Mr. Movie: Academy blows it again in 2017 nominations

Some of 2017’s best work is ignored. Starting with the best picture, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences blew it — like it always does — with the annual Oscar nominations.

Under rules established a few years ago, the Academy can now nominate up to 10 films. This year there are nine: Call Me by Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Why not add a 10th? Or dump the so-so Phantom Thread, an overdone Dunkirk and call a name other than Call Me By Your Name. and put films on the list that actually are best picture quality.

I, Tonya — which still hasn’t made it to the Tri-Cities — is light years better, more creative and much more interesting. So is The Big Sick. Near death experiences are rarely this much fun.

Some wonder why Wonder Woman was ignored. Is Wonder Woman better than Logan, which is the best super hero movie ever and one of last year’s top-five best films? No.

Paul Thomas Anderson gets a best director nomination for the Phantom Thread snorefest, and Martin McDonagh does the year’s best movie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and comes away empty-handed. How is that possible?

Others? James Franco. His work in The Disaster Artist is actually — sorry Gary Oldman — last year’s best male acting in a leading role. He’s been ignored because of Me Too accusations that are probably true. Isn’t the purpose of these awards to honor filmdom’s best work?

And what is Denzel Washington’s Roman J. Israel, Esq. doing in the same category? Neither the movie nor his performance were that special. However, not many performances were all that good last year in the best actor category. Hugh Jackman’s work in Logan was a lot better, but it’s a super hero movie and the snobby Oscar voters can’t make themselves go there.

Both performances were light-years better than Daniel Day-Lewis’ Phantom Thread or Timothy Chalamet’s Call Me By Your Name.

In the supporting actor and actress category, Octavia Spencer gets a nod for The Shape of Water — and she’s very good — but not as good as Hong Chau, who stole the show and was the only good thing about Downsizing.

Also snubbed in the music categories and the visual effects and editing categories is last year’s most beautiful movie, Beauty and the Beast.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie: Academy blows it again in 2017 nominations."