The Overlooked Gems: Films Snubbed by the Academy Awards

The Unrecognized Masterpieces

The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards are to be announced on January 23, but several great films from last year will not be present. While Oscar nominations do not affect the quality of a film, it is always a pleasure when great art and artists are awarded and given their moment. Films like Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Poor Things are among the favorites going into award season, and while those films deserve the praise they are receiving, several terrific films won't receive the same level of attention.

Mahito Maki

Genre films are often a tougher sell for the Academy, as they prefer to reward more conventional dramas, and many of the best movies of last year broke the mold of what an Oscar movie should be. Releasing earlier in the year can also be a disadvantage, as recency bias will always be a factor, and some of the spring releases may have a harder time getting votes. With an extra crowded field this year it would be hard to nominate every film that deserved it, but these films shouldn't go unrecognized by the Academy.

The Parakeet King

The Boy and the Heron: A Masterpiece Overlooked

For a while, it seemed that The Boy and the Heron was to be the final film by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, and while recent comments have thrown that into question, it is still a late-period masterpiece by one of the best filmmakers of all time. The film is basically guaranteed a nomination for Best Animated Feature, but the movie deserves a lot more than that. A staggering piece about legacy, grief, and art, The Boy and the Heron should be in serious consideration for Best Picture, Best Score, and Miyazaki for Best Director. Sadly, since it is an animated film, it will most likely be contained in that category.

The Boy And The Heron

Beau Is Afraid: The Divisive Technical Marvel

Due to its spring release and divisive reaction, Ari Aster's Beau is Afraid has been absent from most awards conversations, and while the film may be a little strange for most voters, it is still a technical marvel that deserves some recognition. Aster's screenplay is beyond creative, managing to build tension throughout the film, despite the surreal tone. The most impressive part of the film, however, is Joaquin Phoenix's dedicated and uncomfortable performance at the center of it. Phoenix did manage to get a Golden Globe nomination for Comedy/Musical, but that was a less competitive category, and he should be considered for an Oscar nomination.

Beau on the phone in Beau Is Afraid

The Killer: A Darkly Funny Meditation on Life

Netflix is often a major player in the awards season. Their massive campaigns, along with the availability of their movies, make it easy for voters to see the films. However, sometimes the lack of a theatrical run hurts a movie's reputation, such is the case for David Fincher's The Killer. On the surface, The Killer is a straightforward revenge film, but under its cold, calculated exterior is a darkly funny meditation on life in late-stage capitalism. Like most Fincher films, The Killer will be appreciated more years after its release, but it is a shame it will be absent from this year's Oscars, especially for its immaculate cinematography and sound.

Michael Fassbender staring intensely into the camera in The Killer.

Ferrari: The Triumph of Technical Excellence

Michael Mann made a triumphant return to the big screen with the biopic Ferrari, and while the film seems like a textbook Oscar player, it is fighting to get any nominations. Unlike Oscar favorite Ford vs. Ferrari, Mann's look at the life of Enzo Ferrari is not a triumphant underdog story, as it is a dour look at masculinity and grief. The film just isn't fun or flashy enough to get awards attention, but it is a technical beast, as Mann fires on all cylinders as a director. Penélope Cruz also delivers one of her best performances as Laura Ferrari, a scorned wife who demands she has control.

Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari standing among a crowd at the Mille Miglia in Ferrari

Priscilla: A Thoughtful Exploration

Sadly, Sofia Coppola's Priscilla will always live in the shadow of Baz Lurmahn's Elvis. Both films are thoughtful explorations of the legacy of Elvis Presley, but while Elvis was one of the most nominated films of last year, Priscilla will most likely be left out of this year's ceremony. There is so much to love about Coppola's marriage drama, but Cailee Spaeny's central performance as the titular character is one of the most thoughtful and fully realized performances of the year, and she should be in the conversation not only for the nomination but for the win.

Cailee Spaeny applying makeup as Priscilla Presley in Priscilla

Bottoms: A Silly Masterpiece

Genre films always have a hard time getting Oscar attention, and while there were many thoughtful dramas and historical epics this year, no script was as funny or as quotable as Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott's Bottoms. The Sapphic teen sex comedy is purposefully absurd and unrealistic and is one of the best studio comedies in years. A movie this silly always had a hard time breaking through to academy voters, but with Best Original Screenplay seeming somewhat uncompetitive this year, a nomination for Bottoms would be a well-deserved recognition of some of the funniest women working in Hollywood today.

Rachel Sennot and Ayo Edebiri in Bottoms

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret: A Sweet Perspective

One of the most underrated movies of last year was Kelly Fremon Craig's adaption of the beloved Judy Blume novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Focusing on the changing life and desires of a middle school girl, the film is one of the sweetest films about growing up and a much-needed female perspective on the genre. Craig's screenplay perfectly adapts the 'unfilmable' book, translating the awkwardness of publicity to the big screen, but Rachel McAdams steals the show as Margaret's mother. McAdams takes what could have been a thankless mother role, and turns her into a three-dimensional character, and the heart of the movie.

Rachel McAdams as Barbara and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret standing in a store in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

John Wick: Chapter 4: The Action Masterclass

It makes sense that the fourth installment in a brutal action franchise wouldn't be an Oscar frontrunner, but John Wick: Chapter 4 took every element of the series and improved upon it, making it one of the best American action films of all time. Sadly, the film has already missed out on several categories, as it did not make the shortlists for either Sound or Visual Effects. A Cinematography nomination would be very much deserved, but the Academy will most likely go with more conventional picks.

John shoots a goon in the head in John Wick Chapter 4

The Iron Claw: An Emotional Gut Punch

Everything about Sean Durkin's sports drama feels like it should be a surefire Oscar favorite. The Iron Claw is an emotional gut punch, with beautiful cinematography, an incredible ensemble of performances, and an ending that won't leave a dry eye in the house. Unfortunately, its Christmas release, along with a lack of festival appearances, has left The Iron Claw out in the cold as most categories seemed filled up by the time the movie came out. Hopefully, there is still a chance the film could get some recognition, especially the knockout performance of Zac Efron.

Zac Efron's Kevin, Jeremy Allen White's Kerry, and Harris Dickinson's David talking to a host in The Iron Claw

Asteroid City: The Overlooked Auteur

Outside The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson has been mostly ignored by the academy, and Asteroid City looks like it will be the director's latest film to get no love from the Oscars. While Anderson has stuck to his cinematic style and voice, he is constantly improving and pushing the boundaries of what he can do. It often feels as though critics and the industry take Anderson for granted, as Asteroid City has some of the best cinematography, production design, and music of any film released last year, but because it is so in line with what Anderson has done before, it will be ignored.

The alien grabs the asteroid in Asteroid City