Oscar Nominations Are Here. Someone's Gettin Slapped 

Well, after delays due to the L.A. wildfires, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have finally released their nominations for the 97th Academy Awards. I'm more than a little dissatisfied. I'm downright upset. There are some major snubs and I will not stand idly by as the Academy ignores some of the year's best movies. But, I will also say, there are some categories that are super spicy. So, let's get into it.

No Challengers!?

How dare they. Or, am I crazy for loving that movie as much as I did? I don't know what I was on, the night I watched it, but Luca Guadagnino's genius had me in a state of unbridled ecstasy. Not only is Challengers not up for best picture, Guadagnino is not up for best director. Even more insulting, Zendaya was snubbed from actress in a leading role. And even worse than all of that, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were snubbed from original score! You're telling me Conclave had a better score than Challengers? Are you out of your mind? I can't even remember the score of Conclave, but I'll never forget the score of Challengers. To drive the blade even further into my heart, cinematographic wizard Sayombhu Mukdeeprom was not nominated for best cinematography. I'm sorry, but that is a blatant lie. Even if you hated Challengers, there's no way you're going to tell me that the cinematography wasn't worthy of at least a nomination. Figure it out, Academy. My disappointment is infinite.

No Pamela!?

This one felt like a personal attack. Yesterday, I posted an article about how Pamela Anderson deserved to at least be nominated for actress in a leading role for The Last Showgirl. Then today the Academy posts their noms and they snub her! Was this to make me look like a fool? Almost certainly. I don't doubt that the other nominees, especially Mikey Madison, Cynthia Erivo and Demi Moore, deserve to be there. But you're telling me that Anderson didn't give the performance of a lifetime? What more could you have asked of her? She showed range; she showed nuance; she showed an ability to remove and transform herself into Shelly, her character. This feels like not only a snub but also like a cheap shot by the Academy on me and my article.

The Best Picture Race

Let's look at the nominees for Best Picture, the most important Oscar there is. Anora won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and has really resonated with those who adore social realism. The Brutalist is for the cinephiles that love long runtimes and egotistical directors. A Complete Unknown is a universally loveable movie, even if it wasn't terribly innovative. Conclave is for I don't know who… Catholics? Ex-Catholics? I dunno. Good movie, but it won't win… unless it does. Dune: Part Two was fantastic and I loved how it blended its summer-blockbuster billing with cinematic ingenuity. If Emilia Pérez wins, the LATAM community on Peliplat will almost certainly riot. Nickel Boys – gotta have a movie here that nobody has seen. The Substance is the favourite for horror/body-horror fans, although I'd be shocked to see it take home the top award. And, finally, Wicked, the musical box-office smash that's sure to be a frontrunner for awards like best makeup, best costumes and best original song, but I'm not sure if it has the gravitas to win best picture.

I don't know who to root for. I wanted Challengers. I guess, for my alternative pick, I'll go for The Brutalist. But I would also love to see Dune: Part Two win. I don't think we've seen a blockbuster like it win since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won in 2003.

Slip Me Some Milk, Because Actor in a Supporting Role is Too Spicy!

This is a proper category. Yura Borisov in Anora, Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain, Edward Norton in A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce in The Brutalist, Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice. This could legitimately go to any one of these guys. Borisov had a breakout performance in Anora and he's the character that moviegoers can't stop talking about. Culkin was a revelation in A Real Pain. Despite the talk from set about how casual he was with his acting approach, there's no denying his on-screen dynamism. He also generated 80% of the movie's buzz just by being flippant and cool. Norton is one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood and he delivered a soft but passionate performance as Pete Seeger. Pearce was so good in The Brutalist. His old-money character, Harrison Lee Van Buren, was the quintessential American industrialist, but Pearce plays him with an undercurrent of trauma that I found innovative. Then there's Strong — a real actor's actor. He was sensational in The Apprentice, playing the deeply conflicted and multifaceted asshole Roy Cohn.

I don't know who will win here or even who I should cheer for. It's so close. But, if I had to pick, I think I'd go with Pearce in The Brutalist.

There's a Clear Frontrunner for Actress in a Supporting Role and I'd Be Shocked if She Won

It's Monica Barbaro in A Complete Unknown. She was amazing as Joan Baez. I especially liked her performance because she was a new face, for me, and she did such a great job, both acting and singing. But I doubt the Academy will give it to her. I'm sure Ariana Grande has a good chance for her performance in Wicked. As well, Felicity Jones in The Brutalist and Isabella Rossellini in Conclave were both great, but I feel their roles were somewhat one-dimensional. Despite the Emilia Pérez hate, I think the Academy is likely to award this trophy to Zoe Saldaña. She won it at the Golden Globes and I wouldn't be surprised if she took it home here too. Also, a bit surprised to not see Margaret Qualley nominated for The Substance.

And, Finally, Let's Just Talk About This Because It's My Favourite Award

As a guy who's dabbled in screenwriting and who prefers original stories over adaptations, I always look forward to the original screenplay award. And, this year, the competition is pretty strong! Anora is there, as it should be. So is The Brutalist. I actually read some of The Brutalist's script as I wrote my review and it really was fantastically written. Although news has come out that the film's editors used AI to bolster the Hungarian dialogue, I still think that this movie's story and script were expertly executed. A Real Pain, the small but emotionally resonate movie from writer-director-star Jesse Eisenberg, is nominated and it deserves the nomination. Without strong dialogue and effective story structure, this movie would never have worked. I'm not going to act like I know what September 5 is. If someone can correct my ignorance, please do so in the comments. And The Substance, which has a fascinating high concept and was written by director Coralie Fargeat, also snagged a nomination. A lot of good options, but I'll be cheering for The Brutalist.

There's a lot more to discuss about this year's nominations. Like nasty Nosferatu being up for preliminary awards but not the big ones; like Babygirl being absent; like All We Imagine as Light not being up for best international feature film. However, in the interest of time and attention spans, I'll stop here. But, please, if you wish, keep the conversation going in the comments. I'd love to hear your hot takes on this year's Academy Award nominations.