It is officially February, meaning the beloved Hollywood event, the Oscars, is right around the corner. From snubs to unexpected front-runners, this year’s nominations leave everyone lost. It seems like anyone can win. This year is going to be a roller coaster full of controversial films, daring choices, and confusing ones. Let’s dig deep into the opinions on this year’s nominations.

This year, one film seemed to stand out more than the rest. Emelia Pérez was nominated for thirteen awards this season, becoming the most nominated non-English film in history. Karla Sofía Gasçon who played the title role of Emelia, also became the first transgender actress to be nominated in an acting category. However, while this film is making history, one actress in this film seems to have been left out. Selena Gomez, who played a huge role in the film, received zero nominations, which left many people shocked. Her performance displayed a variety of emotions, leaving many viewers touched by her acting. Moreover, as much as this film has been breaking boundaries in Hollywood, it is causing controversy both in Mexico and around the world. Many people believe that the film is an inaccurate portrayal of Mexico, leaving some people offended. The director of the film, on the other hand, is actually French and knew nothing about Mexico at all. He was inspired by a book called, “Écoute” which follows a character who is a drug lord that wants to transition to being a woman. This led to the director’s decision to create an over-dramatic almost operatic style mexico, which makes me think that the director’s intentions were pure. Despite the controversy, the Santa Barbara Independent says, “Emilia Pérez is fabulously unlike any film you’ve ever seen. It’s a LOT. And it’s definitely not for everybody. But for me, it’s one of the most compelling, refreshing, and original pieces of cinema I’ve seen.” The film may not be for everyone but it is such a completely unique film that deserves to be recognized and celebrated.

Another film that stood out this year is Wicked, which is based off the broadway hit musical of the same name. Wicked has received 10 nominations, as well as applause for British actress Cytnhia Erivo and her co-star, Arianna Grande. Cynthia Erivo, who portrays the complex main character, has become the first black and British woman to be nominated for two acting Oscars after also being nominated in 2020 for her role in the movie Harriet. In my opinion, Cynthia Erivo is very deserving of the Oscars this year, as both her acting and her singing in Wicked were incredible. If she does happen to win an Oscar this year, she will become an E.G.O.T., meaning she would be the winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. Arianna Grande who co-starred in the movie, has also been nominated for supporting actress. She is running against Zoe Saldaña, who has been nominated for her role in Emelia Pérez. For Grande, who is known for her music career, her Oscar nomination is a huge step forwards in her acting career. As she put it in an interview with BBC, Grande said that she “[c]annot stop crying,” after receiving the first Academy Award nomination of her career. Her performance showcased a whole new aspect of her talent . However, with two talented nominees, it seems that either could win. Both roles and actresses are so different. To add to the film’s success, Wicked has received nominations for production design, sound, visual effects, costumes, editing, as well as hair and makeup styling. Furthermore, while Wicked was not eligible for the original song category (as they used songs from the original musical), they did score a nomination for best original score. However, the film’s mastermind and creator, Jon M. Chu missed out on a nomination in the directing category.

Jon M. Chu and Selena Gomez aren’t the only people who got snubbed. Pamela Anderson returned to the screen this year in the film The Last Showgirl. Anderson  scored many nominations for her role in the movie, such as a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. However, it appears that she missed out on a nomination for an Oscar. Many people have seemed upset by this, claiming that Pamela Anderson is an icon and deserves to be there. Still, others think that her performance was forgettable. Personally I think she should be there, would she win? Probably not, but was her performance worthy of a spot, for sure. At the same time, another actress from The Last Showgirl also seems to have been overlooked. By this, I’m referring to Jamie Lee Curtis, who co-starred alongside Anderson. Countless others also appear to have been neglected, like Angelina Jolie in Maria, and Nicole Kidman for Babygirl. This just goes to show how competitive this year’s awards will be. Gladiator II could only manage a single nomination for their costume design, while the original film won five oscars. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the new film as the first one was just so iconic and unreplicable there was no need to make another.

Now that I have shared my opinions, let’s see what some other San Marcos students think. Giselle Delgado, a freshman from San Marcos shared, “I think that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo deserve to win an Oscar this year because they are amazing humans as well as actresses.” Giselle also shared that, “Jon M. Chu deserved an Oscar because the film was amazing and there are no films like it.” Lastly Giselle brought up another film that got snubbed this year, Mufasa. She quotes, “Mufasa is full of incredible actors like the lead of the film, Aaron Pierre.” I agree with Giselle, Mufasa was a stunning film full of color, life, and incredible music. In conclusion, the Oscar nominations this year surprised us all. Many unexpected shows got the recognition nobody knew they would, and many incredible films missed out. I think that this year’s awards will be full of twists and surprises. Make sure to watch the Oscars this year on March 2nd, 2025 at 4:00 PM PST.