This past year has been monumental and groundbreaking in the film world. The world has seen a rebirth of true cinema in the wake of the pandemic’s cinematic decline. These groundbreaking films presented distinctive methods of advertisement, cinematography, acting and costuming, all making way for what should be an amazing lineup in this year’s Oscar Award nominations.
It would be inappropriate to speak on the Oscar lineup this year without mentioning the phenomenon that was Barbenheimer. These two films worked together to bring colossal crowds to the cinematic world with their double-header release day and opposing natures. Both were extremely important for differing reasons. Oppenheimer had important themes and showed the world how well a biopic can be done, drawing in a massive revenue of 952.04 million US dollars. In true Christopher Nolan fashion, the film was intricately detailed, with incredible cinematography, an amazing script, and fantastic acting from its cast, earning many nominations from this year’s award ceremony. On the other hand, with the leadership of Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, Barbie created a spectacle that captured all ages and walks of life, depicting a multitude of important themes (motherhood, teenage life, the female experience, male mental health, etc.). Despite the phenomenal performance Margot Robbie executed, along with her efforts as a producer for the film, she and Greta both failed to receive nominations in their respective categories of Best Actress and Best Director.
To put numbers to this massive snubbing, Oppenheimer has received a whopping 13 category nominations, with 8 to Barbie, despite Gerwig’s film sweeping Nolan’s in the box office, grossing 1.446 billion USD. While both films were clearly fantastic and deserving of awards, the main concern is that the female-centered film was beat out by one that was centered around the life of a man and was created by a male director. Greta Gerwig has done so much for the cinematic world, not only with Barbie, but throughout her entire career in Hollywood, and the fact that she accomplished so much with this film, bringing people together through a world created out of a plastic doll, yet got swiped under the rug by the Academy is infuriating. It is a constant fight in the film world for women to rise up, yet men tend to be uplifted with ease.
Although this is true, headway has been made with the historic nomination of Lily Gladstone for her role in Martin Scorcese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Being only the second Native American woman to be nominated for Best Actress, Gladstone’s accomplishment proves just how behind the Academy is in today’s world. It also proves that it is entirely realistic and simple to give props to one person or work of art, without in turn tearing down another, as we have unfortunately seen through the snubbing that Barbie received. If this year’s nominations have proved anything, it is that progress needs to be made to uplift the lost voices of the cinematic world and create a place of entertainment that is no longer corrupted by unrealistic standards for minority creators and actors.