Oscars 2020 Nominations: 16 Biggest Shocks, Snubs & Surprises

12. Shock: Todd Phillips (Joker) Over Greta Gerwig (Little Women) & Lulu Wang (The Farewell) - Best Director

Joker Joaquin Phoenix
Warner Bros.

By far the most controversial category this year was Best Director, namely the decision to award all five slots to men, four of them white and three of them industry veterans.

And while you can't really argue with the nominations for Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), Sam Mendes (1917), Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), or Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Todd Phillips' nomination for Joker was a tough one to swallow.

Phillips' did a fine job, but Joker is so thoroughly anchored by Joaquin Phoenix's performance that there doesn't really seem to be that much truly exemplary about his direction.

Greta Gerwig (Little Women) and especially Lulu Wang (The Farewell) were both far more deserving of the fifth slot, and it would've made everyone feel a little less mad about what was for the most part another thoroughly white, male-dominated slate of nomineees.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.