Throughout its 94-year existence, the idea that the Academy Awards are rewarding the “Best” of anything has been a fallacy.
That’s not just some malarkey spat out by a veteran performer winning Best Actress trying to feign humility while clutching the trophy she’d sooner use as a blunt weapon than give up. It’s a reflection of the fact that the Oscar nominations, let alone the winners, are more a product of politics, campaigning, timing, laziness, and, too often, seeming randomness than they are a reputable survey of the finest that a year in cinema had to offer.
Sure, sometimes great art makes it in—often to the surprise of skeptical critics. This year saw a slew of noms for international features Drive My Car and The Worst Person in the World that pundits were certain would be ignored in the historically xenophobic mainstream categories. At the same time, it also saw the word “Best” being used in front of nominees like Coming 2 America and the legendary cinematic masterpiece Free Guy.
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So in honor of the Oscars’ seemingly nonsensical whims—I’ll never understand why one small indie is embraced by the Academy, but not another—let’s pay homage to the films from the past year that deserve to be called the “Best” but received zero nominations Tuesday morning. And, fun fact: You can rent or buy almost all of them for less than the cost of a movie ticket, and some are already streaming for free.
Red Rocket
Sean Baker’s movie about a washed-up porn star trying to grift his way back into his ex’s life and a few fast bucks was a raucous showcase for the year’s greatest comeback star, Simon Rex. It’s insightful. It’s dirty. It’s got multiple set pieces soundtracked to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.” It’s delightful.
Now available to rent or buy.
C’Mon C’Mon
After winning the Oscar for his unhinged performance in Joker, Joaquin Phoenix delivers a transformative follow-up as a big-hearted uncle who reconnects with his estranged nephew, learning unexpectedly poignant lessons about family, masculinity, and himself. Mike Mills wrote and directed—in black and white!—and the result is one of the year’s loveliest, sobbiest films.
Now available to rent or buy.
In the Heights
Musical fans are no doubt thrilled that West Side Story and Tick, Tick…Boom! were embraced by the Academy. But it’s a shame that Jon Chu’s revelatory take on the movie musical, In the Heights, was flat-out ignored. It’s as dazzling a cinematic experience as there is, with exceptional performances from Anthony Ramos and Olga Merediz.
Now available to rent or buy, and streaming on HBO Max.
Zola
“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me and this bitch here fell out?” The beginning of the viral Twitter thread that inspired the outrageous and inventive dark comedy-thriller could be in reference to someone’s relationship to the Academy, after the Sundance hit failed to pick up any nods. How could you see Colman Domingo’s performance and not think, “This guy should be nominated for Best Supporting Actor?”
Now available to rent or buy, and streaming on Showtime Anytime.
Mass
This is where the Academy’s finicky taste gets exasperating. Find anyone who watched the film Mass this year–a devastating chronicle of two sets of parents speaking for the first time after a tragic school shooting–and have them explain to you just how out-of-the-box, superlative-and-superior the acting from stars Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton, Jason Isaacs, and Reed Birney were. All four should be nominees.
Now available to rent or buy.
The Humans
Based on the Tony Award-winning play that’s often considered the best of the last decade, The Humans stunned critics at film festivals with how cinematic and visceral first-time director Stephen Karam’s translation was from the stage to the screen. Riveting performances from Jayne Houdyshell and Richard Jenkins seemed like obvious contenders, while Amy Schumer’s revelatory turn was a dark horse. But after a bizarre release strategy and some fizzled-out buzz, it’s been largely overlooked all season.
Now available on Showtime Anytime.
A Hero
Asghar Farhadi’s Cannes winner was tipped to be a shoo-in for Best International Feature and a possibility in the directing and screenplay categories. It made Barack Obama’s list of best films, not to mention that of countless film critics. Its exclusion from the International Feature category was one of nomination morning’s biggest shocks.
Now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Passing
Speaking of one of the biggest shocks, the fact that Ruth Negga missed out on a Best Supporting Actress nod for her work in Passing was a massive disappointment. She’s stunning playing opposite Tessa Thompson as a Black woman in 1929 who could flit between two worlds because her light skin “passes” for being white. Written and directed by actress Rebecca Hall, it’s one of the year’s most exciting filmmaker debuts.
Now streaming on Netflix.
The Green Knight
Everyone was so concerned about Spider-Man: No Way Home carrying the baton for crowd-pleasing action representation in the major Oscar categories, that the artistically superior The Green Knight was egregiously left out of the equation. Director David Lowery delivered something that was visually stunning and powerful, yet still felt fresh. A new kind of hero’s story.
Now available to rent or buy.
The Harder They Fall
A blast, with a cast that includes Idris Elba, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, and Zazie Beetz in the rare Western to center around Black characters. The ensemble picked up several mentions as a group from critics and guilds over the fall and winter, and an original song from Jay-Z and Kid Cudi was tipped to be a nominee. But in the end, the film was overlooked entirely.
Now streaming on Netflix.
