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Oscars 2023, Special Features

Every 2023 Oscar Nominee Ranked

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54. Tell it Like a Woman (Best Original Song)

For the longest time, even the most die-hard Oscar watchers doubted the very existence of Tell it Like a Woman. The film barely had an IMDb page on nomination morning, much less a website or viewing availability. But after finally viewing the film, I can confirm that the film itself is the least interesting part about its lore. What’s most surprising about the film’s lack of quality is that it boasts an incredibly likable and popular cast, including Jennifer Hudson, Marcia Gay Harden, Eva Longoria, and Cara Delevingne, among others. Anthology films rarely work – especially when each part comes from a different voice – but it’s as if the creative forces banded together to make the most basic, shallow films possible. Female empowerment is a great idea, but I assume the working title for Tell it Like a Woman was something like #GirlPower. The nominations for the 95th Oscars revealed a lot of things about the Academy and what they value, and the most telling is that they will reward songwriter Diane Warren every single year she is eligible, regardless of whether they’ve actually seen the film or not, and Tell it Like a Woman is the strongest evidence to support that theory.

53. The Martha Mitchell Effect (Best Documentary Short)

I’ve always had a unique fascination with the Watergate scandal and everything it unearthed in American politics, and I imagine I’m not alone. Which is why it’s understandable to make a documentary about one of its lesser-known figures, Martha Mitchell. Unfortunately, The Martha Mitchell Effect unfolds as little more than a standard-issue Wikipedia entry masquerading as a film. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for the filmmakers to connect Martha Mitchell, and how she was treated, to the politics of today (gendered, social, and governmental). Instead the film offers little more insight than what could be gleaned from a US history class or an episode of the first season of the Slow Burn podcast.

52. The Flying Sailor (Best Animated Short)

You don’t often see an animated film, regardless of its length, that’s based on a true story. Such is the case though with The Flying Sailor, which is inspired by the real-life Halifax explosion in 1917. The explosion causes its titular subject to re-examine his life and his own mortality as he faces his impending doom. A mixed bag of animation quality and styles ultimately leads to a middling film that could have been better.

51. Blonde (Best Actress)

As a film, Blonde is awful. But for the Oscars to reward Ana de Armas for her fearlessly committed performance, I have nothing to complain about. Even the various crafts, like the costumes or the production design or the cinematography or makeup/hairstyling work, could have and should have received Oscar nominations. The fault with Blonde lies in Andrew Dominik and his shallow – and, too frequently, distasteful – depiction of Marilyn Monroe. The film could have been an enlightening way to right the wrongs of Monroe’s life, but instead Dominik doubled down on her suffering or reduced her internal desires to the lowest common denominator. I have no doubt that Ana de Armas will be an Oscar nominee again. It’s simply a bummer that her first nomination had to be for Blonde.

50. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse (Best Animated Short)

This film is likely winning its category, and its backing by Apple TV+ is a major factor, not to mention the A-list talent attached to it. Of course, it’s based on the acclaimed children’s book by Charles Mackesy (who co-wrote and co-directed the adaptation). Producers include JJ Abrams and Woody Harrelson, plus voice talents of Gabriel Byrne, Tom Hollander, and Idris Elba. But there’s something hollow about The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse that I couldn’t get on board with. When the main thrust of your animated film’s dialogue is weighty existential platitudes about believing in yourself or supporting a friend, you’re putting your thumb on the scale of the audience’s reaction that doesn’t feel completely genuine. Nevertheless, the animation is solid, matching the ink-drawn style of the book. Perhaps I’m being a grump about this one, and perhaps a second viewing would change my opinion. But there are better, more genuine contenders among the animated short film category.

49. Night Ride (Best Live-Action Short)

Night Ride certainly feels like it’s trying to say something profound but needs more consistent writing to actually get that message across. It’s a film about marginalized people finding commonality, but feels too slight because of its varying tones. A young woman, who’s also a little person, inadvertently commandeers a tram on a snowy night, picking up passengers along the way. One of those passengers happens to be a trans woman who’s harassed after flirting with another man. The film looks nice enough with some snappy editing, but by the time the credits rolled, I didn’t feel all of what the film was wanting me to feel. Perhaps these issues could be fixed with a longer runtime but as it stands, Night Ride is a misfire.

48. Stranger at the Gate (Best Documentary Short)

I have no doubt that the creative minds behind Stranger at the Gate set out to make an informative documentary about a little-known community about the transformative power of empathy. But there’s a darker message within the film that rings hollow the more you pick it apart. Stranger at the Gate chronicles the story of a man, driven to extremism and violence against the Muslim community, and how he eventually found acceptance within it. My initial reaction to the film was mostly positive, but after considering the film’s unspoken message that minorities must be overly accommodating to people that wish them harm, rather than the structures that create that harm in the first place, quickly sank my feelings overall.

47. Le Pupille (Best Live-Action Short)

Le Pupille benefits from increased visibility on Disney+, not to mention its producer Alfonso Cuarón, sporting a unique visual style. At times borrowing from Wes Anderson’s filming style and color palette, the film stands out from this year’s Live Action Short nominees. It’s the only film of the nominees that’s set in the past, and it deals with children as the main protagonists. Specifically, a group of children at an Italian orphanage during WWII. Credit to writer and director Alice Rohrwacher for centering the dramatic conflict not on whether the plucky youngsters will get adopted, but on the interior and exterior conflict within them. The film has its moments, and features some natural performances, but could have used some kind of dramatic inertia to justify its 38-minute runtime.

46. An Irish Goodbye (Best Live-Action Short)

Unfortunately for An Irish Goodbye, The Banshees of Inisherin was released in the same year. Or it could be fortuitous for its Oscar chances, coasting on a wave of Irish goodwill. Either way, the film is a perfectly capable short film that shares a handful of thematic similarities to Martin McDonagh’s film. It’s about Turlough and Lorcan, two brothers, one mentally handicapped and played brilliantly by James Martin, who have to decide how to move on after their mother’s death. Turlough, the older, more practical brother, wants to sell the family farm but Lorcan wants to stay. Directors Tom White and Tom Berkeley inject a good amount of humor to prevent it from getting too dour – something all too common amongst the shorts categories.

45. Ivalu (Best Live-Action Short)

Part travelog, part heartbreaking portrait of a family, Ivalu is a product of rural Greenland but contains sentiments that translate beyond its remote origins. It’s the story of a girl in search of her older sister all by herself – her family’s concern is mostly absent – who suddenly goes missing. She visits all the locations they used to run away to when things got difficult, which brings up fond memories. There’s an underlying darkness revealed by the end of it, but Ivalu could have easily expanded on the emotional fallout from the events depicted. Still, it’s gorgeously shot and takes full advantage of Greenland’s countryside, and star Mila Heilmann Kreutzmann handles her role with tenderness. If this is most people’s first encounter with Greenlandic film, it’ll be a solid entry point.

44. Haulout (Best Documentary Short)

Haulout contains what could be the most surprising cinematic reveal of any film amongst the batch of nominees. What starts out as a simple film about a man in isolation pans over to show that he’s very much not alone. The film shows the harsh and unpleasant reality of the life of a biologist studying walruses, and the effects that climate change has had on them. But where the film succeeds is in its minimalism, eschewing any talking heads or on-screen text and telling its story only through the sparse notations of its human protagonist. Nature documentaries are commonplace in the Documentary Short category, and Haulout is a worthy nominee, less for its subject matter and more in its storytelling technique.

43. How Do You Measure A Year? (Best Documentary Short)

Jay Rosenblatt’s second Oscar nominated documentary short in two years is just as personal as his first. It’s much more simple than When We Were Bullies but retains the same emotional complexity. In a kind of real-life take on Boyhood, Rosenblatt set out to interview his daughter on her birthday every year since she was 2 to ask her the same set of questions, including “what do you want to be when you grow up” and “what’s your greatest fear.” The results aren’t anything terribly surprising. We see her go from a spunky toddler whose favorite thing is lollipops, to a restless teenager who loves sleeping, to a more mature, self-aware young adult. Anyone with kids will connect with How Do You Measure a Year?, a microcosm of the evolution that our greatest accomplishments go through; I just don’t know how much it will resonate beyond Oscar season.

42. Close (Best International Feature)

Most of the elements within Close are solid, if not great. From the performances of its cast – especially lead Eden Dambrine – to Frank van dan Eeden’s cinematography to Valentin Hadjadj’s score, and more. But something within director and co-writer Lukas Dhont’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama feels hollow, a collection of moments and sentiments we’ve seen in plenty of other films before. Not to mention, after the inciting incident around the 45 minute mark, the film simply feels like it meanders for the remaining hour, without adding much new to say. The film will surely elicit a deep emotional reaction if you’re invested enough in the material, but without that, Close isn’t close enough.

41. The Elephant Whisperers (Best Documentary Short)

I like nature documentaries as much as the next person. And The Elephant Whisperers is a more than capable entry, which generally sees at least one nominated film per year. The documentary short deals with a remote village in South India as it takes care of orphaned, sick, and abandoned elephants. It’s an intimate look at how the elephants’ caretakers view these creatures not just as another animal to look after, but as members of their own family. They learn and grow together, and director Kartiki Gonsalves shows how the elephants do the same. But The Elephant Whisperers doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from other documentaries of its ilk, some of which are similarly available on Netflix.

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Awards, Emmys 2022, Special Features

2022 Emmy Predictions

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The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards will be presented on September 12, 2022. Here are our ranked predictions for the actors and shows most likely to win. Check back in, as the list will be updated often.

Best Drama SeriesBest Comedy Series
1. Succession
2. Squid Game
3. Stranger Things
4. Better Call Saul
5. Ozark
6. Euphoria
7. Severance
8. Yellowjackets 		1. Abbott Elementary
2. Ted Lasso
3. Barry
4. Hacks
5. Only Murders in the Building
6. What We Do in the Shadows
7. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
8. Curb Your Enthusiasm
Best Actress – DramaBest Supporting Actress – Drama
1. Zendaya, “Euphoria”
2. Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”
3. Laura Linney, “Ozark”
4. Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show”
5. Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve”
6. Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve”		1. Julia Garner, “Ozark”
2. Sarah Snook, “Succession”
3. Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul”
4. Sydney Sweeney, “Euphoria”
5. Jung Ho-yeon, “Squid Game”
6. J. Smith-Cameron, “Succession”
7. Patricia Arquette, “Severance”
8. Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets”
Best Actor – DramaBest Supporting Actor – Drama
1. Brian Cox, “Succession”
2. Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
3. Jeremy Strong, “Succession”
4. Lee Jun-jae, “Squid Game”
5. Jason Bateman, “Ozark”
6. Adam Scott, “Severance”
1. Matthew Macfayden, “Succession”
2. Kieran Culkin, “Succession”
3. Park Hae-soo, “Squid Game”
4. John Turturro, “Severance”
5. Oh Yeong-su, “Squid Game”
6. Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
7. Nicholas Braun, “Succession”
8. Christopher Walken, “Severance”
Best Actress – ComedyBest Supporting Actress – Comedy
1. Jean Smart, “Hacks”
2. Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
3. Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
4. Issa Rae, “Insecure”
5. Elle Fanning, “The Great”
6. Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant”		1. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
2. Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”
3. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
4. Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”
5. Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso”
6. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
7. Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
8. Sarah Niles, “Ted Lasso”
Best Actor – ComedyBest Supporting Actor – Comedy
1. Bill Hader, “Barry”
2. Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
3. Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
4. Donald Glover, “Atlanta”
5. Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
6. Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”		1. Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”
2. Henry Winkler, “Barry”
3. Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”
4. Nick Mohammed, “Ted Lasso”
5. Toheeb Jimoh, “Ted Lasso”
6. Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”
7. Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”
8. Tony Shaloub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Best Limited SeriesBest TV Movie
1. Dopesick
2. The White Lotus
3. The Dropout
4. Pam and Tommy
5. Inventing Anna		1. The Survivor
2. Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers
3. Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas
4. Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon
5. Ray Donovan: The Movie
Best Actress – Limited SeriesBest Supporting Actress – Limited Series
1. Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout”
2. Lily James, “Pam and Tommy”
3. Toni Collette, “The Staircase”
4. Sarah Paulson, “Impeachment: American Crime Story”
5. Margaret Qualley, “Maid
6. Julia Garner, “Inventing Anna”		1. Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
2. Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”
3. Mare Winningham, “Dopesick”
4. Alexandra Daddario, “The White Lotus”
5. Connie Britton, “The White Lotus”
6. Natasha Rothwell, “The White Lotus”
7. Sydney Sweeney, “The White Lotus”
Best Actor – Limited SeriesBest Supporting Actor – Limited Series
1. Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”
2. Colin Firth, “The Staircase”
3. Andrew Garfield, “Under the Banner of Heaven”
4. Sebastian Stan, “Pam and Tommy”
5. Oscar Isaac, “Scenes From a Marriage”
6. Himesh Patel, “Station Eleven”		1. Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”
2. Michael Stuhlbarg, “Dopesick”
3. Will Poulter, “Dopesick”
4. Jake Lacy, “The White Lotus”
5. Peter Sarsgaard, “Dopesick”
6. Seth Rogen, “Pam and Tommy”
7. Steve Zahn, “The White Lotus”
Best Animated SeriesBest Variety Talk Show
1. Rick and Morty
2. Bob’s Burgers
3. What If…?
4. The Simpsons
5. Arcane: League of Legends		1. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
3. Late Night with Seth Meyers
4. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
5. Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Oscars 2022, Special Features

Every 2022 Oscar Nominee Ranked

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53. Being the Ricardos (Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor)

Your mileage will surely vary on this one depending on your level of tolerance for Aaron Sorkin. As for me, any film that features a third-act deus ex phone call and a completely pointless series of talking head interviews – populated by actors, not the real people! – is enough to jump ship for good. Yes, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, JK Simmons (all of whom received acting nominations, and Kidman could very well win Best Actress) and Nina Arianda are quite good in each of their roles, getting at the heart of their characters beyond simple pantomime. Being the Ricardos is the only Oscar-nominated film that I initially disliked and subsequently despised whenever I would come back to thinking of it later on.

52. Four Good Days (Best Original Song)

Poor Diane Warren. Year after year, the Academy continues to trot her out to the Oscar ceremony for her songwriting, only to pull the rug out from her and award someone else. She certainly won’t be winning for “Somehow You Do”, and perhaps it’s a coincidence that the film it was written for is as lazy as the Academy’s box-checking nomination. Premiering at Sundance back in 2020, Four Good Days is a collection of misguided scenes and character beats that would feel like too much for a Lifetime Original Movie. Mila Kunis and Glenn Close do their best, but the material they’re given is so ham-fisted and tired that these very capable actresses could do this work in their sleep.

51. Lead Me Home (Best Documentary Short)

It’s unfortunate that this documentary short will most likely win its category simply because it concerns a pressing current issue that hits close to the homes of many of the Academy’s voters. To be clear, the film shows a side of America’s homeless population that isn’t always shown, and the result is often heartbreaking. But Lead Me Home asks nothing of the homeless crisis beyond “did you know that homeless people are real people?” The film could have expanded on America’s broken system and why more and more people are finding themselves unable to afford homes that are only getting more and more expensive. Perhaps, if the filmmakers were to develop the short into a feature, they could investigate these issues. But, as it stands, Lead Me Home ultimately feels like a puff piece for the national news.

50. Coming 2 America (Best Makeup & Hairstyling)

When last we saw Eddie Murphy, he was courting a Best Actor nomination for his turn in Dolemite Is My Name in 2019. I don’t know who convinced Murphy and Arsenio Hall to reunite (along with Dolemite director Craig Brewer) and make a sequel to Coming to America more than 30 years later but it’s clear that nobody had more than a passing interest in making a film that justifies doing so. Lazy jokes and cultural observations abound throughout Coming 2 America‘s unforgiveable 110-minute runtime, with the only joke that elicited a laugh from me revolving around a Shake Weight. Were it not for the film’s admittedly solid use of prosthetics and makeup, this film would rightfully be placed amongst the ash heap of history, along with many of Murphy’s other misbegotten films.

49. Don’t Look Up (Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Editing)

Nearly 3 months after watching it for the first and only time, the rotten taste of Don’t Look Up has mostly washed out of my mouth. But I simply can’t forgive the film’s lazy approach to satire, the wasted potential of its A-list cast, or its insane editing, which landed it a Best Editing nomination. (If any professional film editors are reading this, I would love to be enlightened on the film’s editing merits, or lack thereof. Please reach out to me.) Thankfully the Academy didn’t feel as strongly about it as I had feared, only giving it four nominations when many more could have easily happened. That it stands little-to-no chance of winning any of those four awards is extremely comforting.

48. When We Were Bullies (Best Documentary Short)

I have no doubt that director Jay Rosenblatt set out with the best of intentions when conceiving When We Were Bullies. The film interrogates a specific incident from Rosenblatt’s time in fifth grade wherein a classmate was bullied. Far be it from me to demerit someone else’s way of healing with something that’s haunted them for decades, but the resulting film is dramatically inert. There’s nothing wrong with a small-scale documentary that only deals with a handful of characters, but Rosenblatt makes too many questionable narrative decisions to make this a memorable experiment.

47. Bestia (Best Animated Short)

There’s always at least one animated short every year that provides enough nightmare fuel to last until next year’s ceremony. In 2022, that designation goes to Bestia. A stop-motion curio that’s supposedly based on true events from the dictatorship in Chile, Bestia focuses on one woman’s career under the secret police, and her relationship with her dog. But it’s not just the visuals that are unsettling here, as each human character is a kind of unflinching porcelain shape, and everything else is either covered in felt or shaped out of paper. Bestia portrays a person with a terrible occupation, plus some disturbingly strange habits, all to middling effect.

46. On My Mind (Best Live-Action Short)

Director Martin Strange-Hansen’s short is incredibly simple on its surface, but packs an emotional punch with its conclusion. When a despondent man walks into a bar, he notices a karaoke machine and requests to sing the song before he goes to visit his wife. Strange-Hansen’s heart is in the right place, and Rasmus Hammerich gives a fine performance, but the film is filled too much with petty roadblocks to keep the drama going for its 18-minute runtime.

45. The Hand of God (Best International Feature)

Paolo Sorrentino’s semi-autobiographical story feels like (at least) two films mashed together, and only one of those is relatively successful. The first half establishes Fabietto (Filippo Scotti), his family, and his love of soccer great Diego Maradona in Naples, Italy. Far too many plot threads and characters are introduced far too quickly early on to get a handle on the themes of the film. The second half slows down and focuses better, but by then I had mostly checked out. The Hand of God also isn’t helped by Fabietto feeling like a dry lump of clay, though Scott does his best in a few key scenes. At least Sorrentino makes the most of the Naples scenery, along with Daria D’Antonio’s cinematography, to make a visually invigorating film.

44. Free Guy (Best Visual Effects)

I imagine that Free Guy received its nomination not because it had the best visual effects to choose from but because it had the most visual effects. Especially in its early scenes, there’s hardly a single frame that doesn’t have some sort of computer-generated imagery – it does take place inside a video game, after all. It’s important to note that the film likely took the place of fellow short-listed films like The Matrix: Resurrections and Godzilla vs. Kong, films that incorporated their effects more smoothly and effectively. Still, you can’t be too mad at Free Guy; it’s the kind of turn-your-brain-off popcorn film that is typically relegated to the Visual Effects category with virtually zero chance of winning.

43. Ascension (Best Documentary Feature)

In Jessica Kingdon’s feature debut, what begins as a shockingly subversive way of showing the sheer amount of stuff we make in the world – most of it likely going to waste – eventually loses its focus. The film deals with the myriad ways that China perceives work, and the ways that that definition is rapidly changing today. From mind-numbingly monotonous factories to sex doll decorators to bodyguard training, every occupation is shown with an observant eye, and Kingdon lets events fold completely naturally. Though there is plenty of interesting material to be found here, it’s not enough to justify its 98-minute runtime.

42. Nightmare Alley (Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design)

There’s lots to like about director Guillermo del Toro’s follow-up to his last film, which won 4 Oscars, including Best Picture. In fact, a lot of what worked in The Shape of Water is evident in Nightmare Alley as well, like the production design, costumes, and cinematography. But where Nightmare Alley suffers is in its predictable script, which feels like a distillation of every grifter story you’ve ever seen. Del Toro imbues the first half with some interesting details but fails to make all of it feel fresh.

41. Boxballet (Best Animated Short)

A wordless animated film from Russian director Anton Dyakov, Boxballet is a surprisingly endearing tale of how opposites attract. The animation is perhaps the most “traditional” of this year’s nominees in the Animated Short category, but the characters are uniquely designed to emphasize their features. In essence, Boxballet is a love story between a boxer and a ballet dancer as they find mutual solace in the way they’re perceived by the world around them.

40. Belfast (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Sound, Best Original Song)

Belfast could potentially win Best Picture, or it could go home empty handed on Oscar night. Writer and director Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical account of his childhood in the titular Irish town checks all of the boxes of an awards favorite: great performances, a historical backdrop that provides plenty of drama, and a dynamic visual style. And while my initial feelings on the film were positive as I left the theater, I slowly began to realize the film’s flaws. Chief among them being the screenplay, which throws out a lot of ideas and plotlines without fully investing in any of them. Judi Dench, Ciaran Hinds, Jamie Dornan, and Caitriona Balfe all give magnetic and memorable performances, but they’re left stranded by a script that puts weight on everything and nothing simultaneously. There’s a version of Belfast that could be a great, worthy Best Picture winner; instead it’s just a collection of fleeting memories.

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Special Features

Best and Worst of the 2022 Golden Globe Nominations

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Note: This post will only reflect the film nominations for the 2022 Golden Globes.

Yesterday the nominations for the 2022 Golden Globes were announced. Since NBC terminated its relationship with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, many assumed the awards wouldn’t be handed out at all. It’s still unclear exactly how the winners will be announced, but it’s safe to say that the Golden Globes’ unbroken streak came as a surprise. Below are just a few of the surprises and snubs throughout the film and TV award nominations.

Perhaps the most shocking element of the nominations is how utterly normal they are overall. The Globes have always been criticized for valuing a good show over awarding worthwhile achievements in film and television, nominating A-list celebrities in lesser films when more difficult were just as deserving. We all remember where we were when The Tourist received three nominations.

To that end, there aren’t a ton of surprises in the Best Picture – Drama or Best Picture – Comedy or Musical categories. Though it’s racked up serious awards buzz since it premiered at Sundance, the only outlier amongst the two categories would be CODA because it doesn’t have any big-name stars amongst its cast. Mass had a chance to take its spot since it’s widely more beloved amongst those that have seen it, but I don’t think too many awards watchers are terribly surprised. Mass comes from a smaller studio and is dealing with a much less rosy subject matter than CODA. Given my general disdain for Don’t Look Up, I’m still not foolish enough to believe the HFPA would pass up the opportunity to nominate it in the bigger categories. It is disheartening to see In the Heights be all but forgotten around awards season, but with a loaded slate of musicals this year, and given its early release in the year, it’s not terribly surprising.

That being said, Anthony Ramos completely deserves his spot at the table amongst the Best Actor – Musical or Comedy nominees. Of all the Lead Actor nominees in both Drama and Musical/Comedy, Mahershala Ali stands out simply because Swan Song hasn’t been as heavily promoted as, say, C’mon C’mon or The Harder They Fall. And not that the Globes would ever go for a movie like Pig, but Nicolas Cage gave perhaps his best performance of his career this year and would be a great face to see amongst the crowd of nominees. Since the Globes don’t differentiate between genres when it comes to Best Supporting Actor, some bigger names are bound to be left out. Nevertheless, the HFPA seems to have just thrown its hands up and doubled-down on love for Belfast by nominating both Jamie Dornan and Ciaran Hinds when David Martinez could have easily taken a spot for West Side Story.

Meanwhile, Lead Actress had much stiffer competition in both categories, and there’s much less to complain about overall. Could Frances McDormand have taken a spot in the Drama category for her role in The Tragedy of Macbeth, especially since she was nominated in the category last year? Sure, but good luck deciding whose spot she would take. Hulu seems to have essentially forgotten that Barb and Star Go To Vista del Mar but could have easily campaigned for Kristen Wiig in Comedy – can you imagine her acceptance speech?? – but it’s hardly surprising that the Globes would rather see Emma Stone over her. Parallel Mothers remains a mystery to just about everyone that didn’t see it at one of the fall festivals, but by all accounts, Penelope Cruz gives one of her best performances ever and could have received a spot in Best Lead Actress – Drama. Never mind the film’s inclusion in the Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language could simply be box-checking since it’s directed by Pedro Almodovar, a well-known, well-liked director. When it comes to the Best Supporting Actress category, it’s surprising that Jessie Buckley was snubbed for her performance in The Lost Daughter, given its love in other categories, but at least Ruth Negga rightfully shows up here to show that Passing wasn’t completely forgotten.

Best Director, is always a crowded field where several talented contenders are left off. It’s very possible that the Globes nominees could be matched on Oscar nomination morning. Though the film ultimately received four nominations, Paul Thomas Anderson’s snub in the category stings a little extra hard. Given its love in other categories, if the HFPA simply wanted to nominate a big star, it could have gone with Lin-Manuel Miranda for tick, tick… BOOM!. The Best Screenplay category is probably the Globes-iest category overall, opting for lesser offerings from mainstays like Adam McKay and Aaron Sorkin. This is another spot where Mass or even CODA could have made some noise.

There aren’t too many complaints to be made in the Best Animated or Foreign Language Feature categories, with a fairly limited slate in the former. Encanto was always going to be Disney’s big push for awards play over Luca, in the same way that Soul ate Onward‘s lunch last year. Still, it’s hard to complain when they still found room for an outside-the-box film like Flee. That it was shut out of the Foreign Language category is interesting, especially with a head-scratcher like Compartment No. 6 taking its place.

It was only earlier this year when the world learned of – and quickly forgot about – the existence of Sia’s Music. That the HFPA has avoided any nonsense like those nominations (at least on the film side of things) perhaps speaks to its newly changed outlook. Will we begin to take the Golden Globes as a serious predictor of quality film and television going forward, or will this year be a temporary blip? And how much does the lack of a televised broadcast have to do with the normality of this year’s nominees? There are a lot of factors at play, but this is at least a step in the right direction for the awards body.

At least they had the good sense to leave Dear Evan Hansen out in the cold.