Worst2First: My Top Ten Pictures Who Should've Been Oscar Nominated

 Worst2First:
My Top Ten Pictures
Who Should've Been Oscar Nominated

Every year the Academy Awards honors the best films of the year, and every year without question there's questionable choices and shocking snubs, but with only five (or in the case of Best Picture, ten) nominees, you're bound to leave out some tremendous performances. In the lead-up to the 2022 Oscars, I'll take a look at ten performers (or films) that should've been nominated - not that those who are nominated aren't deserving of it, but so were these performances (or films) as well.

This final week will look at my personal top ten films that should've been Oscar nominated...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10


Pig

When we first heard that Nicolas Cage would star in a movie called "Pig" about a reclusive man seeking out his beloved truffle pig that was stolen from him, we all pretty much expected it to be a classic modern Nicolas Cage-led crazy film filled with "John Wick" style action, but instead we were gifted with a surprisingly nuanced, dramatic performance by Cage, and the film itself received the best reviews in his studded career (most people forget he's actually an Academy Award-winning actor). "Pig" surprised pretty much everyone, and should've been an underdog film to be included in the ten nominees for the Academy.

#9

The Last Duel

"The Last Duel" is one of those cinematic casualties of the pandemic, a film that was largely ignored due to its appeal to an older audience who stayed away from the cinema, and who director Ridley Scott largely defended as a film that should've been seen but wasn't due to millennials being too busy on their cell phones. The lack of success easily defeated its chances with the Academy, which is a shame because the film is a powerful look at the real life story of a woman who accused her husband's friend of rape during a time where women's voices were often unheard, and whose penalty for lying meant certain death. Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck all gave Oscar-worthy performances and the story itself was uniquely told through the lens of each of the three main characters, and despite its box office bomb status it should've received an Oscar nomination.

#8

C'mon C'mon

Written and directed by Oscar nominee Mike Mills, "C'mon C'mon" is a wonderful story about an uncle who must take care of his sister's eccentric son and realizes the importance of family, love, and loss. Joaquin Phoenix commands the screen and the film itself is a riveting tale filled with humor, heart, and all the things that the Academy tends to honor, but somehow this year it was shut out from every major category, including Best Picture.

#7

The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson's mind is truly a wonderful, beautiful, and puzzling thing, as the work he's amassed is some of cinema's most unique and spellbinding. His previous work - "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - received numerous Oscar nominations including Best Picture, but somehow his equally charming follow-up, "The French Dispatch," fell silent. Perhaps it's due to the caliber of films released in 2021, but forgetting this fascinating love letter to journalism is a mistake and despite being silent at the Academy, this is a film that still demands to be seen.

#6

Passing

In Rebecca Hall's directorial debut, "Passing" centers on the stories of two women living in America in the 1930s, during a time where it was still socially unacceptable to be an African American person, especially a woman. Tessa Thompson's character has managed to flourish despite this prejudice, while Ruth Negga's character struggles, and instead of embracing her heritage she chooses to "pass" as a white person, whereas her lighter skin tone allows her to be seen as white. Even her husband hates black people, and Negga's Clare Bellew carefully walks the tightrope line, always fearful of being caught, but embracing the world around her as well. It's powerful, thought provoking, and culturally relevant, which is why I'm surprised it didn't garner an Oscar nomination - for anything.

#5

Mass

Who would've thought that the "Fool" from the film "The Cabin in the Woods" could not only direct, but write, one of the biggest thought-provoking and powerful movies of 2021? Fran Kranz's "Mass" is a truly subtle yet powerful film about the timely topic of school shootings, as told through the eyes of two sets of parents - one set who's son was killed, and one set who's son was the killer. Set entirely in the confines of a small church room, "Mass" is explosive in the dialogue and stunning performances by Reed Birney, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton and especially Ann Dowd, and it's a travesty that the film didn't receive a Best Picture nomination - or screenplay nomination, or supporting actress nomination for Dowd.

#4

A Hero

Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi has given us some compelling foreign films including "The Salesman" and "A Separation," and he continues his legacy with "A Hero," a film that's surprisingly snubbed at the Oscars not just for Best Picture, but Best Foreign Film as well. Highlighting the topic of false hero worship and the pitfalls of sudden fame, "A Hero" centers on Amir Jadidi's Rahim, a man who tries to pay off his debts but ends up instead returning the handbag containing the gold that could've made him a free man, and receiving the praise of the community for doing the right thing - but he soon finds himself under criticism and tries to maintain his hero status. An unforgettable film, "A Hero" was shockingly forgotten by the Academy.

#3

The Green Knight

David Lowery's take on the legendary story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is nothing short of a visionary marvel grounded by the career-defining performance of Dev Patel and the committed supporting actors who tell the story of redemption, legacy, and purpose. Patel's Gawain foolishly participates in a seemingly harmless Christmas game with the Green Knight, and one year later he must head to the Green Knight's land to take his punishment, and along the way he grows up and becomes the man he's meant to be - but it could be too late. Snubbed for Best Actor, Cinematography, Sound, Adapted Screenplay, Director, and Best Picture, "The Green Knight" easily deserved all those accolades and more.

#2

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Despite garnering three Academy Award nominations including Best Actor for Denzel Washington, Joel Coen's take on the famed William Shakespeare drama "The Tragedy of Macbeth" somehow missed the list for Best Picture, which is a total farce. It earned nominations for Best Actor, Production Design, and Cinematography, but somehow missed the big one (and even a snub for Coen for Best Director) - it's a unique take on Shakespeare's iconic classic, with Washington playing the troubled Macbeth and Frances McDormand playing his equally diabolical wife, and somehow it missed the Best Picture category - which is the real tragedy.

#1

Tick, Tick...BOOM!

2021 was the year for Lin-Manuel Miranda, as he saw his Tony-award winning stage play come to the big screen ("In the Heights"), starred in his first animated film ("Vivo"), wrote the songs for the Disney movie "Encanto" (and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Song, as well as his other song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" being Disney's first number-one hit since "A Whole New World"), and also directed "Tick, Tick...BOOM!" about the life of Jonathan Larson, who wrote the Broadway play "Rent." Andrew Garfield rightfully earned a Best Actor nomination, but somehow the film itself fell short of the Best Picture category despite boasting a strong acting talent, moving story, catchy songs, and wonderful choreography - but currently it's high on the list for the fan-voted Fan Favorite award, so maybe there's hope after all.