Published at 7:00 AM on February 3, 2010

This Year's Five Most Egregious Oscar Snubs

This Year's Five Most Egregious Oscar Snubs

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The 2010 Academy Awards were just announced, which means film fans now have the opportunity to engage in their favorite annual pastime: complaining about and calling attention to the films overlooked by those nefarious Academy elites, ensconced as they are in their Star Chamber of film criticism. And no matter what kind of movies you’re particular to, there’s some grade-A grousing to be done about this year’s nominees.

1. Sam Rockwell (Moon) – Actor in a Leading Role
Leading the pack is Sam Rockwell’s role as the curator of an isolated moon base, a performance equally thrilling and inspired (doubly so because he was pulling double-duty for a large portion of the film). And it was no accident that this sci-fi gem didn’t receive a single Oscar nod; Sony refused to back it with a single screener or press kit over fears of piracy.

2. Anvil! The Story of Anvil – Documentary Feature
There’s no good reason why this universally-loved and critically-acclaimed doc about the Metal Band That Could didn’t earn a single nod. Of course, judging by this year’s Best Documentary list, Anvil is in pretty good company as far as senseless snubs go.

3. Clint Eastwood (Invictus) – Directing
Clint has probably earned enough Oscar nods and statues for several lifetimes, so we’re sure he’s not losing any sleep over this one. At least this breaks the trend of the last few years where Clint Eastwood’s mere presence in a director’s chair earned him a nomination

4. (500) Days of Summer – Writing (Original Screenplay)
The cast and crew of 500 Days managed to assemble a unique and charming take on a very, very worn-out genre, thanks in large part to the whip-smart script. After earning love and praise from the Writer’s Guild and Golden Globes, it was expected to at least snag a nod, but that’s show-business!

5. Ponyo – Animated Feature Film
Yes, it was already a given that two of the slots for Best Animated were reserved for Disney’s much-ballyhooed return to hand-drawn animation and whatever Pixar happened to be releasing this year, making the odds even longer for this whimsical adaptation of a Hans Christian Anderson story. But considering that Ponyo was one of director Hayao Miyazaki’s finest films, it’s a truly unfortunate exclusion; a sad reflection of the Academy’s perennial disdain for foreign cinema.

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