The highlight, for this writer, of the official list of Academy Award contenders announced at 5:30am this morning was the inclusion of The Weeknd’s “Earned It” among the best original song nominees. I have no affinity for the tune, but I take perverse pleasure in knowing that smack in the middle of the Oscar ceremony on Feb. 28 — the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ annual infomercial trumpeting the supreme art and craft of the Hollywood film industry — all of America will be reminded of the lame existence of Fifty Shades of Gray.
See, the Academy Awards telecast, hosted this year by Chris Rock (who’s already working on 50 shades of jokes about Sylvester Stallone’s nomination for best supporting actor for Creed while that movie’s black lead actor Michael B. Jordan and black writer-director Ryan Coogler were never in the running in their categories), is nothing if not a studious effort to wipe our memories clean of the money-making junk that Hollywood pumps to the multiplexes for teenagers and children to gorge on. For three-and-a-quarter hours every year, the academy pretends it’s in the business of making movies for adults, and laboring in the service of art.
To sustain that illusion, eight films (out of a possible 10) are in the running for best picture: Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room and Spotlight. There’s nothing approaching a masterpiece in the bunch (only Brooklyn offers the precious combo of craft and heart), which is consistent with the consensus, as one high-profile fall and holiday film after another proved disappointingly flawed.
It’s worth noting that four of the Grateful Eight are devoid of women characters, and Spotlight’s lone female, Rachel McAdams, registers in only a couple scenes (which was enough, apparently, for a supporting actress nod). While I can’t claim there’s greatness in the year’s quartet of films about strong women — Carol, Joy, Suffragette and Freeheld — it’s worth noting that all were shunned in the major categories except for best actress noms for Cate Blanchett (Carol) and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), and Rooney Mara (Carol) for supporting actress. (For those keeping score at home, Lawrence now stands a mere 15 career nominations behind Meryl Streep, who didn’t make the cut this year.)
Best actress nominee Brie Larson propelled Room’s breakthrough as the Academy’s designated indie (last year it was Whiplash), with nods also going to director Lenny Abrahamson and screenwriter Emma Donoghue. My favorite performance of the year, Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years, is recognized in the best actress category, as well, with Saoirse Ronan taking the other best actress slot for Brooklyn.
