ReelBob: Oscar nominations: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Bob Bloom

Give me an effin’ break!

Do members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences see movies other than ones that feature friends or colleagues?

You wouldn’t know it by looking at the nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

Let’s start with the snubs before we get into the nominations that were undeserved, jaw-dropping and blatantly ridiculous.

To me, the most glaring omission was Ethan Hawke from the best actor category for his heartbreaking performance as a minister with doubts in “First Reformed.” And while I thought the movie was a bit ponderous, I did admire the manner in which Hawke created a character who grows increasingly more conflicted as the movie progressed.

Also ignored were Amandla Stenberg, who should have been recognized in the best actress category for “The Hate U Give,” Lucas Hedges for his performance as a young man pressured into gay conversion therapy in “Boy Erased” and Timothée Chalamet as a young man battling drug addiction in “Beautiful Boy.”

Pictures that were ignored simply because they were small releases that really did not have much impact on the box office, but were artistically satisfying, included “Without a Trace” and “The Rider.”

And, in another snub that proves Academy voters talk the talk but won’t walk the walk, the women directors of those two movies — Debra Granik (“Without a Trace”) and Chloe Zhao (“The Rider”) were ignored.

In the eccentric best documentary category, which has a perplexing habit of omitting titles that seem to attract audiences and critical accolades — remember “Hoop Dreams?” — “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” the loving tribute to Fred Rogers, was shut out.

So, let’s look at some of the nominations:

Actor: Christian Bale in “Vice.” OK, he gained some weight and mumbled like the real Cheney, but that was all he did, except for some sly asides.

If the Academy wanted to nominate someone who gained weight or wore a fat suit, John C. Reilly’s portrayal of comedian Oliver Hardy in “Stan & Ollie” was much more complex and complete.

Supporting actor: Where is Michael B. Jordan? His created a villain, Erik Killmonger, with whom you could sympathize in “Black Panther.” You could question his motives but understand his reasoning.

Sam Rockwell’s George W. Bush in “Vice” was nearly a cameo, and he was simply a prop for Bale’s Cheney.

Actress: I have no quibbles with this category and was overjoyed to see the inclusion of Yalitza Aparicio from “Roma” and Melissa McCarthy from “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” I was fearful that one or the other — or both — would be overlooked.

Director: The omission of Bradley Cooper is shameful. In his debut behind the camera, Cooper not only offered a heartbreaking turn as doomed country singer Jackson Maine, but guided Lady Gaga and Sam Elliott through performances that earned them Oscar nominations. Cooper also received a nomination for best adapted screenplay. I guess Academy members believed he didn’t need another nomination!

And Peter Farrelly’s work helming “Green Book” was totally ignored despite nominations for his two main actors. Maybe voters didn’t think his movie was edgy enough to earn recognition.

“Vice” director Adam McKay could have been left out, and it would not have bothered me in the slightest.

The nomination that really pleases me is the recognition for “A Quiet Place” in sound editing. It was the most impressive use of audio — and silence — in any movie released in 2018.

On the positive side, I believe the acknowledgement for Olivia Colman as actress and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz in the supporting actress categories for “The Favourite” are well deserved. They were a powerful triumvirate and their interactions helped to elevate their individual performances.

The same goes for Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in “Green Book.” The two worked in tandem to form a believable relationship that overshadowed some of the film’s minor flaws.

Willem Dafoe in “At Eternity’s Gate” is a pleasant surprise. His turn as Vincent van Gogh was exceptional and avoided the histrionics most actors who portray the doomed painter bring to the part.

We will simply have to see how all of this plays out when the Academy Awards are handed out on Feb. 24. The ceremony will be televised at 8 p.m. on ABC.

My picks for who will — and should — take home the gold will be posted at ReelBob.com on Oscar weekend.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.