Lights, Camera, Action! The Oscars Shortlist is Here

It’s that enchanting time of the year once again, dear readers! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has just unveiled the shortlists for 10 categories for the forthcoming 96th Oscars ceremony, and there are some delightful surprises in the mix.

Greta Gerwig’s meta-comedy “Barbie” leads the pack with an impressive five nominations. The film’s nods include accolades for sound, original song, and original score. However, it’s eyebrow-raising that it missed out on a spot in the makeup and hairstyling category.

In addition to “Barbie,” other notable films like “The Color Purple” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” also failed to make the cut. However, A24’s eccentric “Beau is Afraid” and Universal Pictures’ horror summer film “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” managed to sneak into the shortlist, much to the surprise of many.

The music categories are also bursting with talent, showcasing compositions from esteemed artists such as Daniel Pemberton, Ludwig Göransson, and the late Robbie Robertson. It’s a delight to see a diverse lineup of composers receiving the recognition they so rightly deserve, including Black composers Jon Batiste and Kris Bowers, the legendary female musician Laura Karpman, and the nonbinary Oscar nominee Mica Levi.

In the original song category, we have some fascinating contenders such as tracks from Warner Bros’ “The Color Purple,” Apple Original Films’ “Flora and Son,” and even a hit from Olivia Rodrigo featured in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.”

But the surprises do not end there. Variety has exclusively reported the 20 visual effects finalists, with some noteworthy films like Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire” making the list. It’s certainly going to be a tough competition for the Visual Effects Branch to select the final nominees.

Several frontrunners also secured spots in the documentary feature category, including Apple Original Films’ “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” Netflix’s “American Symphony,” and MTV Documentary Films’ “The Eternal Memory.” However, there were some unexpected omissions that left many scratching their heads.

The international feature race saw the usual suspects making an appearance, with standout films like the U.K.’s “The Zone of Interest” and Spain’s “Society of the Snow” making the cut. While there were no major snubs, the competition is definitely heating up in this category.

With the official nominations set to be announced on Jan. 23, the anticipation is electric as we await to see which films will make the final cut. This year’s Oscars are shaping up to be a captivating spectacle, brimming with unforeseen twists and turns as the competition unfolds.

So, grab your popcorn and prepare for the show because the race to the Oscars is officially on!