Oscar Nominations 2024: 8 Ups & 9 Downs

1. Short Film Categories Avoid Obvious Choices

A bit of a niche subject to end our list now, then, but the three short film categories did themselves well this year by avoiding the usual issue of giving precedence to both shorts featuring A-list actors, and those backed by huge studios.

Case in point, Pedro Almodóvar's live-action short Strange Way of Life - starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal - failed to score a nomination despite being one of the most high-profile nominees.

Elsewhere, Disney's Once Upon a Studio, a shortlisted animated short which seemed like a shoo-in, failed to receive a nod, indicating that those voting on these categories got a little more adventurous - or, not lazy - this time around.

While they did still nominate Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar for Best Live-Action Short, given that it's actually a great short and might finally give Anderson his first long overdue Oscar win, it's tough to get mad about it.

Much as the best short should always win, the spirit of the short film categories should arguably be to foreground unknown or on-the-rise talents who will actually benefit hugely from a nomination or win - not just letting known quantities clog up the field.

And so in that regard, Oscar voters acquitted themselves rather well this year.