The 2025 Oscars nominations were announced earlier this morning. Emilia Pérez led the pack with 13 nominations in whole, whereas The Brutalist and Depraved each earned 10 every.
Behind them have been A Full Unknown and Conclave with eight nominations, whereas Anora, Dune: Half Two, I’m Nonetheless Right here, Nickel Boys, and The Substance all obtained Finest Image nominations along with the 4 aforementioned films.
Naturally, individuals are speaking. There are some snubs and a few surprising victories, as there are yearly. Let’s break down a few of the largest takeaways from the 2025 Oscars nominations.
Did Emilia Pérez actually need 13 nominations?
Emilia Pérez scored 13 nominations for the 2025 Oscars, together with Finest Image, Finest Director, Finest Actress, Finest Supporting Actress, Finest Tailored Screenplay, and extra. The report for essentially the most nominations obtained by a single movie is 14 (1950’s All About Eve, 1997’s Titanic, and 2016’s La La Land), that means it’s now tied for second place alongside films similar to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Forrest Gump, and extra. And I’ve only one query: Why?
Look, I don’t need to take something away from Karla Sofia Gascón, right here. She’s simply the most effective a part of the movie. I feel it’s superior that she makes Oscars historical past as the primary overtly trans actress to ever be nominated. She earned a spot on that checklist.
However wouldn’t that victory really feel a bit extra candy if the film was, I don’t know, higher? As a result of I can’t say I used to be wowed by any of the songs within the movie. Or the writing. Or a lot of something past Gascón’s efficiency, actually. There has additionally been lots of discourse and dialogue from each the LGBTQ group and Mexican audiences about the way it mishandles its illustration and the themes it’s addressing — I urge you to hunt out and hearken to the critics who’re a part of these areas and may speak concerning the matter extra completely. The purpose being, in a yr with so, a lot to supply in terms of cinema, is Emilia Pérez actually the film we need to reward essentially the most? My vote can be no.
The Substance (fortunately) wasn’t ignored
However the information isn’t all unhealthy! Whereas the Academy has typically turned a blind eye to the horror style (I’m nonetheless not over Toni Collete not being nominated for Hereditary and Lupita Nyong’o being snubbed for Us), The Substance managed to tug in some main nominations.
I’m most completely happy for Demi Moore getting an Actress in a Main Function nom; it’s robust competitors this yr with Cynthia Erivo and Mikey Madison additionally being a part of the class, however I’m personally rooting for Demi.
The truth that it bought each a Finest Image nom and that Coralie Fargeat bought in there for Finest Directing is de facto cool, too. Even when it doesn’t win something, the nominations will doubtless get a bunch of people that in all probability by no means would have given it the time of day to test it out, and that’s all the time a very good factor.
Did the Academy neglect that Challengers exists?
I’m not saying that Challengers wanted to be within the Finest Image dialog. Would I’ve nominated it if I used to be in cost? Yeah, in all probability. However, like, these of us who observe awards season intently know the way this stuff work, I can settle for that it didn’t fairly make it in there.
Having stated that, it getting completely nothing appears fairly wild. I imply, I might have nominated Justin Kuritzkes for Finest Unique Screenplay and Sayombhu Mukdeeprom for Finest Cinematography. However I feel the one that actually shocked us all is nothing within the Finest Unique Rating class for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Given simply how good the music is within the film, that appears absurd.
High it off with the truth that director Luca Guadagnino’s different 2024 film, Queer, didn’t get any recognition both regardless of being lauded in plenty of different awards circles, and it simply strikes me as type of unusual.
Jeremy Robust and Sebastian Stan gained’t be ignored
Again on the constructive facet of issues, Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Robust each bought appearing nominations for The Apprentice, the biographical movie about Donald Trump. Provided that Stan beforehand stated he couldn’t do Variety’s Actors on Actors as a result of different stars’ publicists didn’t need their shoppers speaking about Trump as a result of present political local weather, I’d think about this a win.
A win as a result of which means, regardless of Trump’s makes an attempt to dam this film from present and all of the struggles it had when discovering a distributor, it’s now a part of Oscars and cinema historical past from now till the top of time. That’s nice! It’s not a simple film to observe, however what it’s saying definitely is necessary and related now.
Different 2025 Oscars snubs and victories
After all, there’s masses extra to speak about past that. I hoped Adam Pearson would get a Finest Supporting Actor nom for A Totally different Man. Marianne Jean-Baptiste getting within the Finest Actress race for Laborious Truths would have additionally been cool. A Full Unknown wasn’t a foul film, essentially, however I might argue Denis Villeneuve ought to have in all probability been a part of the Finest Director race for Dune: Half Two over James Mangold for A Full Unknown.
Nonetheless, it’s cool that Colman Domingo bought a nom for Sing Sing, I’m completely happy for each Erivo and Ariana Grande, and Kieran Culkin seemingly being the Actor in a Supporting Function frontrunner for his efficiency in A Actual Ache makes me completely happy. He’s simply so, so good in that film. I haven’t had the prospect to see I’m Nonetheless Right here because it hasn’t been taking part in theatrically round the place I reside but, however that was a cool shock, and I’m excited to test it out.
The 2025 Academy Awards ceremony might be held on March 2, 2025.
