Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Biggest Oscar Snubs
The Oscars nominations were announced this morning, which means it's time for everyone to get mad about something. Here's a breakdown of the most egregious snubs from the Academy Awards this year:Literally Any Actor Or Actress Of Color
It was the first time since 1998 that not a single actor or actress of color was nominated in any of the acting categories. You can argue about the 'significance' of the Oscars all you want, but Chris Rock was right: Hollywood is white as hell, and so are the Academy voters (94% white in 2012).
The most glaring omission is David Oyelowo portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, which is more nuanced than your typical awards-bait Imitation of a Famous Person. But we'd also like to shine a light on his co-star Carmen Ejogo, who puts in the best performance of the film as Coretta Scott King, adding a touch of the melodramatic to a film that still feels a wee bit stuffy at times. Seriously, Meryl Streep had to be nominated again for a Disney musical everyone thought was just OK, but Carmen Ejogo was shut out?
Japanese rock star Miyavi was likely never going be on the radar of Academy voters, given how unknown he is in the States and how poorly received Angelina Jolie's Unbroken was, but his performance of a real-life Japanese war criminal was the most twisted and interesting aspect of a film that was so heavily middlebrow.
Support for LAist comes from
Ava DuVernay, 'Selma' (for Best Director)
It's the 87th annual Academy Awards and so far we're only at four women ever nominated for Best Director.
'The Immigrant' (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Directing, Best Cinematography...)
The Immigrant is a film tailor-made for awards: a stately and classical period melodrama with fantastic performances and magic hour cinematography. That Harvey Weinstein bungled the American release of this and instead decided to put his eggs in the Imitation Game basket is mind-boggling.
The LEGO Movie (for Best Animated Feature)
It was a shocker that this surprise critical and audience favorite didn't get a nom (though we at LAist thought the heavy schmaltz at the end was a total buzzkill!). That said, nominee The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (one of our top 20 films of last year) would be our pick to take the prize.
Timothy Spall (for Best Actor, 'Mr. Turner')
Mike Leigh's excellent biopic of painter J.M.W. Turner had the fact that it was about an art icon relatively unknown in the States going against it, but Spall seemed like a sure lock for a nod given the accolades including a Best Actor award at Cannes he's received for his performance of the enigmatic artist (including a Best Actor award at Cannes). Maybe it was the long-running time of the film or that his performance was mocked for all that grunting Spall does as Turner. At least Dick Poop got recognized for his work in the movie.
Josh Brolin (for Best Supporting Actor, 'Inherent Vice')
Unsurprisingly a non-factor during awards season this year, Inherent Vice picked up only two nominations (for Best Adapted Screenplay and Costume Design). Almost everything about Inherent Vice is wonderful, but Josh Brolin steals the show in his hilarious role as LAPD detective 'Bigfoot' Bjornsen.
'Force Majeure' and 'Two Days, One Night' (for Best Foreign Language Film)Director Ruben Östlund's Swedish black comedy Force Majeure was too smart and twisted for the likes of the Academy anyway. The Dardenne brothers' Two Days, One Night being ignored in this category isn't too surprising given it's the fourth time a film of theirs has been submitted by Belgium and not nominated, but at least Marion Cotillard got a surprise (and absolutely deserving) nomination for Best Actress for her performance.
Of the nominees, Ida or Golden Globe-winner Leviathan are the favorites, but we're more partial to Abderrahmane Sissako's Timbuktu, Mauritania's first-ever Oscar submission.
Robert Elswit (for Best Cinematography, 'Nightcrawler' and 'Inherent Vice')Everyone is talking about Jake Gyllenhaal being snubbed for his creepy performance in Nightcrawler, but the real star of Dan Gilroy's b-movie thriller is cinematographer Robert Elswit, who makes nighttime Los Angeles radiate on the big screen. Like a musician releasing a 7" single with an a- and b-side, it perfectly complements his work with L.A.'s smoggy daylight haze in in Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice
Life Itself (for Best Documentary Feature)The Oscar ceremony is basically Hollywood's yearly patting itself on the back, so it's a surprise that a documentary about one of the most famous champions of movies didn't get a nod. The Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour, deserves it anyway.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist