The 91st annual Academy Awards were hosted in 2019 and honored the best films from the previous year in 2018. Some of the films released that year that could have been nominated but weren't were: I Feel Pretty, Winchester, and Set it Up. Instead, the films that were praised and given the biggest nomination of Best Picture were: Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book, The Favourite, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Vice, A Star is Born, and Roma.
Looking at this list now, there are a few nominees that haven't aged well and probably didn't deserve the praise they received, and there are definitely a handful of other great films that should have been recognized.
Should Have Been Nominated: Hereditary
This film was deemed the most terrifying film of the year, with some fans and critics calling it the most terrifying film of the decade. Not only is this movie, starring Toni Collette, very scary, but it's also incredibly well done, making the story even more horrific to watch.
The Academy isn't known for nominating scary films in any of the big categories, but they definitely should have made an exception for this psychological thriller.
Should Have Been Nominated: Irreplaceable You
This heartbreaking romantic drama stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Michiel Huisman as Abbie and Sam. When Abbie is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she sets out on a mission to find Sam a person that will love him once she is gone.
The simplicity of the performances and the storytelling in this film are really amazing to watch and this kind of intimacy between film and audience is rare, which is why this film should have been better recognized during the award season of 2019.
Should Have Been Nominated: Crazy Rich Asians
This romantic comedy was the biggest hit of the year and received a lot of praise from fans and critics alike. It also did very well at the box office, and was nominated for a handful of awards during the award season it for which it was eligible.
Surprisingly, this film was left out of the biggest category of the season. Not receiving a Best Picture nomination seemed like a serious snub on the Academy's part and upset a lot of movie lovers.
Was Nominated: Green Book
Since this film was nominated and won Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, a lot of critics of the film have spoken up about its inaccuracies and the film's depiction of race.
The film was criticized for being a "white savior" movie, which in the past, the Academy loved to nominate and award, but in more recent years, has been heavily critiqued for misrepresenting Black people and race relations, both in present and past times.
Should Have Been Nominated: To All The Boys I've Loved Before
This coming-of-age romantic comedy was one of the biggest hits of 2018. The film, based on the hit young adult novel by the same name, is about a girl named Laura Jean, who falls for the most popular boy in school after some of her secret love letters get sent to some of her old crushes.
Everything about this film comes very close to being perfect and it's a shame that the Academy doesn't consider more mainstream titles in their nominations.
Should Have Been Nominated: If Beale Street Could Talk
This romantic drama was written and directed by Barry Jenkins and is based on a novel with the same name by James Baldwin. The film boasts an incredible ensemble cast that includes; KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Diego Luna, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King.
Regina King won the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in this film, which was nominated in two other categories, neither of which were Best Picture, much to critics and fans' surprise.
Should Have Been Nominated: Beautiful Boy
Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet star in this biographical feature film about a father and son struggling with the son's drug addiction. The film's script was based on the memoirs of both David and Nick Schiff, the real-life father and son this film depicts.
Initially, this film seemed like a shoo-in for award season, so fans and critics were both shocked to learn it had been completely snubbed by the Academy in the year it was eligible.
Was Nominated: Bohemian Rhapsody
Though this film tells an important and incredible story, there are a couple of problems with it that should have kept it out of the Best Picture category. One of the biggest problems was that the film's lead, Rami Malek, who portrayed Freddie Mercury and won Best Actor for this work, didn't sing in the film, but lip-synced over Mercury's real voice.
Some critics found this to be not-so-award-worthy, considering films like A Star is Born and Rocketman were eligible for awards and their leads did sing their own songs in the film.
Should Have Been Nominated: Love, Simon
This romantic comedy centers around a character named Simon, who is a closeted gay teenager trying to navigate high school, family, and discovering more about his sexuality. The film has been praised by critics and the LGBTQ+ community for its accurate and heartfelt portrayal of the teenage experience as they come into their own and embrace their homosexuality.
This is another film that could have definitely been a contender during awards season if the Academy were more open to mainstream films.
Should Have Been Nominated: Life Itself
Dan Fogelman wrote, produced, and directed this feature film that tells the story of different lives and how important love is when it comes to living life fully. The film was not well received by critics and was a flop at the box office, but the Academy really should have given this film a second look.
The performances are perfect, especially Antonio Banderas, and the story will make audiences laugh as much as they cry. It really has all of the elements Academy voters love to vote for, yet somehow slipped through the cracks in 2019.