Tom Hanks tops list of Oscar nomination snubs

When this year's Academy Awards nominations were announced, many of the expected films and artists were there. But some big names were nowhere to be found.

Topping the list was Tom Hanks, who starred in two Oscar contenders, but came away empty for both.

Hanks had the top billing in Captain Phillips, which earned a total of six nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for newcomer Barkhad Abdi. But despite giving what many are calling his best performance in a decade, he was left out of nominations for Captain Phillips and Saving Mr. Banks, which got just one nod for Best Original Score.

Two-time Oscar-winner Emma Thompson, who earned Golden Globe and SAG nominations for her role as P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks, was similarly not recognized by the Academy.

Also left out of the crowded Best Actor race was Robert Redford, for All Is Lost, as the veteran's solo sea journey was lost amid a slew of louder films. Daniel Bruhl, who turned in a powerful performance as Niki Lauda in Rush, and Joaquin Phoenix, whose Her has been one of the most buzzed-about films heading into awards season, were snubbed as well.

Inside Llewyn Davis was roundly ignored, despite love from critics. Neither it nor its star, Oscar Isaac, nor directors Joel and Ethan Cohen, were recognized by the Academy or for any of the other major awards.

While it was initially met with acclaim, Lee Daniels' The Butler was shut out entirely from awards contention, including for lauded performances by Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. Perhaps it was overshadowed by Golden Globes Best Drama winner (and Best Picture Oscar contender) 12 Years A Slave, as, while the two films tread thematically different ground, Hollywood still seems to have very little room to honor diversity.

Similarly, the difficult, beautiful Fruitvale Station was left off the nominations, as it was for the Golden Globes, despite a standout effort from from Ryan Coogler, whose Beasts of the Southern Wild earned four Oscar nominations last year. Michael B. Jordan, who seems like a surefire someday-Oscar winner, missed a Best Actor nod.

So while there were many deserving would-be nominees left off this year's nominations, the list of snubs seemed particularly long, perhaps because the crop of films was so good.

And indeed, moviegoers rewarded good filmmaking when it happened, making 2013 the best box office year on record.

Salon [Los Angeles Times]