With 12 nominations, Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog,” a revisionist Western that employs a tired genre to investigate toxic masculinity, dominated the Academy Awards on Tuesday. It was quickly followed by “Dune,” a vast adaptation of a popular sci-fi novel that defied critics to receive ten Oscar nominations despite the fact that it was initially thought to be unfilmable.
“Belfast,” Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age narrative, and Steven Spielberg’s gorgeous take on a beloved musical, each got seven nods. “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” and “Nightmare Alley” are among the films nominated for best picture, along with “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” and “Nightmare Alley.”
This year’s celebration of all things film comes at a time when the film industry is undergoing significant change. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the box office, resulting in significant financial losses for several of the top Oscar contenders during their theatrical runs. Many films, including “West Side Story,” “Belfast,” and “Nightmare Alley,” failed to convert critical acclaim into actual ticket sales. At the same time, the public health problem has hastened big media corporations’ shift from theaters to streaming. Almost every media behemoth has established its own in-house Netflix opponent, from Disney to WarnerMedia, ViacomCBS to Comcast, and this is fundamentally changing the way they make and release films. According to COVID, WarnerMedia, for example, presented all of its new movies on HBOMax in 2021 at the same time they hit theaters, including “Dune” and “King Richard.” Apple, the producer of “CODA,” and Netflix, the backer of “The Power of the Dog” and “Don’t Look Up,” all received best picture nods.
Jane Campion made history when she was nominated for “The Power of the Dog” and became the first woman to receive two best director nominations. She was also nominated in the category of best adapted script. Branagh became the first individual to receive seven Oscar nominations in seven distinct categories with “Belfast.” He was recognized for directing, producing, and composing the film’s original screenplay. Branah had previously been nominated for Oscars for “Henry V,” “Swan Song,” “My Week With Marilyn,” and “Hamlet.”
Troy Kotsur, who co-starred with Marlee Matlin in “Children of a Lesser God,” became only the second deaf actor to be nominated for playing a deaf character, following in the footsteps of his co-star.
In a win for domestic harmony, Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz of “Being the Ricardo” became the sixth married couple to be nominated for acting in the same year. In the supporting acting categories, Kirstin Dunst and Jesse Plemons, who co-star in “The Power of the Dog,” were nominated.
Best Supporting Actress
Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
Judi Dench (Belfast)
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)
Best Costume Design
Cruella (Jenny Beavan)
Cyrano (Massimo Cantini Parrini)
Dune (Jacqueline West)
Nightmare Alley (Luis Sequeira)
West Side Story (Paul Tazewell)
Best Sound
Belfast
Dune
No Time to Die
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story
Best Original Score
Don’t Look Up (Nicholas Britell)
Dune (Hans Zimmer)
Encanto (Germaine Franco)
Parallel Mothers (Alberto Iglesias)
The Power of the Dog (Jonny Greenwood
Best Adapted Screenplay
CODA (Sian Heder)
Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi & Takamasa Oe)
Dune (Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts & Denis Villeneuve)
The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)
Best Original Screenplay
Belfast (Kenneth Branagh)
Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay & David Sirota)
Licorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson)
King Richard
The Worst Person in the World
Best Animated Short
Affairs of the Art
Bestia
Boxballet
Robin Robin
The Windshield Wiper
Best Live Action Short
Ala Kachuu — Take and Run
The Dress
The Long Goodbye
On My Mind
Please Hold
Best Supporting Actor
Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
Troy Kotsur (CODA)
Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)
J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)
Best Film Editing
Don’t Look Up (Hank Corwin)
Dune (Joe Walker)
King Richard (Pamela Martin)
The Power of the Dog (Peter Sciberras)
Tick, Tick… Boom! (Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
House of Gucci
Coming 2 America
Cruella
Dune
Best Animated Feature
Encanto
Flee
Luca
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Raya and the Last Dragon
Best Documentary Feature
Ascension
Attica
Flee
Summer of Soul
Writing With Fire
Best Documentary Short
Audible
Lead Me Home
The Queen of Basketball
Three Songs for Benazir
When We Were Bullies
Best Original Song
“Be Alive” — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Darius Scott (King Richard)
“Dos Oruguitas” — Lin-Manuel Miranda (Encanto)
“Down to Joy” — Van Morrison (Belfast)
“No Time to Die” — Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell (No Time to Die)
“Somehow You Do” — Diane Warren (Four Good Days)
Best Cinematography
Dune (Greig Fraser)
Nightmare Alley (Dan Lausten)
The Power of the Dog (Ari Wegner)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Bruno Delbonnel)
West Side Story (Janusz Kaminski)
Best Film Editing
Don’t Look Up (Hank Corwin)
Dune (Joe Walker)
King Richard (Pamela Martin)
Tick, Tick… Boom! (Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum)
The Power of the Dog (Peter Sciberras)
Best International Feature
Drive My Car (Japan)
Flee (Denmark)
The Hand of God (Italy)
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)
The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
Best Production Design
Dune (Zsuzsanna Sipos & Patrice Vermette)
Nightmare Alley (Tamara Deverell & Shane Vieau)
The Power of the Dog (Grant Major & Amber Richards)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Stefan Dechant & Nancy Haigh)
West Side Story (Rena DeAngelo & Adam Stockhausen)
Best Visual Effects
Dune
Free Guy
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
No Time to Die
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
Kristen Stewart (Spencer)
Best Actor
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Will Smith (King Richard)
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)
Drive My Car (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi)
Best Picture
Belfast
CODA
Don’t Look Up
Drive My Car
Dune
King Richard
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story