While we could go on and on about films that have been wrongfully snubbed by The Academy for various reasons, these near classics feel like they should’ve been awards season fill but received no Oscar attention at all. They were not even given a chance to be nominated. Which is gruesome. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the Finest movies missed by Oscar nominations.
Many professionals in the film industry will tell you that a solid script is the foundation of any excellent film. That is why the Oscar categories for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay are so intriguing. However, like with all other categories, a deserving film may not always be nominated. Countless brilliant and groundbreaking scripts have been missed by the Oscars throughout the years.
Their reputations as well-written films have only grown over time, but the absence of nominations feels like a missed opportunity. We have compiled a list of the 10 finest movies missed by Oscar nominations.
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Take a look at our list of 10 finest movies missed by Oscar nominations.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
As superhero movies become more popular, there is a constant debate regarding whether or not they are deserving of Oscar consideration. While it may have seemed a reach to see the Batman narrative nominated for Best Picture, it is a wonderful adaptation of the comic book source material that deserves to be recognized. The big criminal tale altered the perception of superhero films by presenting these legendary characters in a more grounded light.
2. Breathless (1960)
The Berlin Picture Festival and even the BAFTAs paid notice to Jean-Luc Godard’s landmark film, which launched the French New Wave and helped create modern cinema, but not the AMPAS. Godard has never been nominated for an Academy Award, but in 2011 he was given an honorary Oscar.
3. Passing (2021)
Passing, Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, didn’t have the same effect as it had hoped. An intriguing character study about two long-lost friends and their unexpected reunion. Their relationship’s ambiguity shows most in the film’s quiet moments, and the film brilliantly illustrates their respective worlds.
Negga has the clearest case for a nomination as Clare, a woman attempting to pass as white and married to a white man (John) who is fully oblivious of her true identity.
4. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino is a director whose screenplays are frequently nominated for Oscars. Tarantino has won before for films such as Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, but the script that began his career in Hollywood was overlooked.
The narrative of Reservoir Dogs may sound like any other crime thriller, but it was the film that debuted Tarantino’s aesthetic, which would go on to have a significant impact on Hollywood. His vibrant characters, pop-cultural allusions, and hilarious language were all unique to the Academy Awards, which took some time to adjust to.
5. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
Edgar Wright is one of Hollywood’s most unique creative styles and has yet to get an Oscar nomination. The British director has made a name for himself by adopting wide genres and infusing them with his own distinct aesthetic. And it all began with Shaun of the Dead.
The film is a funny twist on the zombie genre that also tells a love tale and a friendship story. It’s also the kind of film that fans will want to see again and again to catch all of Wright’s brilliant clues and foreshadowing.
6. Modern Times (1936)
The Academy passed up the opportunity to submit Charlie Chaplin’s final performance as The Tramp, despite the fact that several of his silent classics predate the Oscars. The Academy would not officially acknowledge Chaplin with an Oscar until 1972 when “Limelight” was finally released.
7. Red Rocket (2021)
Sean Baker’s Red Rocket has gotten a lot of positive feedback, which is eerily similar to the phenomenal The Florida Project. Baker gets credit for finding beauty in the mundane, despite receiving critical accolades but having nothing to show for it. Baker builds universes that are so convincing that the majority of the performances are Oscar-worthy by using a few pros and then pairing them with non-actors. Rex, like Baker, who has yet to receive a nomination, deserved more from this performance.
8. Zodiac (2007)
There are several films that claim to be based on genuine events yet are lacking in historical truth. Zodiac is not one of those films; instead, it goes into decades of research into the Zodiac Killer to produce one of the best true crime films of all time. It’s a fantastic work of writing that deserved a lot more attention.
9. Shiva Baby (2020)
Keep Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott’s names in mind, since the two stars of Shiva Baby are two to watch in the future. Danielle is forced to negotiate two cultures and relationships in the worst possible setting: a shiva. This film just won the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirits Film Festival. As Danielle’s worlds crumble around her, this picture is both humorous and really thrilling, thanks to its sardonic wit and precise directing.
10. Groundhog Day (1993)
At this moment, it appears that the time loop movie genre will never find a new direction. Groundhog Day, on the other hand, felt like one of the most innovative ideas Hollywood had ever devised when it was released in 1993.
While the concept of someone being imprisoned on the same day again and over is intriguing, the film does not waste its premise by providing lots of laughter, heart, and keeping the story fresh as it goes. It’s shocking that the Oscars overlooked such a groundbreaking concept.
Some of the finest movies missed by oscar nominations are mentioned above. Despite the fact that outstanding writing contributed to these films being cherished classics, the screenplays received no Oscar nominations.
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