Film Feature: 10 Biggest Snubs of the 2014 Oscar Nominations

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Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “Fruitvale Station”

In a film year not as strong as 2013, “Fruitvale Station” would likely have more of the Academy’s attention. While it has been shutout completely from nominations it would certainly be deserving of, perhaps its most frustrating is one that rightfully belongs to Octavia Spencer, despite the love she received for previously playing a snarky racial archetype in the awful “The Help.” Her role in “Fruitvale Station,” that of a crucial matriarch who finds a limit to loving her troublesome son Oscar (played remarkably by future star Michael B. Jordan) is a more diverse fit for golden kudos, especially when packing such force within a much less flashy and limited screen-time. As well, with the tragedy of the film, Spencer is the one who guides us through the film’s horrifying events without a hint of false emotion; Spencer helps keep Ryan Coogler’s incredible debut legit all the way to the third act’s end (the documentary epilogue is another story).

Instead of: In her place, the choice is easy - Jennifer Lawrence might have provided her own flamboyance to the soiree that is “American Hustle,” but the intrigue of her dysfunctional character only reaches so far to her trashy monologues about stinky nail polish. It’s funny when she talks about the “science oven” as well, but the competitiveness of this year is much too serious to be giving out nominations to roles that are simply amusing. Her work in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is also more impressive, but that’s an issue for another list.

Best Supporting Actor: David Oyelowo, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Any awards hype for “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” might have been pointed in the direction of Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey, but the most necessary piece to Lee Daniels’ multi-decade puzzle is a Forrest Gump-ian performance from David Oyelowo. As the son of Whitaker’s title character Cecil, Oyelowo is the one who grounds the most inspired elements of Daniels’ observance of American history. Without Oyelowo’s stoicism to such a character through numerous transitions, the movie would be lacking the passion that prevents it from being more than a star-filled piece of regular awards bait.

Instead of: In his place within yet another tough category, I’d remove Jared Leto’s work in “Dallas Buyers Club,” a performance with some skilled finesse, but one that isn’t as sound as its competitors.

Best Actress: Greta Gerwig, “Frances Ha”

The youthfulness of Academy members can only be spread so thin (according to a 2012 research by LA Times, only 14% are under 50) so I suppose their biggest hip statement this year was voting for a female performance in a science fiction movie. Though, while Bullock does deserve her nod, one actress that equally carries a film about her own survival in cramped spaces is Greta Gerwig in “Frances Ha.” Infusing her own genuine attitude to a story catered by Noah Baumbach like it is his mid-life crisis, she gives the film (a favorite amongst my Frances’ and Francis’ all around) a grandiose humility. Showing the subtle truths about self-reliance (from using your tax refund wisely to eating ice cream after going to the dentist) Gerwig makes this surrogate of life experience one to attach to, long after the Bowie has stopped.

Instead of: I’d take out Judi Dench, and I don’t think the multi-nominated, one-time winner would mind.