By jasper 
Alright, as anticipated, Dune has absolutely swept the nominations, securing a total of ten nods. Beyond its Best Picture nomination, it dominated the visual and auditory categories. A notable absence, however, is Denis Villeneuve’s lack of a Best Director nomination. On the other hand, The Power of the Dog emerges as the undeniable frontrunner this year, leading with an impressive twelve nominations. Remarkably, the film has garnered nominations for its entire principal cast: one for Best Actor, two for Best Supporting Actor, and one for Best Supporting Actress, alongside a Best Director nomination for Jane Campion, essentially a clean sweep for the key creative figures.
The Best Actor and Best Actress races this year are shaping up to be fiercely competitive. In the Best Actor category, it’s a clash of titans between the established prowess of Benedict Cumberbatch and the compelling talent of Andrew Garfield. The Best Actress lineup presents an interesting dynamic: of the five nominees, only the seasoned Julianne Moore and the consistently acclaimed Kristen Stewart have yet to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, suggesting that the award is truly up for grabs. Notably, this marks Stewart’s first-ever Oscar nomination in this category. While many would be thrilled with any outcome, a win for Stewart in her debut nomination would undoubtedly solidify her status as an industry “darling.”
The Best Supporting Actress nominations brought both pleasant surprises and disappointments. Jessie Buckley’s compelling performance in The Lost Daughter was arguably on par with Olivia Colman’s, yet Katrina Balfe, who actively participated throughout the awards season circuit for Belfast, unfortunately did not secure a nomination in this category.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi has emerged as a significant presence at this year’s Oscars, earning nominations in four prestigious categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, all carrying considerable weight. Considering the recent successes of films from South Korea and China in previous years, one might wonder about Hamaguchi’s chances. However, his multiple nominations, including becoming only the third Japanese director to be nominated for Best Director (following the esteemed Hiroshi Teshigahara and Akira Kurosawa), undeniably signifies that the label of “hot new talent” no longer quite captures his established recognition.
Adding to the diverse array of nominated films, two other critically acclaimed productions have garnered multiple nods. The Worst Person in the World received nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay, while Flee impressively secured nominations in the Best International Feature Film, Best Animated Feature Film, and Best Documentary Feature Film categories, essentially maximizing its potential for recognition across various genres.