The 90th annual Academy Awards were hosted in 2018 and honored the best films from the previous year in 2017. Some of the films released that year that could have been nominated, but weren't, were: Lady Bird.
Looking at this list now, there are a few nominees that haven't aged well and probably didn't deserve the praise they received, and there is definitely a handful of other great films that should have been recognized instead.
Should Have Been: Molly's Game
This biographical feature film stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, who in the mid-2000s helped organize illegal poker games among Hollywood's most elite players. The film also stars Kevin Costner, who gives an equally great performance.
Jessica Chastain was recognized for her work in this film, but the film as a whole was mostly snubbed during award season, which seemed odd given its great review from both fans and critics.
Should Have Been: The Circle
This thriller is based on the David Eggers novel by the same name and stars Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. The film did very well at the box office but received less than favorable reviews from most major film critics.
The Academy's lack of nominations for the film may have been attributed to a lack of critical praise, and they may have overlooked it entirely. The Academy may have wanted to take a second look at this one, especially considering it was made by some of the Academy voters' favorite filmmakers.
Nominated: Darkest Hour
This war drama is set in 1940 and stars Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. This feature had everything the Academy looks for when nominating a feature film, which is probably why it received so much praise at the 90th ceremony.
However, the film was not as well-received by the average movie-goer and this film's recognition doesn't accurately represent what audiences were watching that year and what most people enjoyed seeing.
Should Have Been: The Upside
This feel-good story is about a paralyzed billionaire and an ex-convict who form an unlikely friendship. The film, which is a remake of a French film called The Intouchables seemed like an obvious choice for Academy Award voters
Both Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston give wonderfully heartfelt performances that deserved more recognition than they got. The film as a whole should have been more considered during award season that year.
Should Have Been: The Shack
This magical film, based on the novel with the same name, will leave its viewers believing in something bigger than themselves. The film, which stars Octavia Spencer, Sam Worthington, and Tim McGraw is about a man who loses his daughter tragically and goes to an abandoned shack in the woods, where he has a spiritual experience.
It's been heavily debated as to whether or not the story is true and the film had both fans and critics talking for a while after its release.
Nominated: Phantom Thread
This historical drama was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a couture dressmaker in 1950s London. The film did not do very well initially at the box office, but the numbers increased once it was announced that the film had been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
It seems a little backward for a film to gain popularity after it's been nominated, instead of being nominated because it was so popular among movie-goers.
Should Have Been: The Florida Project
This independent comedy-drama stars an ensemble cast, most of whom are making their feature film debut. The film tells the story of a young girl, played by the brilliant and adorable Brooklynn Prince, and her mother, who live in a motel in Kissimmee, Florida, and struggle to make ends meet and stay out of trouble.
The one recognizable name in the cast, William DaFoe, received a nomination in the Best ing Actor category, but that was the only praise this very well made indie film received from the Academy.
Should Have Been: Marshall
This was probably one of the biggest snubs of award season in 2018. This film starring Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the United States' first Supreme Court Justice, tells the story of Marshall's early life and one of his first criminal cases.
The performances in this film and the film as a whole are nothing short of brilliant and the fact that this film wasn't nominated in any of the major categories at the Academy Awards is really unfortunate.
Nominated: Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri
Though the individual performances in this film are spectacular, the film as a whole is a bit messy and the storyline and the through-line of the feature get fuzzy as the film plays on.
Fans and critics expect a certain caliber of filmmaking from the films nominated, especially in the Best Picture category, and a lot of those fans and critics believe this film fell short of those expectations, despite Francis McDormand and Sam Rockwell giving award-worthy performances.
Should Have Been: Girls' Trip
This film starring Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Jada Pickett Smith deserved a lot more praise and recognition than it received.
The film is not only widely entertaining and hysterical, but it also boasts a very positive message of female empowerment and is one of the few films with an all-female cast that doesn't pit the female characters against one another and instead depicts the reality of sisterhood and strong women relationships.
