Controversy arose on Thursday, Jan. 23, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their nominations for the 97th Annual Oscars. Emilia Pérez , a musical/thriller starring Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez, received a total of 13 nominations, beating many 2024 fan favorites like Wicked , Dune: Part Two , Inside Out 2 , and Nosferatu . Many fans are nervous about the outcome of the award show which will take place on Mar. 2 as they prepare for the wins (or losses) of their favorite films of 2024.
Emilia Pérez
Zoe Saldaña as Rita Mora Castro dancing in the song “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez. (photo from the New York TImes)
A controversial sweep
When the nominations for the Oscars came out, many fans were surprised to hear that Emilia Pérez , a movie with a 72 percent on the ‘Tomatometer’ (critics’ score) and a whopping 16 percent on the ‘Popcornmeter’ (audience score) on Rotten Tomatoes, had received the most nominations out of all the films of 2024. Emilia Pérez follows a transgender cartel leader who hires a lawyer to help her receive gender-affirming surgeries, while separating with her wife and children. Many critics and audience members have called the script “terrible” while also denouncing the use of musical numbers in the film.
Wicked
Looking in the mirror, Galinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) smile at each other. (photo from IMDB)
A fan favorite
After wowing audiences for 20 years on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande brought Wicked to the silver screen as Elphaba and Galinda. Based on the original book and movie of The Wizard of Oz , Wicked tells the origin stories of Glinda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West and their friendship throughout childhood. Wicked received the second most nominations, holding 10, including Best picture and Lead Actress for Erivo, as well as Supporting Actress for Grande.
Dune: Part Two
Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler) duel to claim the throne in the third act of the film. (photo from IMDB)
A surprising snub
The highly anticipated sequel of Dune starring Timotheé Chalamet and Zendaya was a big hit last year that satisfied audiences who are fans of the books and the first film. The film received a total of 5 nominations, including Best Picture, Production Design, Sound, Cinematography, and Visual Effects. Dune: Part Two continues the story of Paul Atreides and the people of Arrakis as he and Chani seek revenge on the group that destroyed his family. Many fans were disappointed with the small number of nominations the film got, calling out the hypocrisy of the academy when it comes to blockbuster sequel films.
Inside Out 2
The original emotions, Disgust (Liza Lapira), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), and Fear (Tony Hale) watch in fear as new emotion Anxiety (Maya Hawke) begins to take control of Riley’s emotions. (photo from The Daily Beast)
A triumphant return
As the highest-grossing film of 2024, Inside Out 2 sits at the number 9 spot on the highest-grossing films of all-time. Almost 10 years after the story’s initial release, Riley and her emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, returned to the big screen, along with a handful of new characters. Like many animated films, Inside Out 2 only received one nomination on account of the academy offering many award categories for animation. Inside Out 2 is going up against 2024 animation favorites like The Wild Robot and Flow , so many fans are speculating that it will sadly not take home Best Animated Feature Film.
Nosferatu
Hiding in a beam of light, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) turns to reveal himself. (photo from IMDB)
A successful remake
A recreation of the original 1922 horror/fantasy film, Nosferatu satisfied many audiences with its unique use of shadows and light, as well as its visual cinematography. Despite its late release on Dec. 25, Nosferatu is nominated for Achievement in Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Production Design. Many horror fans who took a liking to the film are hoping for it to win for Cinematography, which was the standout feature of Nosferatu .
The Oscars will take place on Sunday, Mar. 2 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
