As Awards season comes to a close with the 96th Academy Awards, now is the time when the concept of snubbing is often discussed. The unfortunate reality is that not everyone can win the prestigious film award as it’s reserved for what’s believed to be the best of the best. This weekend alone, we saw mega hits likeBarbielose in almost all of its categories. Even then, that seems better than those who havehistorically lost every single one of their nominations.
Yet, as the famed saying goes, it’s at least always an honor to be nominated, as not every film gets that opportunity. In fact, sometimes even the most revered and fan-favorites get completely overlooked by the Academy. That is, at least, according to theLetterboxd showdown, the place for film lovers and cinephiles to duke it out. Indeed, this list will reflect on some of the best movies that surprisingly never received a single Oscar nomination. Beware, some of it is shocking news.
10’Reservoir Dogs' (1992)
Letterboxd Score: 4.2
Six strangers are hired by a crime boss to carry out a robbery in the local jewelry store. However, what was once a smooth sailing job, quickly goes awry as the police arrive a lot quicker than usual. Soon enough, a shootout occurs, resulting in several crossfire casualties, two dead thieves, and four suspicious thugs who believe they have a rat in the mix.
AsQuentin Tarantino’s feature length debut,Reservoir Dogscertainly set his career up for the better. Introducing the world to his artistic quirks, this film showcases everything we now know as his hallmarks, fromiconic needle drops, extreme profanities, violent crime and fragmented storylines. Yet, despite its relative box-office success and critical acclaim,Reservoir Dogsnever made its rounds during the Awards season, including at the Academy Awards. Indeed, it really only made waves in the Independent Film world, and has since become a major cult classic.
Reservoir Dogs
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9’The Shining' (1980)
Hoping to cure his writer’s block, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) takes a job as an off-season caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. But when accompanied by his family, things start to spiral for the worse as dark secrets of the land begin to take their toll. Not only does Jack digress into a homicidal terror, but his son Danny (Danny Lloyd), who’s plagued by premonitions, continues to have frightening visions that only get more disturbing.
Despite being an incredibly influential piece of pop culture, as well as it now being one ofthe greatest horror moviesof all time, many would be surprised to know thatThe Shiningwasn’t met with the best set of reviewsat the time of its release, with most blaming the choppy pacing and odd characterizations ofStephen King’s beloved novel. Indeed,The Shiningwas initially considered as a disappointing addition to Stanley Kubrick’s otherwise illustrious career, and thus received no nominations for any prestigious award. Instead, it was controversially nominated for two Razzie Awards, including Worst Director and Worst Actress. Oh, how the tables have turned.
The Shining
Rent on Amazon
8’The Night of the Hunter' (1955)
Letterboxd Score: 4.3
Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a self-proclaimed preacher - but real-life serial killer - marries a gullible widow to locate the fortune that her late husband stole. Unfortunately for him, Willa’s (Shelley Winters) children, who grow suspicious of his intentions, make his mission a lot harder than he expected.
Much like other films on this list,The Night of the Hunterfailed to wow audiences in its initial release. Potentially off-putting with its expressionistic style, it was a movie that definitely stood out among the classic glamorized projects of Hollywood’s Golden Age. As such, it failed to make any impact during Awards season and didn’t receive a single nomination from any film institute, such as the Oscars. However, since then,The Night of the Hunterhas been reassessed over the decades and is now considered to be one of the greatest films ever made. Indeed, by 1992, the National Film Registry selected it for preservation. It’s just unfortunate that all the negative reviews kept Charles Laughtonfrom ever making another film.
The Night of the Hunter
A self-proclaimed preacher marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real dad hid the $10,000 he’d stolen in a robbery.
7’Heat' (1995)
Hoping to retire on a high, master criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) plans his next big heist. However, due to a previously botched job, which resulted in a homicide, Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is hot on his tail and engages McCauley in a dangerous cat-and-mouse chase. In doing so, their actions cause significant rifts within their professional and personal lives.
As De Niro and Pacino’s second collaboration, followingThe Godfather Part II, it’s safe to say expectations were high forthis crime thriller. Thankfully,Heathit its mark as it became a major critical and commercial success. Not only praised for its performances, it was also celebrated for its direction, writing and thrilling action sequences. That’s why it’s shocking to know that it didn’t receive a single nomination for any major film award. Sure, by then, De Niro and Pacino already had an Oscar under each of their belts, but it would’ve been nice to see other creatives get their flowers for this masterful film.
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6’The Thing' (1982)
While on a research expedition in Antarctica, a team of scientists come into contact with a vicious alien that has the ability to shape-shift into its victims. Desperate to escape its brutal attacks, a helicopter pilot and a camp doctor attempt to lead the group to safety before the alien can claim any more victims.
What’s now considereda horror classic,The Thingwas initially met with pretty negative reviews. Other than praising its special effects achievements and its visual representation of the grotesque,The Thingwas described as"instant junk". Perhaps this polarizing view was due to the film competing against other great sci-fi classics, released around the same time, likeE.T.As such, it isn’t surprising that it missed the mark for accolade consideration, including the Academy Awards (although a nod for Best Makeup would have been nice). Luckily, society has since changed its tune asThe Thingis now one ofthe great cult classics of the 80s.
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter’s 1982 film is a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
5’Before Sunrise' (1995)
While on his way to Vienna, an American man, Jesse (Ethan Hawke), meets Celine (Julie Delpy), a French student returning to Paris. And upon engaging in long conversations, the two strike up an unexpected bond. Knowing that his flight leaves the next day, Jesse convinces Celine to spend the night with him in Vienna, and wander around the city together. However, as dawn creeps by, their impending separation becomes a lot harder to fathom.
As the film that provedsimplicity is just as endearing as any raging thriller,Before Sunriseispostmodern romance at its best. Not only dominating the box-office and praised by film critics alike, its reverence ultimately sparkedRichard Linklaterto create two more great sequels to round out this beloved love story. As such, with all this in mind, it’s quite surprising to know thatBefore Sunrisewas completely snubbed by every major award ceremony. Indeed, they didn’t even make the nominations list - including the Oscars. Even though this was made up for in its sequels with Linklater receiving Adapted Screenplay nods, it’s a shame that the movie that started it all didn’t get much acknowledgment for its accomplishments.
Before Sunrise
4’The Handmaiden' (2016)
Letterboxd Score: 4.4
A story set in 1930s Korea, during the time of the Japanese occupation, Sook-Hee (Kim Tae-ri) is hired as the handmaiden for Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) - a young heiress to a large fortune - who lives a sheltered life in an enormous countryside estate. Little does she know, her new handmaiden has ulterior motives, as Sook-Hee is a pickpocket who’s been recruited by a devious con-man to swindle the young heiress of her fortune. However, along the way, plans start to derail as Sook-Hee begins to grow fond of Lady Hideko.
From the great mind of the visionary filmmaker,Park Chan-wook,The Handmaidenis one of the few films on this list that garnered significant financial, critical and accolade acclaim. An erotic thriller that hooked audiences with its gripping tension, the film ended up being nominated for over 100 awards, winning numerous critics' awards as well as a BAFTA. Yet bizarrely, with all this praise, it made no appearance at any other major award circle. Indeed, many criticized this Oscar snub as a true let down.
The Handmaiden
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3’In the Mood for Love' (2001)
Set in Hong Kong, in the 1960s, two neighbors - Mr Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs Chan (Maggie Cheung) - begin to suspect their spouses are having an affair. Connected by their shared betrayal, the two strike a polite friendship, only for it to develop into a close bond with deep feelings.
Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival,In the Mood for LovesolidifiedWong Kar-waias a visionary auteur, and has since become one ofthe great Arthouse films of all time. Indeed, upon its release, the film received plentiful praise and acclaim, not only being nominated for the Palme d’Or, but it also saw Leung win Best Actor at the prestigious festival. However, despite its success, as well as it being considered for several other awards as well, it did not manage to attract the attention of the Oscars. In fact, no nominations from major award shows were given toIn the Mood for Love,besides the BAFTAs and the Critics' Choice.
In the Mood For Love
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2’Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)
Set in 18th century France, Marianne (Noémie Merlant) - a young and talented painter - is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), an aristocratic woman. However, given Héloïse’s reluctance to marriage, Marianne must do her job under the guise of being her hired companion, and only paint Héloïse at night, after secretly observing her throughout the day. Unfortunately, complications arise as the days go by, and the wedding date nears, as attraction and intimacy grow exponentially between the two women.
Upon its release,Portrait of a Lady on Firebecame a major critical and box-office success. A stunning film that plucked the heartstrings of many, it managed to do extremely well on the accolades front as it was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and even won for Best Screenplay. On top of that, it was nominated for over 150 awards, including the Independent Spirit Awards, the BAFTAs, Critics' Choice and the Golden Globes. It was even chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top 5 foreign language films of 2019. And yet, despite these accomplishments,Portrait of a Lady on Firewas completely snubbed by the Academy with no nominations. Indeed, the movie was simply left as one of France’s submissions to the Oscars.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Marianne is a young painter in 18th century France who is given the task of painting a portrait of Héloïse for her wedding, without her knowing. Spending her days observing Héloïse and her nights painting, Marianne finds herself getting closer and closer to her model.
Letterboxd Score: 4.5
With a fortune of gold buried in an unknown location, three men battle it out to make sure that they’re the ones with the treasure in the end. However, an uneasy alliance is made between two of the men as each holds a different piece of the mysterious puzzle, leaving the other dangerous man to follow suit and swipe the prize for himself.
Where it is now often considered as one ofthe best Western films of all time,thisSergio Leoneclassicwas actually met with mixed reviews during its initial release. In particular, it was heavily criticized for its extensive depiction of violence, and was evenlooked down upondue to it being a spaghetti western - a genre not fully appreciated nor revered at the time. As such,The Good, the Bad and the Uglynever received any Oscar nominations, or any other major award for that matter. However, as we all know, this has since changed over the years with the film paving a whole new legacy for filmmakers and the entire Western genre.
