Straight Outta Compton and other Oscar snubs

Straight Outta Compton was probably the most noticeable snub in the Best Picture Oscar  race this year  give or take a vote of two for Carol.  I missed it over the summer, but had been looking forward to seeing it.  Now I was even more excited as I had watched its evolution from surprise box office hit, to critically lauded film, to potential Oscar nominee, to most egregious snub in the Best Picture race.  

Now that I've seen it I can say that Straight Outta Compton would have been a deserving nominee.  It is certainly now in my top 20 films of the year, if not my top 10.   It's one of the best bio pics I've seen and Hollywood puts out its share of dull cookie cutter ones.   While I am sure that Compton present the men of NWA in a more heroic light than reality, it also isn't afraid to show  Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy E warts and all.  It's a inside look at a time capsule for those who watch the rise of west coast rap music from the outside.  

I can also see why this would not appeal to the average elderly Oscar voter of which there are too many.   However, it would be fair for a woman to not be a big fan as the women minor characters are underwritten at best and stereotypical sex objects at worst.   The ending is also a slight letdown as it devolves a bit into melodrama that the first 2/3 of the film does not resemble.  Acting wise it is a strong  mostly unknown ensemble.   While it is eerie how close to his father in appearance and mannerisms O'Shea Jackson Jr. Is to his father Ice Cube, the film's best acting comes from Jason Mitchell as Easy E.   I'm excited to see what he does in the future.

I give Straight Outta Compton 8 out of 10, and while I am thinking about it here are 20 films from the last 20 years that I think we're snubbed for Best Picture.   There are obviously more movies that were snubbed during this time, but I limited it to 20-- one per year.

2015 Inside Out
2014 Foxcatcher
2013 Blue Jasmine
2012 The Perks of Being a Wallflower
2011 The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo
2010 Rabbit Hole
2009 Fantastic Mr.  Fox
2008 Vicki Cristina Barcelona
2007 Into the Wild
2006 Volver
2005 Murderball
2004 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2003 Kill Bill Vol.  1
2002 Far From Heaven
2001 Royal Tenenbaums
2000 Almost Famous
1999 The Talented Mr.  Ripley
1998 Gods and Monsters
1997 Boogie Nights
1996 Evita