2022 Oscar Nominees

[Bill1978]

Thing is, do we still need the ten-nomination rule when there are barely ten films released in the entire YEAR?

I prefer the 10 Best Pictures Rule rather than the random 5-10 Pictures can be nominated approach they had. I just like knowing exactly how many Pictures can be nominated - not that I think expanding to 10 has solved the issue of nominating movies audiences have seen and embraced.

And will this be the year Dianne Warren wins (on her 14th nomination) ...I'm predicting no (I can see RRR getting it) and she will have to be content with her honourary Oscar for a little while longer.

[gaastra]

Actually, it wasn't on the list of eligible films.

It had "too much live action". Arthur and the invisibles was rejected for the same reason the year it was out. Trouble is shell is also live action and animated like rescue rangers but got a nod. I'm not the only one calling them out over it also.

[Ben]

The difference, I think, would be in the number of animated shots in Marcel as opposed to the VFX shots in Rangers. I’m sure it will have been picked over very carefully, but no chance of change now.

[gaastra]

Even with that controversy, this is a great set of animated films this year getting nods.

[EricJ]

I prefer the 10 Best Pictures Rule rather than the random 5-10 Pictures can be nominated approach they had. I just like knowing exactly how many Pictures can be nominated - not that I think expanding to 10 has solved the issue of nominating movies audiences have seen and embraced.

Problem is, it didn't solve the problem it was meant to-
Ie., the shortening of the voting period leading to the NBOR Critics' Awards dominating the early pick of the nominees, and their bias toward arthouse/indie films. (Since critics in the 80s feared that the Academy would "ignore" arthouse indies in favor of the big commercial blockbusters, like the early Golden Globes cheat-sheet did with Avatar 2, Fabelmans and Wakanda.)

The only other reason for the change to 10-noms--and why they didn't change it back in '15-'16 as planned--had to do with Wall-E, Toy Story 2 and the push for Pixar in the Best Pictures...And then, when it got it first real test in '15-'16 with Inside Out ahead of the running, the Globes even dominated THAT narrative when it couldn't include animateds in their Best Pictures, and we all shrugged "Oh, well, they said so... "

So, now we're up to, what, THREE reasons why the Rule doesn't need to exist anymore?

[Ben]

Fabelmans is a "commercial blockbuster"!?

[gaastra]

Coco really should have got a best picture nod.

[EricJ]

Fabelmans is a "commercial blockbuster"!?

Compared to "Triangle of Sadness", yes.

Also the unwritten rule that both the Globes and Oscars (but mostly the Globes) think that a movie has an automatic invitation to the nominations months before theatrical release if it
A) was directed by Spielberg,
B ) starred Tom Hanks,
C) starred Leo DiCaprio,
D) was directed by Martin Scorsese, or, more importantly
E) any overlap of A-D.

(If West Side Story was nominated last year, it's pretty easy to picture half the industry giving up and thinking the Fabelmans has already won every award everywhere at once...)

[Ben]

Well, yeah, duh…Fabelmans would have been nominated if it had just been li' Stevie playing with his train set for two hours (which, in many ways, it was, but a bigger train set and for longer than two hours).

B doesn’t work in your methodology, though: Finch, which would have been justified when it came out, and Pinocchio, which obviously wouldn’t, were not there and they starred Hanks, as does Otto, and that’s not here either. What we need is another anthology film, starring Hanks and Leo, with segments directed by Steve and Marty. That’d blow their minds.

[Kaszubas]

I just miss The Bad Guys on that list… Sadly it seems like nobody here (or there…) shares my enthusiasm regarding this entertaining and good looking DW animated gem… 🫤

[Ben]

I have yet to watch, but soon!

It’s funny, but the way they announced them, Turning Red was last up. Even when there was just one more title to be announced, I can’t say I was missing it in the listing at all, as the noms had been so different, but have to admit my heart sank when it was added last, not because I have anything against it specifically, but because I then worried none of the other films would get a fair look in because, well, Pixar. For those without time or patience to actually watch all the animated films, that makes it the easy, don’t have to do your homework, choice. And I kind of have the feeling, when I get around to seeing it, that I’ll be thinking The Bad Guys kind of deserved that last placing instead…

[Randall]

Perhaps, when it came to coming to the nominees, at least. But it does seem that Pinocchio (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, that is!) is the favourite to win. As it should, IMO.

[Ben]

I haven’t even seen it yet, but I agree…!

Not entirely sure how you mean "when it came to coming to the nominees" but, yes, I was talking nominees, not suggesting Bad Guys should win! I just love the mix, though: it’s one of the most wide-ranging, exciting lineups in years, really, as far as commercial Western animation goes. A couple of big studio pictures and independents (if we are still thinking of Netflix as an independent!), and different mediums. Would have been nice to get a hand-drawn in the as well, which BG kind of hints at and why I’d have maybe liked that to take TR's place, but Pixar is always the safe bet and is the "threat" to anything else winning more deservedly. However, Spidey showed it can be done, and if anything the more current release and del Toro's name as a reference point to those that only have a live-action background may be the tipping point for it to take the win, along with the good notices it’s been getting. I need to push that up front in our queue…

[Randall]

I guess that was phrased awkwardly.

Trying again: "When it came to arriving at the nominees..."

I do think Pinocchio is the clear favourite at this point. It's got good buzz and a big name. The Academy even made sure that they kept Guillermo's name in the title, so it'll be seen on the ballot.

Yes, it's a pretty great, wide-ranging lineup this year.

Netflix is showing that they are big players in animation now, though I thought that The Sea Beast had a serious narrative flaw (failing to give the bad guys a clear motivation), though it's otherwise a classy production. I need to see Puss in Boots, but reviews are extremely encouraging. I haven't seen Marcel either, but again it has good buzz. I liked Turning Red, but was frankly surprised to see it nominated.

[Ben]

Nothing to do with the Academy having del Toro's name, they have to list it the way the studio submits it, as explained in our other private post. And they list the director and/or producers on any given ballot, so there’s no chance of anyone confusing this or missing who is involved. I think he’s got it in the bag mostly because, even if they haven’t seen it, his is maybe the only name there that can beat otherwise sure-bet Pixar.

My comment was that I’d have thought given the critical reaction that Bad Guys might have taken Turning Red's "spot", and I’m glad I’m not alone in being somewhat surprised at that nom. I wasn’t dry excited to see Puss, but word seems to be keeping strong and this recognition has got me even more interested to see it!