Quick Oscar nominations analysis

Surprises, snubs and other reactions to this year's Academy Awards nominations!

Welcome once again to the world’s fastest in-depth Oscar nominations analysis! The award noms were just announced moments ago, so let’s get to it.

The much-feared snubbing of Kristen Stewart for “Spencer” did not happen, so there hopefully won’t be a twitter uprising. Thought it’s notable it did not receive any other nominations, indicating an overall lack of support for the film.

The big surprise winners (meaning they fared much better than expected): “Don’t Look Up,” “Being the Ricardos,” “CODA,” “Dune,” “Licorice Pizza,” “The Worst Person in the World,” “Flee,” and “Drive My Car.” The latter three are foreign language films, but also scored additional nominations with “Flee” recognized in the animated category, “Car” getting in for Best Picture, director and screenplay, and “Worst” receiving a surprise screenplay nomination.

I was a bit stunned that “Being the Ricardos” scored leading acting nominations for Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, who were both solid but haven’t really been in the awards conversation.

Lady Gaga didn’t get an actress nomination, but does anyone really consider that an Oscar-worthy turn?

Other purported acting snubs: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ruth Negga (personally I thought Tessa Thompson stole the show in “Passing”), Frances McDormand.

“CODA” is this year’s little movie that could, getting a much deserved supporting actor nod for Troy Kotsur but also being recognized for screenplay and best picture.

Several surprises in the supporting actress category: Aunjanue Ellis snuck in for “King Richard,” and I was pleased but a bit stunned to see Jessie Buckley, one of favorite young character actresses, recognized for “The Lost Daughter.” Similarly I don’t think many expected to see Kirsten Dunst be nominated for “The Power of the Dog” — Dunst has gotten a lot of grief over the last decade or so, and I’m glad to see her launch a second phase to her career.

The great Judi Dench earned her nomination for “Belfast,” though a lot of people are going to see the exclusion of Caitriona Balfe as a big snub. Also no nostalgia nod for Rita Moreno, though her younger counterpart Ariana DeBose as expected was nominated for the same role Moreno played 60 years earlier in “West Side Story.”

(Personally, I would’ve gone with Rachel Zegler in the lead actress category.)

Supporting actor was a little odd to me. Jesse Plemons is a good young actor but didn’t really have a lot to do in “The Power of the Dog” as the designated straight man reacting to everyone else. JK Simmons had a funny but not especially meaty turn in “Ricardos.” Kodi Smith-McPhee joined costar Plemons, a nomination I like better. Feels like a lot of other actors out there who could’ve been nominated.

Billie Eilish is officially an Oscar nominee for her song for “No Time to Die.” Youngest ever in this category?

As usual the documentary feature nominations include some movies few people have even heard of. I was really happy to see “Summer of Soul” get in, though I can’t say as I know anything about “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom.”

I was definitely pleased to see actress-turned-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal receive a screenplay nomination for “The Lost Daughter,” which she also directed.

Best Actor and Actress went more or less as expected, though Andrew Garfield and Denzel Washington were not exactly considered heavy favorites to get in. Probably the only real surprise was Penelope Cruz getting a nomination for the as-yet little seen “Parallel Mothers,” though I think it’s her best performance in years.

I can’t believe Oscar Isaac didn’t get nominated for “The Card Counter,” even though it was a tiny film. The best film performance I saw in 2021, lead or supporting, actor or actress.

They went for the full 10 nominees for Best Picture, which I wish they would do every year rather than this weird system of however many get enough support, ranging between five and 10 every year.

I didn’t much care for “Don’t Look Up” or “Licorice Pizza,” but they are officially best picture nominees despite poor box office performance. I haven’t counted but I think the visually splendid but emotionally stilted “Dune” may have scored the overall most number of nominations, though largely in technical categories. (Edit: “The Power of the Dog” led with 12, “Dune” had 10.)

Director Denis Villeneuve not getting nominated when his film got so many is probably going to be called a snub, though I don’t see it so. Next time, tell people up front you’re making a two-parter.

Glad to see Jane Campion, one of my favorite filmmakers, back on top with multiple nominations for “The Power of the Dog” after a long stay away from feature films. Hopefully this will propel her prospects going forward.

I do want to say that I pegged the best costume nomination for “Cruella” right when it came out.

And yes folks, “Coming 2 America” is officially an Oscar nominee… for makeup. That’s one more than “The Card Counter” and “Pig,” both on my top 10 list, received.

Complete nominees list:

BEST PICTURE

"Belfast"

"CODA"

"Don't Look Up"

"Drive My Car"

"Dune"

"King Richard"

"Licorice Pizza"

"Nightmare Alley"

"The Power of the Dog"

"West Side Story"

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Jessie Buckley, "The Lost Daughter"

Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"

Judi Dench, "Belfast"

Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"

Aunjanue Ellis, "King Richard"

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Ciaran Hinds, "Belfast"

Troy Kotsur, "CODA"

Jesse Plemons, "The Power of the Dog"

J.K. Simmons, "Being the Ricardos"

Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

"Drive My Car"

"Flee"

"The Hand of God"

"Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom"

"The Worst Person in the World"

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)

"Audible"

"Lead Me Home"

"The Queen of Basketball"

"Three Songs for Benazir"

"When We Were Bullies"

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Ascension"

"Attica"

"Flee"

"Summer of Soul"

"Riding with Fire"

ORIGINAL SONG

"King Richard"

"Encanto"

"Belfast"

"No Time to Die"

"Four Good Days"

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"Encanto"

"Flee"

"Luca"

"The Mitchells vs. The Machine"

"Raya and the Last Dragon"

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

"CODA"

"Drive My Car"

"Dune"

"The Lost Daughter"

"The Power of the Dog"

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

"Belfast"

"Don't Look Up"

"King Richard"

"Licorice Pizza"

"The Worst Person in the World"

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"

Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"

Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom!"

Will Smith, "King Richard"

Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"

Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"

Penelope Cruz, "Parallel Mothers"

Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"

Kristen Stewart, "Spencer"

DIRECTOR

Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, "Drive My Car"

Paul Thomas Anderson, "Licorice Pizza"

Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"

Steven Spielberg, "West Side Story"

PRODUCTION DESIGN

"Dune"

"Nightmare Alley"

"The Power of the Dog"

"The Tragedy of Macbeth"

"West Side Story"

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Dune"

"Nightmare Alley"

"The Power of the Dog"

"The Tragedy of Macbeth"

"West Side Story"

COSTUME DESIGN

"Cruella"

"Cyrano"

"Dune"

"Nightmare Alley"

"Westside Story"

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

"Belfast"

"Dune"

"No Time to Die"

"The Power of the Dog"

"Westside Story"

ANIMATED SHORT FILE

"Affairs of the Art"

"Bestia"

"Boxballet"

"Robin Robin"

"The Windshield Wiper"

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

"Ala Kachuu — Take and Run"

"The Dress"

"The Long Goodbye"

"On My Mind"

"Please Hold"

ORIGINAL SCORE

"Don't Look Up"

"Dune"

"Encanto"

"Parallel Mothers"

"The Power of the Dog"

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Dune"

"Free Guy"

"No Time to Die"

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"

"Spider-Man: No Way Home"

FILM EDITING

"Don't Look Up"

"Dune"

"King Richard"

"The Power of the Dog"

"Tick, Tick... Boom!"

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

"Coming 2 America"

"Cruella"

"Dune"

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye"

"House of Gucci"