The Biggest Oscar Snubs and Surprises: From ‘Power of the Dog’ to Zack Snyder

variety.com:

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards, Features EditorThere’s going to be shocks at every Academy Awards ceremony, though no one could have predicted just how dramatic things would get this year after Will Smith took umbrage to a joke Chris Rock made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.But in the end, there were very few surprises throughout the night, with most of the top awards going to the predicted frontrunners, particularly in the acting categories, which matched the SAG Award wins.

Apple made history by being the first streaming service to win best picture with “CODA,” which also won best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor for Troy Kotsur — who goes into the record books as the first deaf winner in the category.Here are some of the surprises and snubs throughout the night: SNUB: “The Power of the Dog”Jane Campion’s Western went into the evening with 12 nominations, more than any other film.

And while it scored an history-making win for Campion in director, that was its sole win. Most of the below-the-line love went to “Dune” and while it wasn’t a shocker to see Greig Fraser take cinematography for his stunning work on that film, particularly as he just triumphed at the ASC Awards.

But there was also a lot of support for Ari Wegner’s gorgeous work on “The Power of the Dog.” Wegner still made history — she’s only the second woman nominated in the category ever.SURPRISE: Kenneth Branagh, Best Original Screenplay, “Belfast”One of the most uncertain categories of the night, it looked like original screenplay could be anyone’s game — Paul Thomas Anderson won the BAFTA for “Licorice Pizza” while Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” took the WGA Award.