Oscar Nominations: Do They Matter?

With Oscar nominations announced on Jan. 23, the awards season is quickly on its way. The nominations are always controversial, but this year it is more than ever. Many film fans have found the list of nominees to be lackluster, especially compared to recent years. I would say that I’m less disappointed in the nominations themselves but more so that it seems the same films were nominated in every category, indicating fewer surprises and an overall lack of diversity.

The much-talked-about “Emilia Pérez” is leading the way with 13 nominations total, more than any other film this year. Due to the film’s recent backlash, it will be interesting to see how it will fare by the time the award ceremony rolls around. I was also glad to see “Wicked” get the recognition it deserves, even if it was a major blockbuster. It’s just that good.

The Best Animated Feature category is stacked this year with the likes of “Flow,” “The Wild Robot,” “Memoir of a Snail,” “Inside Out 2” and “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.” I think that many would agree that all of these films are beyond deserving of the award.

As always, there were snubs. Many were surprised to see that “Challengers” received no nominations whatsoever. I was personally shocked that “I Saw the TV Glow” also received no recognition from the Academy, as that was one of the most unique and, in my opinion, important films of the past year.

All this talk about the Oscars begs the question: How impactful are they really? I asked some St. Lawrence University students their takes on the award show to get some perspective. Phoebe Jones ’27 explained that she has a very different taste in films than the Academy, so whether a film is Oscar-nominated or an Oscar winner would not affect her when seeking new movies to watch. Another student, Emma Rubin ’27, similarly stated that the Oscars have little impact on what she chooses to watch. She elaborated that she’s more likely to watch something that she’s heard a lot about rather than if it is an Oscar winner. Both students agreed that the award show is better before it even starts, as they simply enjoy the red carpet looks.

However, for some students, it can impact their film preferences. Henry Hagen ’27 says that if most people claim that a film is good, combined with a well-known Oscar win, he’s more likely to watch it. He expressed that he relies primarily on recommendations from friends and “whatever the Academy decides is not really important to me.”

A student with a deep love for film, Victoria Ledoux ’27, keeps up with the Oscars every year. In fact, she watches all the nominees for Best Picture once the nominations have been announced. She decides for herself which one is the best but is usually disappointed because the ones she likes never win.

Best Picture is the biggest award of the night. It’s also the most competitive and typically causes an uproar with fans who disagree with the final pick. Ledoux believes that the winner of “Best Picture is usually just the safest option… not all the time, though.” She hopes that

“Conclave” or “Nickel Boys” will take home the award because they would both be a unique pick. She explains that “Nickel Boys” would be interesting due to its POV style of shots and cinematography. However, she predicts that “The Brutalist” or “Dune: Part Two” will be the ultimate victor.

Who knows who will win? The Oscars will be on March 2, so we will find out then. Regardless of how it goes, you’ll be hearing about it from me.