Let’s Talk Cinema: The 2000’s

The time has come, my friends, to finally get down to the nitty gritty—the subject that really gets everyone worked up and ready to unload all their thoughts and feelings. The subject that reminds you of your highest hopes for a movie, that somehow were dashed, and the pain still feels real for each Oscar predictor… THE SNUBS.

Nothing stings worse than a snub—cue all the dramatics with that phrase. There are snubs every single year, and every year you hope it doesn’t happen at the expense of your favorites. I’m still recovering from the Sing Sing and Clarence Maclin snub of last year! For some reason, the sting leaves a weird, lasting irritation—even if it’s unjustified—toward the Academy for having the gall to snub your favorites. We all think our opinions are the best, that our favorite movies and performances are the best, and that anyone who disagrees is wrong. But we must face facts: our opinions are like buttholes—everyone has one. Your taste is your taste. Your favorites are your favorites. We aren’t Academy members, much to our displeasure.

The 2000s, like every decade, gave us plenty of shocking snubs that still feel like fresh wounds. I didn’t start predicting Oscars until 2008, so really my snub knowledge was formed after the fact. However, a snub is a snub no matter when you see it—Vertigo and Singin’ in the Rain, hello?!

This week’s assignment: Acting Snubs of the 2000s.

Jerm’s Official Painful Acting Snubs of the 2000s

Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl

If you’ve never seen this film, be warned—it’s strange. BUT IT’S SO GOOD. It’s unique, it’s original, and I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, and for many people, it’s a hidden treasure. Ryan Gosling gives what might be his greatest performance to date. I love him in most of his films, but this one required him to go deeper than ever before. It’s just so good. I highly recommend going into it blind—don’t look up the storyline. Gosling got in at Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and SAG, but was snubbed everywhere else. The film did earn a deserved Original Screenplay nomination. WATCH THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T!

Nicole Kidman – Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain, to me, is a gorgeous, timeless epic—one of the best of the decade. I will die on this hill. Renée deserved her Oscar, Jude Law deserved his nomination, but somehow, with seven nominations, the Academy snubbed it for Picture, Director, and Best Actress for Nicole Kidman. Had she been nominated, Kidman would’ve joined Renée for three straight Oscar nominations—a cool stat. Kidman showed a gentler, subtler side than in The Hours (which won her the Oscar) or Moulin Rouge! Her performance was the beating heart of the film. Renée stole scenes, Law was on a harrowing journey, but Kidman embodied survival and transformation with grace. She got Golden Globe and Critics Choice nods, but the Oscars robbed her.

Jim Carrey – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

How Eternal Sunshine was overlooked for major awards is wild to think about now. If it were released today, it would likely be a major contender for all the top awards—and Kate and Jim would be frontrunners. Jim Carrey has deserved at least two Oscar nominations, and this is one of them. He stretches himself in a way that’s hard to believe—it’s almost unrecognizable as a ‘Jim Carrey film.’ There’s depth, emotion, vulnerability—we’ve never seen him go that far, nor has he ever been better. He wasn’t swallowed up by Kate’s brilliance; he matched her. Together, they delivered magic. Jim did at least get BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.

Uma Thurman – Kill Bill Vol. 1 or 2

I don’t care which one you pick—she should’ve been nominated for either (or both). She was that good. Maybe the second film has more emotional depth, but the first has the action. Either way, she nailed it. Tarantino is my favorite director, and I think most of his films are perfect—so no surprise here. Uma took a wild, violent character and gave her life and fury, exactly as the screenplay demanded. Kill Bill is the ultimate “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” film, and Uma makes it unforgettable. She earned BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations, but Oscar ignored her.

Jack Nicholson – The Departed and Something’s Gotta Give

Jack—one of the greatest ever—gave us unforgettable work in his final active decade before retirement. We’re lucky to still have him, and the recent loss of Diane Keaton reminds us to cherish our living legends. Jack and Diane were absolutely sublime together in Something’s Gotta Give. They reminded everyone that true love can find you at any age. Diane got her (deserved) last Oscar nomination, but Jack was left out, though he did snag a Golden Globe nod.

Then came The Departed—a slam-dunk Oscar movie where somehow Mark Wahlberg got nominated instead. Jack was in top form at 69, full of menace and charisma. BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice all recognized him, but the Academy? Nope. One last nomination should’ve been his.

Diane Kruger – Inglourious Basterds

Yes, another Tarantino girl! Inglourious Basterds is, in my opinion, his masterpiece. Diane Kruger lights up the screen in that legendary tavern scene—pure cinematic tension. The camera loved her, and the story needed her. Even with under 25 minutes of screen time, she was unforgettable and absolutely deserving of an Oscar nod. Thankfully, SAG at least noticed.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road

The world is ready for the next Leo and Kate reunion—in fact, we need it. They sizzle together. Revolutionary Road showcased how far they’d come since Titanic. It’s a slow burn, rich in character work, and they scorch the earth with it (Michael Shannon too, let’s not forget). Kate’s Oscar year was chaos thanks to her double whammy with The Reader, but no matter what, it was her time. Leo, on the other hand, couldn’t catch a break—just a lone Golden Globe nomination. A reunion where both win second Oscars—let’s speak that into existence!

Cate Blanchett – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

How was she forgotten?! Cate always delivers, and Benjamin Button is no exception. I adore this film—it should’ve swept 2008. Cate was far better than Taraji P. Henson (though both would’ve been worthy Supporting nominees). I’m still shocked the Academy went with Henson over Blanchett, though Cate was likely campaigned Lead. Every rewatch reminds me how perfect it all is. Cate did get a Critics Choice nomination—but that was it!

Albert Finney – Big Fish

Big Fish is my favorite Tim Burton film—filled with magic, warmth, and wonder. I love Burton’s ‘90s work, but this is his most accomplished. Albert Finney, as the dying storyteller weaving unbelievable tales, is tender, funny, cranky, and deeply human. I hadn’t known Finney before this film, then saw Erin Brockovich and explored his legendary filmography. He absolutely deserved a nomination here—BAFTA and the Globes thought so too!

James McAvoy & Keira Knightley – Atonement

Criminally underappreciated James and criminally under-rewarded Keira should not be on this list, yet here we are. Atonement is one of the most heartbreaking films ever, directed by the perpetually snubbed Joe Wright. The Academy dropped the ball completely—Picture nomination but not for Keira or James? Madness. Time has only proven them wrong; few remember most 2007 nominees outside There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. Atonement has stood the test of time, in my opinion. Keira and James break my heart every rewatch. They got BAFTA and Globe nods but were apparently “not good enough” for Oscar—just like the story itself, heartbreaking.

These performances have stayed with me all these years. They’re egregious snubs, but that just means they hit me on a deeper level than most. Film is subjective, sure, but these lists remind us how subjective it truly is. I love each of these performances, and I’m just grateful we can keep rewatching them—even if Oscar didn’t get it right.

Now it’s your turn—what performances made you feel the pain of a snub, and makes you irrationally annoyed at the Academy like me?

Be kind, be respectful, and as always—Let’s Talk Cinema!