It’s that time of year again when everybody who has ever seen a movie decides to give their two cents about which one deserves to win an award and which acclaimed movie darling ends up with nothing for some weird reason. But awards season also gives us a chance to reflect on all of the past mistakes that the Academy has made, and that’s what awards season is all about — holding grudges over past losses.
One pretty famous director who goes by the name of Steven Spielberg seems to still be mad about a certain movie being shut out at the award shows over a decade ago, when there were still just five nominees in the Best Picture category. The director applauded the decision to open the category to 10 nominees, which opens up the pool for more fan-favorite blockbusters to earn a nomination, like Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way Of Water did this year.
“I’m really encouraged by that,” the director told Deadline, adding that it should have happened a long time ago. “It came late for the film that should have been nominated a number of years ago, Christopher Nolan’s, The Dark Knight. That movie would have definitely garnered a Best Picture Nomination today, so having these two blockbusters solidly presented on the top 10 list is something we should all be celebrating.”
Spielberg probably wasn’t expecting his 2008 feature Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull to secure a nomination (sorry, maybe next year) but he did think that The Dark Knight should have been recognized. Heath Ledger did win a posthumous Academy Award for his portrayal of the Joker that same year.
As for this year’s ceremony, Spielberg secured his first-ever screenplay nomination…along with his ninth directing nom for The Fabelmans. The man has been around for a while, after all. Michelle Williams did receive a nomination for her role in the drama, along with Judd Hirsch.
Even though we can’t retrospectively award movies with honors, Oscar’s season is always the best time to bring up the famous snubs and rally around everyone who agrees with you. There are so many people out there who also believe Laura Dern deserved an Oscar. You are not alone!