent widow, travels with his family to Asteroid City to watch his brilliant son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan), compete in the Junior Stargazer Convention. Backed by a star-studded cast and creative script, Asteroid City incorporates Anderson’s signature style in an entertaining story about grief and loneliness.
Watch on Prime Video.
'The Iron Claw'
The most emotional movie of 2023 was "The Iron Claw," Sean Durkin’s sports drama about the Von Erich wrestling family that rose to stardom in the 1980s. Brothers Kevin (Zac Efron), David (Harris Dickinson), and Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) wrestle for their father Fritz (Holt McCallany) and his WCCW promotion. With the boys every step of the way is their youngest brother, Mike (Stanley Simons), who elects to focus on music instead of wrestling.
The first half of "The Iron Claw" plays like a sports movie, with the Von Erichs rising the ranks to become champions. However, the film dramatically shifts tones in the second half, as a family curse leads to heartbreaking tragedies. The biggest takeaway from "The Iron Claw" is Efron’s tour de force performance as Kevin, the selfless brother who must carry the pressure and burden of his family’s legacy on his shoulders. Efron has never been better and deserved a Best Actor nomination.
The Iron Claw is now in theaters. It will eventually stream on Max.
'All of Us Strangers'
Unfortunately for “Hot Priest” and Connell Waldron fans, "All of Us Strangers" will not be represented at the 2024 Academy Awards after receiving zero nominations. Written and directed by Andrew Haigh, "All of Us Strangers" is based on Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel Strangers. The romantic drama stars Andrew Scott as Adam, a London screenwriter who begins a relationship with his enigmatic neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal).
One day, Adam visits his empty childhood home and, much to his surprise, encounters his mother (Claire Foy) and father (Jamie Bell), who died in a car accident 30 years ago. Though quiet, "All of Us Strangers" cuts deep emotionally as a moving reflection on grief. If Scott’s name had been one of the five selected for Best Actor, it would have been a worthy nomination.
All of Us Strangers is now in theaters. It will eventually stream on Hulu.
'John Wick: Chapter 4'
It is a shame that the Academy has yet to introduce a category for stunt workers. If the Academy handed out an award for Best Stunt Work, "John Wick: Chapter 4" would win in a landslide. The John Wick franchise is the gold standard for stunt work, and Chapter 4 features multiple jaw-dropping set pieces with highly choreographed action sequences.
In Chapter 4, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is underground with the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), preparing for a war against the High Table. Out to eliminate John is High Table member Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), who agrees to a duel against John in Paris. However, the Marquis has no intention of dueling John, placing a $26 million bounty on his head. Assassins from all around the world attempt to kill John, but as long as he’s breathing and holding a gun, ”Baba Yaga” has a fighting chance.
Watch on Starz.
'Origin'
On paper, "Origin" has all the ingredients of an Oscar contender. The film follows author Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) and her quest to complete Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents – a nonfiction book about the history of racism in the United States. The biopic stems from a well-respected director, Ava DuVernay, a previous nominee in the documentary category for 13th.
"Origin" features a powerful leading performance from Ellis-Taylor, a one-time Oscar nominee for her work in King Richard. The source material comes from a true story relevant to the current times. Perhaps a January 2024 release date and late marketing campaign led to the film’s lack of awards recognition. Like many underseen films deserving of Oscar praise, it should find a bigger audience once it hits streaming.
Origin is now in theaters. It will eventually stream on Hulu.
'Air'
Academy Award nominations are all about timing. If nominations occurred in June 2023, "Air" would have received recognition in nearly every major category. It’s hard to break through in the Academy for a film released 10 months ago. A Fall 2023 release instead of March 2023 could have improved the film’s Oscar chances. Regardless, "Air" is still a winner and near the top for best crowd-pleasers of 2023.
Directed by Ben Affleck, "Air" depicts Michael Jordan’s recruitment to Nike in the 1980s, a saga that would change the sneaker industry. At the center is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a Nike basketball scout who convinces CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to execute a full-court press to sign Jordan to a shoe deal. During the recruitment phase, Vaccaro quickly learns that Michael’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), is calling all the shots. To get to “His Airness,” Sonny and Nike must win over the Jordan family matriarch.
Watch on Prime Video.
