Movies Update: Anatomy of an Oscar snub

Plus, Malia Obama is at Sundance with her directing debut.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 26, 2024 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, movie fans! Whew, what a week! After what was arguably one of the best film years in recent memory, we finally got to see what the academy thought of the 2023 releases when the Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday. Amid a more-than-respectable list, one shocking snub set off an immediate uproar: For best director, the expected front-runner, Christopher Nolan made the cut for "Oppenheimer," but Greta Gerwig, the force behind "Barbie," was passed over. To be fair, she is up for best adapted screenplay, and her film is in the running for best picture, as is Nolan's. And while we can trot out the old joke about a movie directing itself, with an automatic 10 best picture slots but only five directing ones, there were always going to be omissions. Still, Gerwig was nominated for a Directors Guild Award alongside Nolan. What gives? Our Projectionist columnist, Kyle Buchanan, explained some of the factors that led to the omission and argues that it wasn't necessarily sexism given the inclusion of Justine Triet ("Anatomy of a Fall"). It's important to note that while the whole academy votes on the best picture slots, only the directors branch votes on the filmmakers category. That means less than 600 people making the call. To boot, the branch is known for its aversion to popular studio movies. Anyone remember when it overlooked Ben Affleck and the snub more or less powered "Argo" to best picture? In the end, we can't know for sure what happened but fans including Hillary Clinton (and me) are sure disappointed. The Oscar nominations were hardly the only big-deal movie event this week. The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing, and we at the film desk were kept on our toes with premieres like "Hit Man," starring Glen Powell, and Malia Obama's filmmaking debut. Have a good weekend. I hope it's filled with movies! Warner Bros. The Projectionist The Biggest Oscar Snubs and Surprises 2024: Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie Miss Out in Key Races It was a strong year for female directors overall, though the academy still seems to frown on younger male actors. By Kyle Buchanan Universal Pictures Oscar Nominees 2024: See the Full List The complete list of Academy Award nominees for 2024. By Shivani Gonzalez Apple TV+; Universal Pictures; Warner Bros. Everything You Need to Know About the 10 Best Picture Nominees Catch up on the 10 films vying for the top prize in a big year for movies. via Sundance Institute Critic's Notebook At Sundance, a Transcendent Road Trip and Other Reasons to Love Movies A documentary about Will Ferrell and his friend Harper Steele brought the house down. It was just one of several discoveries at this year's festival. By Manohla Dargis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Grasshopper Film/Gratitude Films Critic's Pick 'Pictures of Ghosts' Review: Layers of Love and Memory The Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho draws on fact and fiction in this image-rich documentary that moves fast and far, but always returns home. By Manohla Dargis Janus Films Critic's Pick 'Tótem' Review: The Girl Who Sees Too Much In Lila Avilés's second feature, a 7-year-old girl begins to grasp the severity of her father's illness while birthday preparations are underway at home. By Manohla Dargis Icarus Films Critic's Pick 'Mambar Pierrette' Review: Cosmic Misfortunes A gifted seamstress, played by the filmmaker Rosine Mbakam's cousin, has to put out a string of fires in this rich portrait of Cameroonian womanhood. By Beatrice Loayza MOVIE REVIEWS Oscilloscope 'Sometimes I Think About Dying' Review: Life, in Drab Gray Daisy Ridley stars as an office worker who's just going through the motions. By Alissa Wilkinson José David Montero/IFC Films 'American Star' Review: Armed and Vacationing Ian McShane stars as an assassin killing time in the Canary Islands. By Ben Kenigsberg Jacob Kemp/Amazon MGM Studios 'The Underdoggs' Review: Guess Who the New Coach Is, Kids Snoop Dogg, as an egomaniacal retired football star, turns community service into a sport when he sees a chance to rekindle romance with a player's mom. By Brandon Yu Malgorzata Kuznik/Sony Pictures Classics. 'The Peasants' Review: A Village Rendered in Oils The filmmakers DK and Hugh Welchman apply a painstaking oil painting technique to render this sweeping drama set in a 19th century Polish village. By Natalia Winkelman Zac Popik/Lionsgate 'Miller's Girl' Review: Teacher's Dirty Looks Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega fight pheromones and cliché in this eye-rolling duel between a teacher and his student. By Jeannette Catsoulis HBO 'Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero' Review: A Hip-Hop Trailblazer The documentary, streaming on Max, follows the queer singer-rapper on the road and at home, but the best scenes by far are when he is onstage. By Chris Azzopardi Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times the Projectionist Why Was Greta Gerwig Snubbed for a Best Director Nomination? "Barbie" scored a best-picture nomination and scooped up eight nods overall. Several factors could have led to Gerwig's omission. By Kyle Buchanan @2023 TOHO CO., LTD., via Associated Press Critic's Notebook 'Godzilla Minus One' Stomps Into 'Oppenheimer' Territory Those movies, along with "The Boy and the Heron," are essentially in conversation about the moral weight of American and Japanese actions in World War II. By Esther Zuckerman George Pimentel/Sundance Film Festival The Projectionist Glen Powell at Sundance: 'I'm Buzzing Right Now, Man!' The star and co-writer of "Hit Man" heard that his film had wowed audiences, but because of the actors' strike, he couldn't see for himself until now. By Kyle Buchanan Clockwise from top left: Warner Bros.; Jam Sta Rosa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Jason McDonald/Netflix; Rudolf Dietrich/ullstein bild, via Getty Images Critic's Notebook 'Barbie' Is Adapted? 'Maestro' Original? Let's Fix the Screenplay Categories. There's a way to classify screenplays for Oscar consideration that would reward creativity and make much more sense. Unlike the current system. By Alissa Wilkinson Roman Cuba Brown/Sundance Institute The Projectionist Malia Obama at Sundance: A Fledgling Filmmaker Makes Her Debut The former first daughter's short, "The Heart," focuses on a sensitive man racked with guilt when his mother dies after they have an argument. By Kyle Buchanan STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Warner Bros. Where to Stream the 2024 Oscar Nominees Many of the top contenders can be watched at home. Here's a guide to help you get a jump on the field. By Scott Tobias Mika Lungulov-Klotz/Quiltro LLC/Strand Releasing Beyond the Algorithm 'Mutt,' 'Unpregnant' and More Streaming Gems The complexities of 21st-century romantic entanglements are front and center in this month's roundup of hidden gems on your subscription streaming services. By Jason Bailey Emmanuel Guimier/Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a French comedic swashbuckling adventure, Indian spy games and more. By Robert Daniels Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Movies Update from The New York Times. 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