By Ryan Keating-Lambert
The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards are officially up, and they’re a bit disappointing.
Yes, I know you can’t include everyone, but seriously.. why does Hacksaw Ridge have 8 nominations? Did everyone just suddenly start to like Mel Gibson again? Despite having decent effects and visuals (but were they really that decent?), it was generally just a cheesy Christian soap opera. Suicide Squad was nominated for Best Makeup, and Deadpool wasn’t nominated for anything which is making comic fans a bit angry.
Many were expecting Martin Scorsese’s Silence to receive more as well. The critically panned sci-fi Passengers actually scored more which is a bit ridiculous, even if it does deserve to be in the Best Score category. Thomas Newman really has done something magnificent there.
There were also a number of indie films that missed out. I can’t believe that neither The Witch nor The Handmaiden were nominated for anything. Hunt for the Wilderpeople, although a comedy and not typical Oscar material, should have had some recognition for its adapted screenplay. At least The Lobster is nominated for Best Original Screenplay, which it more than deserves. And where on earth is the wonderful Sing Street?? How can that not even make it into Best Song?
Anyway, in terms of good news there’s La La Land which has a record 14 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director, no surprises there. Arrival, which was my personal pick for best film of the year has 8 nominations, also including Best Picture and Best Director, and so does Moonlight. I’m pleasantly surprised that Hell or High Water did so well with Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nods.
Unfortunately, Amy Adams was totally snubbed for Best Actress in Arrival, but Meryl Streep is in for Florence Foster Jenkins? There are a lot of better Streep performances out there. And will Casey Affleck follow up his Golden Globe victory and win Best Actor for Manchester by the Sea? Seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding those rape allegations…
At least there’s some diversity at the Oscar’s this year with Fences, Hidden Figures and Moonlight all dominating the major awards, and then there’s the fantastic French actress Isabelle Huppert in the Best Actress category for Elle…but then there’s Hacksaw Ridge.. Ah, I just DON’T LIKE that film at all, nor do I like Mel Gibson.
Check out the full list below and watch this space for predictions and updates as the big night approaches.
Best picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester By the Sea
Moonlight
Best cinematography
Arrival
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence
Best supporting actor
Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea)
Dev Patel (Lion)
Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)
Best documentary
Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
OJ: Made in America
13th
Best foreign language film
Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove
The Salesman
Tanna
Toni Erdmann
Best actor
Casey Affleck (Manchester By the Sea)
Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
Denzel Washington (Fences)
Best costume design
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land
Best score
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers
Best song
Audition (La La Land)
Can’t Stop the Feeling! (Trolls)
City of Stars (La La Land)
The Empty Chair (Jim: The James Foley Story)
How Far I’ll Go (Moana)
Best sound editing
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully
Best sound mixing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
13 Hours
Best documentary short
4.1 Miles
Extremis
Joe’s Violin
Watani: My Homeland
The White Helmets
Best production design
Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail Caesar
La La Land
Passengers
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Best original screenplay
Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
Manchester By the Sea
20th Century Women
Best adapted screenplay
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight
Best animated feature
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia
Best animated short
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper
Best supporting actress
Viola Davis (Fences)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Nicole Kidman (Lion)
Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
Michelle Williams (Manchester By the Sea)
Best film editing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight
Best actress
Isabelle Huppert (Elle)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
Emma Stone (La La Land)
Natalie Portman (Jackie)
Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)
Best director
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea)
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
Best visual effects
Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Best makeup and hairstyling
A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad
Movie Barf 
