And just like that, film awards season is finally over, and with it the final awards of the ninety-second Academy Awards. This year marked many milestones for the Hollywood monolith, with multiple first-time award winners in regards to overall representation and for individuals. History was made in many ways this year.
While there were undoubtedly some amazing and deserving wins, as with all years, some categories either had to make hard decisions or completely missed the mark, shutting out many worthy winners. Looking over all the wins and nominees, here are all the significant snubs and misses from this year's Academy Awards Ceremony.
Little Women - Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Greta Gerwig's Little Women was one of the biggest snubs this year. While the film was recognized in many categories, its glaringly absent directing nomination left many fans upset, with the choice clearly shutting out female filmmakers once again. Though Little Women earned a deserving costuming nod, it still missed out in regards to its other nominations.
Perhaps the most significant blow was losing to the Adapted Screenplay category for Writing. The screenplay, written by Greta Gerwig, was an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's original novel. Her unorthodox take on the source material was one of the most exciting adaptions of classic literature in recent memory.
The Irishman And The Lion King - Visual Effects
This might be the biggest snub of the entire evening. We live in a wondrous time of visual effects, with old school practical work being paired with revolutionary computer-enhanced effects. This marriage results in some of the most amazing final effects ever accomplished in the history of the medium.
So why a film like 1917 won out over every other film in the category is dumbfounding. Notably, The Lion King and The Irishman should have earned this easily. Jon Favreau remains the most impressive figure in the advancement of effects today, and Scorsese's commitment to de-aging technology resulted in a fantastic display.
Randy Newman And John Williams - Music (Orignal Score)
This year, as stated, was huge for representation. In the category of best film score, history was made with the first female composer winning the lauded award (at least under its current title). Hildur Guðnadóttir won for her work on the DC Comics feature Joker.
Guðnadóttir's work on the film can't be understated, but the other nominees certainly would have fit the bill as well. Randy Newman's work on Marriage Story might have been simplistic, but it fits perfectly with its film. John Williams could have won as well, marking a legacy award for his more than forty-year commitment to the Star Wars franchise.
Sam Mendes - Directing
The Directing category is almost always an amazingly tight race. This year especially offered up nominations for two of the most iconic directors of American Cinema, with the inclusion of three other exciting modern directors. Bong Joon Ho's win is beyond deserving, but the accomplishments of Sam Mendes, in particular, can't be forgotten.
1917 remains a marvel of cinematic achievement. The sheer amount of responsibility on the shoulders of Mendes is remarkable. Few films had as many moving parts as this one did, and the fact that it all worked is mindblowing. 1917 is a feat not easily accomplished.
Klaus And Missing Link - Animated Feature Film
Toy Story 4 might not have been the phenomena of its predecessor, but the film's technological advancements and beautiful story marked a worthy win for this category. That being said, it continues the tradition of Disney and Pixar's continued grip on the award.
While Toy Story 4 was a marvel of CGI animation, other films offered far more unique animation styles and stories that are unlike anything else seen today. Missing Link is a blockbuster level film in scope, with arguably even more work put it to it by the team at Laika. Klaus, on the other hand, took the traditional 2D animated form and updated it for today, marking an exciting turn in the medium.
Florence Pugh And Scarlett Johanson - Actress In A Supporting Role
This year saw Laura Dern win Best Supporting Actress for her role in Netflix's Marriage Story. While she did a fantastic job, her performance in the film was nowhere near as worthy as the others in the category. Two, in particular, come to mind in sharp comparison.
Scarlett Johanson's role in Jojo Rabbit was one of the most important in that film, serving as the only contrasting moral compass for young Jojo versus all of the Nazi party. But the real missed opportunity was to award Florence Pugh for her work in Little Women. No other actor or actress had such a great year as she did, serving multiple varied performances across genres.
Joe Pesci And Anthony Hopkins - Actor In A Supporting Role
Brad Pitt had a great year as well. His performance in Once Upon A Time In...Hollywood is one of the best in any Tarantino film, and his performance in Ad Astra was profound. He certainly deserved the win, but his competitors would have fit the bill as well.
While some might disregard Two Popes compared to other films, it certainly had worn its acting power on its sleeves, especially with Anthony Hopkin's performance. But the fact that Joe Pesci came out of retirement to give an iconic new performance in THe Irishman only to be ignored was one of the most shocking losses of the night.
Scarlett Johanson - Actress In A Leading Role
Renee Zellweger has gotten nothing but love for her performance in Judy, bringing the iconic Judy Garland's presence back to the big screen. Though she saved her film, another actress deserved recognition for her essential role.
Imitation of a celebrity is arguably easier than crafting a character on your own, and that is exactly what Scarlett Johanson did. Her performance as Nicole in Marriage Story was crucial to her film's success and remains her best performance of last year. Zellweger is an outstanding actress, but Johanson is on a whole other level in this film.
Jonathan Pryce And Adam Driver - Actor In A Leading Role
Joaquin Phoenix has been the frontrunner all awards season for his performance as the clown prince of crime in Joker. Phoenix committed fully to the role, imbuing the character with startling realism. While his work is commendable, the flashy performance felt far more hollow than its competition.
Jonathan Pryce, as Pope Francis, was pitch-perfect casting. He brought beautifully subdued wisdom to the part, one that is still not without failure. But Adam Driver gave the performance of the year. His balanced work was tragic and hilarious at times.
1917 - Best Picture
Perhaps it might not be a snub per se, but the fact that 1917 lost out on Best picture was certainly a surprise. Since the film's release, it has remained quite the newcomer in awards season, remaining a favorite for many, many accolades.
Instead, Parasite swept up far more awards than the World War I epic. Both films were fairly deserving of the title, along with a few other best picture nominees as well. But, at the end of the day, Parasite's win marks a huge change moving forward, even if it means the innovation of 1917 was left behind.