The Academy announced Tuesday its Oscars shortlist of semi-finalists in nine separate categories including best visual effects, best original song, best original score, best foreign film, and best documentary feature. Then Academy voters will choose who gets nominated for the Oscar from this set of semi-finalists.
Even though none of the categories on this shortlist are in major categories, there are still some surprising snubs that we can't help but complain about, because they give us a hint as to what the nominations in the bigger categories will look like.
Films with some of the most stunning visual effects in 2018 including "Paddington 2" and "Annihilation" are not semifinalists in the category. "Eighth Grade," which has one of the most unique soundtracks in years, hasn't been placed on the shortlist in the best original score category though it's more deserving than some scores that did make it, like "Avengers: Infinity War."
"Paddington 2"
The most charming, colorful film of 2018 didn't make the shortlist in any of the nine categories announced by the Academy. And that's not promising considering many people are hoping Hugh Grant, who played the villain Phoenix Buchanan in what is definitely the best performance of his astounding career, gets nominated for best supporting actor. Fans of the Peruvian bear were hoping the film would at least make it into the visual effects category since Paddington is so well animated, but maybe Paddington is so well animated that the Academy thinks he is a real bear?
"Annihilation"
"Annihilation" somehow made the Oscars shortlist for best original soundtrack, but not best visual effects. The "shimmer," seen above, is just an early example of the incredible visual effects in "Annihilation," one of the best films of the year that's getting overshadowed due to its quiet February release. The effects are essential to the film's imaginative story that will stick with you for days, weeks, or months after you see it. It's truly insulting that this didn't make it into its most deserved category, because it had a chance at winning.
"Eighth Grade"
Linda Kallerus, courtesy of A24
"Eighth Grade" didn't make it onto the shortlist for best original score, though it deserved it more than others in the category like "Avengers: Infinity War," "Ready Player One," and "Vice." The electronic score by Anna Meredith is one of the most original in years. It captures the feeling of the main character and the anxiety director Bo Burnham is trying to capture on screen. At the same time, it's also really fun to listen to and move the story forward in ways no other soundtrack in 2018 did. We're hoping this snub doesn't lead to even more snubs for this amazing movie, but we're not too confident.
"The Cakemaker"
This Israeli film didn't make it onto the shortlist in the best foreign category. And while no movie really stands a chance against Alfonso Cuarn's "Roma," this one at least deserved a nomination. It tells the story of German baker Thomas, who has an affair with a married Israeli man named Oren, who dies. Thomas travels to Jerusalem to find out more about Oren and his death, and ends up working for Oren's wife at her bakery.
