DALLAS — Maybe it's fitting that during another year when most people chose to watch their movies at home, a Netflix film leads all nominations for the 94th Academy Awards. And "The Power of the Dog" is worth every one of the dozen it received, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and four for acting.
The sci-fi movie "Dune" came in second for total nominations with ten.. with nods in every single technical category. "Belfast" netted seven including Best Picture and Director. Special props to Kenneth Branuagh, now the first person to earn nominations in seven different categories over his career. And sticking with the lucky seven... that's how many nominations Steven Spielberg's musical reimagining of "West Side Story" received, and he got his seventh nomination for Best Director.
It's when the Best Picture and Best Director nominations don't match up, that always baffles me. How could Best Picture nominee "Dune" get made without director Denis Villeneuve? Ditto for "Nightmare Alley" and its director, Guillermo del Toro. The answer is they would not be the movies they are, at all. In fact, they wouldn't have been made.
I didn't think Lady Gaga would get nominated for Best Actress, because "House of Gucci" was not that well received. I am so disappointed that Catriona Balfe was not recognized for her beautiful performance in "Belfast," when it was the thread of the film, though I don't fault the choice of her co-star Dame Judi Dench. Kudos to Kristen Stewart for a Best Actress nod in "Spencer." Her Screen Actors Guild snub made her chances for an Oscar nomination a little shaky.
How about "Drive My Car" - a three hour Japanese film nominated for both Best Picture and Best International Feature, as well as Best Director. Those who were hoping "Spider-Man: No Way Home" would be nominated for Best Picture will have to settle for a chance at Best Visual Effects.
More thoughts in the coming weeks. The Oscars will be handed out on March 27. You can watch on ABC and WFAA.
