The Inventory

Pop culture obsessives writing for the pop culture obsessed.

The Academy Award nominations are announced every January. With Oscar This, The A.V. Club stumps for unlikely candidates—the dark horses we’d love to see compete on Oscar night.

1/21/19

11:00 AM

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Oscar This1/21/19

Oscar This1/21/19

Should the Best Picture Oscar be considered the award for the best producing?

Lawrence Garcia

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1/20/19

9:00 AM

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Oscar This1/20/19

Oscar This1/20/19

Two of the year's best performances are being pushed for the wrong Oscar categories

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1/19/19

9:00 AM

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Oscar This1/19/19

Oscar This1/19/19

One year after Get Out, another social thriller deserves Oscar love for its script

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1/18/19

9:00 AM

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Oscar This1/18/19

Oscar This1/18/19

A Simple Favor’s costume design isn’t just dazzling and sexy—it tells a whole story

Allison Shoemaker

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1/17/19

11:00 AM

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Oscar This1/17/19

Oscar This1/17/19

If the Oscars valued smart comic acting, Rachel McAdams would be a shoo-in for Game Night

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1/16/19

11:00 AM

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Oscar This1/16/19

Oscar This1/16/19

There’s room for a little originality in the Oscar race for Best Adapted Screenplay

Jesse Hassenger

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1/22/18

9:00 AM

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Oscar This1/22/18

Oscar This1/22/18

Lady Bird will likely get a lot of Oscar love… but how about in the editing category?

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1/20/18

12:00 PM

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Oscar This1/20/18

Oscar This1/20/18

Personal Shopper’s awards-caliber sound effects create an eerie atmosphere

Charles Bramesco

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1/19/18

9:00 AM

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Oscar This1/19/18

Oscar This1/19/18

Good Time's gritty camerawork would be a welcome rebuke to the Academy's tony taste

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

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1/18/18

7:00 AM

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Oscar This1/18/18

Oscar This1/18/18

Sometimes the best-directed movie isn’t among the best of the year

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1/17/18

7:00 AM

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Oscar This1/17/18

Oscar This1/17/18

In a competitive year for Best Actress, Aubrey Plaza dangles Oscar bait from outside the box

Jesse Hassenger

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1/16/18

7:00 AM

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Oscar This1/16/18

Oscar This1/16/18

Blade Runner 2049 brought humanity to today’s most artificial movie gimmick

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1/23/17

2:00 PM

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Oscar This1/23/17

Oscar This1/23/17

This year, the Oscars celebrate 60 years of ignoring movies from around the world

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

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1/20/17

1:13 PM

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Oscar This1/20/17

Oscar This1/20/17

Green Room’s scrappy realism doesn’t stand a chance at the Oscars—but it should

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1/19/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/19/17

Oscar This1/19/17

Academy elitism will keep American Honey’s ragtag costumes out of the race

Esther Zuckerman

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1/18/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/18/17

Oscar This1/18/17

The Academy should consider the farty boner corpse and other frugal effects work

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1/17/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/17/17

Oscar This1/17/17

The Academy won’t hear The Neon Demon’s terrific sound design over its unpopularity

Jesse Hassenger

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1/16/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/16/17

Oscar This1/16/17

A small, character-based documentary isn’t “important” enough for the Academy

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1/13/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/13/17

Oscar This1/13/17

Ones, zeroes, and a disembodied voice delivered one of last year’s best performances

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1/12/17

1:00 AM

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Oscar This1/12/17

Oscar This1/12/17

The Oscar-worthy cinematography of Pete’s Dragon is anything but kids’ stuff

Charles Bramesco

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