Demi Moore might get nominated for her first Oscar, four decades into her career, for a gonzo 140-minute body-horror satire that features literally gallons of fake blood. Even if she doesn’t make it to Oscar’s final five, the fact that The Substance has become a major awards player comes as a delightful surprise.
That is to say, awards season isn’t always a stultifying march through predictable traditionalism. But it’s also difficult to avoid the routines that set in once it becomes clear that, say, Kieran Culkin is going to win best supporting actor for A Real Pain. And look, he deserves it. (Well, apart from the question of whether the just-barely-second lead in what often plays like a two-hander is really a “supporting” role.) But surely he didn’t give the only worthwhile performance in his category for the entirety of 2024?
