Last night the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences feted the supposed best of best in film as they celebrated the 84th annual Academy Awards. And with each Oscar season there are nominations that we expect, those that make us happy and those that disappoint us. Worse, there are individuals that go unnoticed for amazing work, getting a snub rather than a nomination. So this week, we at Sassy Cinema will choose our nominees for "Worst Snubs" to give these people their chance in the spotlight:
Alex's Picks for Worst Snubs
"Drive" (2011) — Seriously, Academy Awards? Why didn't "Drive" fit into your image of Best Picture when "Moneyball" (2011) and the snore-a-palooza "War Horse" (2011) did? And to snub Ryan Gosling of an Oscar nomination in a year filled with Ryan Gosling movies — one might even call it the Year of Ryan Gosling — is unforgivable.
Brad Pitt, "Tree of Life" (2011) — Brad Pitt snubbed himself this Oscar season for being nominated for "Moneyball" instead of "Tree of Life." The latter movie provided Pitt with a role that was more demanding, more varied than his norm and much more multi-faceted.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2" (2011) — I have to say it. Best Picture? Best Director? If "Harry Potter" had been nominated for either one of those, it would have made me happy to see the series go out with a bang. Instead, it just received the typical summer action film nominations for art direction, makeup and visual effects. It better win at least one of those.
ShaileneWoodley, "The Descendants" (2011) — To be honest, I don't think she had a shot at winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but I certainly believe that she enlivened "The Descendants." Her spark and her youth forced veteran actor George Clooney to share the spotlight, which is not an easy feat.
Jacob's Picks for Worst Snubs
Viola Davis and Sandra Bullock, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" (2011) — Bullock's work here was far stronger than what she did in "The Blind Side" (2009), but it seems one Oscar nomination was enough for her. While Davis' work in "The Help" (2011) is remarkable, her supporting performance in "Extremely Loud" was breathtaking and a tearjerker — pretty much perfect.
"Super 8" (2011) — In a year that celebrated the history of film with movies like "Hugo" (2011) and "The Artist" (2011), it is a shame that this film was passed over completely. It did so many things well, from the brilliant visual effects that created its riveting explosions to its beautifully rendered 1970s style. Not to mention, the performances by the children rival those of many of their much older counterparts.
Andy Serkis, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011) — Serkis, known for his CGI performances, is never recognized by major film awards, but it is hard to imagine his films without him. For instance, what would the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy have been without his tour-de-force performance as Gollum? It's about time he received some Oscar love.
"Bridesmaids" (2011) — Contemporary films rarely get nominations for costume design. However, Leesa Evans' work provided many of the film's most comedic moments, such as the fight in the bridal shop over bridesmaids' dresses. Moreover, she truly captured each character's personality through their garb, a hallmark of effective and brilliant costume design.
And the worst snub goes to...
Out of all the work snubbed this year, we feel that the snub for "Drive" was the most egregious. This film displayed such vision and so much force that the Academy's cold shoulder is particularly offensive. Never fear though, this film will always receive sassy love from us.
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Jacob Passy is a junior majoring in international relations. He can be reached at Jacob.Passy@tufts.edu. Alex Kaufman is a sophomore majoring in sociology. He can be reached at Alexander.Kaufman@tufts.edu.
