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4 Reasons Why The 2017 Oscar Nomination List Is Trending

The Oscar nominations for the biggest night in movies, aka the 89th Academy Awards, were announced on Tuesday morning and as with all great things it has filled our screens with speculations and observations about the nomination list. Here are reasons why the 2017 Oscar nomination list has kept social media and online platforms alive…

The Oscar nominations for the biggest night in movies, aka the 89th Academy Awards, were announced on Tuesday morning and as with all great things it has filled our screens with speculations and observations about the nomination list.

Here are reasons why the 2017 Oscar nomination list has kept social media and online platforms alive for the past 24 hours.

No More #OscarSoWhite

It seems to be that the hashtag has finally made the imapct it desired as there was a massive change in the nomination list with six black actors being honoured. This is a record for the Academy Awards as well as including diverse films such as “Moonlight,” “Fences” and “Hidden Figures” in the best picture race.

 

Lin- Manuel Miranda One Step Closer To An EGOT

Oscar nominations

With an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song on Tuesday, Lin-Manuel Miranda moved one step closer to a rare artistic sweep: the EGOT. Only 12 other performers have held the title, which they earned by winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Mr. Miranda’s Oscar nomination, his first, is for the song “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana.” It will compete against two songs from “La La Land,” one from “Trolls” and one from “Jim: The James Foley Story.”

 

La La Land Sets History Record With Titanic

Oscar nominations

The neo-musical “La La Land” set history with 14 nominations on Tuesday. This is a tie with classics  “Titanic” and “All About Eve” for the most in Academy Award history.

 

Snubs and Surprises

Despite the leap the Oscar nominations achieved with its diverse nomination list, we notice that some names were snubbed and a few surprises as to names who got on the list.

Snubbed

Oscar nominations

Taraji P Henson

Amy Adams – Despite her praised role in the sci-fi drama ‘Arrival’ which we thought would land her in the best actress category, her name was omitted. Adams has five oscar nominations without any win.

Taraji P. Henson – Her awards chances seemed shaky after she was  was not nominated for a Golden Globe or a Screen Actors Guild Award for her stellar lead performance as a math savant in “Hidden Figures.”, a film that earned Octavia Spencer Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for best ensemble and best supporting actress. With the impressive box office performance, the odds were meant to be in Taraji’s favour but that was not the case.

Annette Bening – In light of her critically lauded role for her performance as a mother trying to raise her son in “20th Century Women” it was devastating that the actress did not receive a nomination.

Hugh Grant – Mr. Grant was considered a strong contender for best supporting actor for his performance as Ms. Streep’s long-suffering and enabling husband in “Florence Foster Jenkins,” but the academy thought otherwise.

Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood and Denzel Washington – Mr. Scorsese’s passion project, “Silence,” was ignored, except for cinematography. Mr. Washington did earn a best actor nomination for his lead role in “Fences,” but failed to secure a directing nomination. Mr. Eastwood, also was similarly shut out for “Sully.”

Pharrell Williams – Pharrell  didn’t just help produce “Hidden Figures,” he also wrote songs and music for it. The academy, however, didn’t give him the love this year. Maybe they felt he has had enough.

The Birth of a Nation – The revelations about the decades old rape charges against Nate Parker, the filmmaker and star shattered the Oscar chances of this Sundance success story.

 

Surprise

Oscar nominations

Mel Gibson

Isabelle Huppert – Starring as a rape victim who turns the tables on her attacker in the French film “Elle,” her chances of being nominated were slim,  especially after the drama failed to be shortlisted for best foreign-language film. Yet the actress made the list and has changed her prospects in that light.

Ruth Negga – The romantic movie ‘Loving’ had an outstanding premiere at Cannes and this roused speculations for an Oscar nominations for Negga. Despite the nods, the film didn’t make the cut the sason which made Negga’s nomination a pleasant surprise.

Meryl Streep – Hollywood royalty landed her 20th nomination with her performance as a wobbly voiced warbler in “Florence Foster Jenkins”. This has set another record for Streep.

Viggo Mortensen – Although he seemed like a long shot, he was a major surprise for the awards-season when he earned Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations for his performance as a bohemian father raising his family off the grid in “Captain Fantastic.”

Mel Gibson – Moving from the dark days in Hollywood to redemption with movies like “Hacksaw Ridge,” about a World War II corporal who is a conscientious objector. Being nominated for best director, ahead of Martin Scorsese (“Silence”) and Garth Davis (“Lion”), seals the deal.

Five Black Directors in Contention – Barry Jenkins became the fourth black filmmaker to be nominated for best director (after John Singleton, Lee Daniels and Steve McQueen). In addition, the directors of four out of the five nominated documentaries are black. And while this prize goes to the producers, those directors — Ava DuVernay, Ezra Edelman, Raoul Peck and Roger Ross Williams — were also producers on their films.

 

 

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