Podcast Summary: The Big Picture – Episode: 2025 Oscar Nominations: Snubs, Surprises, and WTFs

Introduction

In this episode of The Big Picture, hosted by Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins from The Ringer, the hosts delve into the highly anticipated 2025 Academy Award nominations. Joined by Matt Bellany and later guest Gintz Zilb, the discussion covers the major contenders, unexpected snubs, surprising inclusions, and the controversies surrounding the nominees.

Oscar Nominations Overview

Sean Fennessey opens the conversation by highlighting Emilia Perez's impressive haul of 13 nominations, tying her with historical giants like Forrest Gump and Shakespeare in Love ([02:10]). This surge marks the highest number of nominations for an international feature, signaling the Academy’s continued appreciation for diverse storytelling.

Matt Bellany echoes Sean’s sentiment, noting that while many nominations were expected, a few surprises still emerged, keeping the race unpredictable ([02:43]). Notably, the film The Brutalist garnered 10 nominations, positioning it as a strong contender alongside Emilia Perez’s Flow.

Best Picture Race

The hosts identify Amelia Perez and The Brutalist as the frontrunners for Best Picture. Sean remarks, “This feels like Emilia Perez versus The Brutalists” ([04:17]), emphasizing the significant competition between these two films. Amanda Dobbins points out that Amelia Perez’s 13 nominations make it a historic contender, especially given its blend of international flair and audacious filmmaking ([05:12]).

Despite the dominance of these films, there are notable entries like Nickel Boys with six nominations and newcomer Anora, which secured eight nominations. The unpredictability of ranked-choice voting adds another layer of complexity to the Best Picture race ([04:11]).

Category Analyses

Best Director: Both frontrunners for Best Picture have first-time director nominations, indicating a shift towards fresh voices within the Academy ([08:05]). This year, seasoned directors like Daniel Craig were notably absent, reflecting the Academy’s evolving tastes.

Best Actor: Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet emerge as the main contenders. Sean comments on the emotional depth of Chalamet’s performance in I'm Still Here, suggesting it could significantly impact his chances if properly received by voters ([24:35]).

Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo secures a strong nomination alongside Ariana Grande, who for the first time receives a Best Supporting Actress nod. Quotes like Sean’s, “We are very excited about Ariana Grande making it into Best Supporting Actress” ([18:42]), highlight the buzz around these performances.

Supporting Categories: The competition in Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories is fierce. Sean expresses disappointment over missing out on nominees like Jamie Lee Curtis, while Amanda praises newcomers like Isabella Rossellini for finally receiving recognition ([28:39]).

Original Score: The Brutalist’s score, composed by Daniel Bloomberg, stands out as a potential winner. Matt notes its excellence, stating, “That’s a great score. I’ve seen the film. Good movie” ([10:56]).

Best Animated Feature: Animated favorites like Flow and Memoir of a Snail are in contention, with Flow being a front-runner due to its unique visual style and storytelling ([40:06]).

AI Controversy in The Brutalist

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around The Brutalist and the controversy surrounding its use of Artificial Intelligence. Sean narrates an incident where AI tools like MidJourney were used to generate architectural designs for the film, sparking debates about the role of AI in filmmaking ([48:00]).

Sean argues, “This is not gonna have a big and meaningful effect on the awards race except maybe in Best Actor” ([50:20]), suggesting that while the controversy is notable, it may not drastically alter the film’s Oscar prospects. Matt adds that AI was used as a tool for enhancement rather than replacement, emphasizing its collaborative nature ([51:43]).

Big Oscar Bet

Throughout the episode, Sean, Amanda, and Matt discuss their "Big Oscar Bet," where they predicted nominees and winners across various categories. They reveal a mixed performance, with both scoring around 50% accuracy. Amanda humorously acknowledges their blind predictions made months in advance, leading to half of their guesses being correct ([68:58]).

Guest Interview: Gintz Zilb on Flow

The latter part of the episode features an insightful interview with Gintz Zilb, the Latvian animation director behind the film Flow. Gintz shares his journey of creating Flow entirely by himself, from writing and directing to handling animation and music ([75:49]). He discusses the challenges of animating complex elements like water, emphasizing the technical and emotional aspects that bring the story to life.

Gintz states, “I think we just started in Cannes Film Festival, which was also a huge deal for us because they almost never select animation in competition” ([85:35]), highlighting the film’s unprecedented success and reception. He attributes Flow’s appeal to its ability to resonate with both children and adults, as well as its unique storytelling approach without dialogue ([87:42]).

Conclusion

Sean and Amanda wrap up the episode by reflecting on their predictions, the AI controversy, and the impressive achievements of filmmakers like Gintz Zilb. They tease upcoming discussions on other films and categories, maintaining an engaging and forward-looking perspective on the evolving landscape of Hollywood and the Academy Awards.

Notable Quotes:

• Sean Fennessey [02:10]: “But when you put it in context with all of the films that have gotten 13 nominations, the second most in the history of the Academy Awards, it's interesting.”

• Amanda Dobbins [05:12]: “Thirteen nominations for Emilia Perez is a very large number. It’s quite historic.”

• Sean Fennessey [08:05]: “All the best director nominees this year are first-time nominees, which also indicates shifting tides at the Academy.”

• Matt Bellany [24:35]: “I think he's got a real chance.”

• Sean Fennessey [50:20]: “This is not gonna have a big and meaningful effect on the awards race except maybe in Best Actor.”

• Gintz Zilb [75:49]: “I learned about writing and directing and animation and doing the music and sound. Of course, it's not perfect, but that's the best way to learn, is by making these things.”

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the 2025 Oscar nominations, insightful analyses of key categories, an engaging discussion on AI's role in filmmaking, and an inspiring interview with an emerging director. Whether you're an avid cinephile or casual movie enthusiast, this episode offers valuable perspectives on the current state and future direction of the Academy Awards.