89th Annual Academy Award Nominations

The 89th annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning.

The complete list of nominees may be found here.

I see relatively few new films -- 13 in 2016 -- so between that and not being impressed with numerous Oscar choices in recent decades, I tend to look over the nominations and then let it go at that.

As I wrote last year, I think I stopped taking the Oscars seriously when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) didn't receive a Best Picture nomination, an opinion which the test of time has further validated.

For years I've spent Oscar night enjoying a movie instead of the awards! And based on the Golden Globes, I suspect this year's Oscar ceremony will be less a celebration of films than a political rally so enjoying a film instead seems a more appealing idea than ever.

Top contenders for Oscars include LA LA LAND (2016), which I liked but think may be oversold, and HIDDEN FIGURES (2016), which I enjoyed a great deal.

However, HIDDEN FIGURES is an example of what baffles me about the Oscars. It received nominations for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer), but no Best Actress nod for Taraji P. Henson, who I thought was extremely striking and effective in the lead role as mathematician Katherine Johnson.

I also wish Tom Hanks could have snuck onto the list for his restrained, effective performance as SULLY (2016). He makes it look so easy perhaps it's easy to overlook him sometimes.

I felt Natalie Portman's nomination for JACKIE (2016) was very much deserved. Also nice to see AGENTS OF SHIELD alum Ruth Negga receive a nomination for LOVING (2016), which I'm interested in seeing.

It was great to see both Disney's ZOOTOPIA (2016) and MOANA (2016) on the list. I wonder if they will cancel each other out, leaving room for KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016) to win? If the win goes to a Disney film I suspect ZOOTOPIA will edge out MOANA because of its social messaging combined with incredible visual design, but I'd personally give it to MOANA for a winning combination of heart, humor, and music in a beautiful setting.

What I'm rooting for most? I'd love to see Pixar's PIPER (2016) win Animated Short Film. It was a delight which I wrote was "as good as anything Pixar has ever done."

Winners will be announced February 26th.

Previous Oscar nomination posts: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. There was no Oscar post in 2009.