There are plenty of filmmakers and actors out there that will say that awards and nominations don’t matter. Most of the time, those are the people that either win a ton of awards or those that never get nominations. Well, regardless of how you view the importance of something like an Oscars trophy, they’re generally acknowledged as the pinnacle of the film industry. And since filmmakers are cinephiles themselves, they’re always going to have opinions about what should or shouldn’t have been nominated. Case in point — Rian Johnson.
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Speaking to The Wrap, after scoring an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, Johnson took the time to react to some of the snubs and surprises that stood out to him, particularly in the case of what might be the year’s biggest omission “Uncut Gems.” Winning a slew of awards throughout awards season, the Safdie Brothers’ film, starring Adam Sandler, seemed like a sure bet to get a Best Picture nomination, as well as a Best Actor nom. Alas, that wasn’t the case. And to Johnson, this is something that will not be looked at fondly in years to come.
“There were so many things this year that I adored: ‘Uncut Gems,’ I would’ve loved to see that , and I think Greta [Gerwig] did such a wonderful job with ‘Little Women,’” said Johnson. “Every single year, it’s always a mixed bag.”
He added, “I would’ve loved to see ‘Uncut Gems’ get some love. People are going to watch that movie for years to come, it’s an undeniable piece of work, it’s already going down in the history of movies.”
Johnson might not have gotten any recognition from the Academy for his directorial work on “Knives Out,” but the filmmaker is pleased, nonetheless, that folks like Noah Baumbach and Bong Joon-ho are getting love with films that aren’t the flashy, run-of-the-mill Oscar films. Johnson said he’s “thrilled” for Director Bong and the nomination for Baumbach’s work on “Marriage Story” is something that “warms my heart.”
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As for his own nomination in the Best Original Screenplay category for “Knives Out,” Johnson is obviously excited.
“This came from wanting to do something I love that audiences would have a great time watching,” the filmmaker said. “I never thought we’d be in the conversation. It’s surreal, I can’t wrap my head around it. We all grew up watching the Oscars on TV with our parents, and the notion of just being part of that somehow is just so surreal to me.”
“Knives Out” is still in theaters and the Oscars will air on February 9.