When it comes to this year's Oscar winners [1], things were a bit all over the place. No single film dominated in more than two or three categories, and the night's biggest honours were spread between The Shape of Water; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Darkest Hour; and I, Tonya. Even with the wide array of winners, though, it wouldn't be the Oscars without a few snubs. Wondering which hopefuls wound up leaving the night empty-handed? Let's break it down.
Lady Bird
Lady Bird was nominated for five awards, including some of the night's biggest honors. It's true that all of the film's categories were tight: Saoirse Ronan was nominated for best actress alongside Meryl Streep [3] and Frances McDormand. Laurie Metcalf may have come close, but Allison Janney's turn in I, Tonya generated a ton of buzz. It's safe to say many wanted Greta Gerwig to take the win for best director [4]. Unfortunately, Lady Bird didn't win a single award.
Mudbound
With Mudbound, Netflix was bound to explode onto the Oscars landscape with exciting momentum. The nominations for best supporting actress, best adapted screenplay, and best original song were all special, but perhaps most exciting was the first woman to receive a best cinematography nod [5], Rachel Morrison. Sadly, none of these nominations led to a win.
The Post
Granted, The Post was only nominated for two Oscars, and one of them was a tight and crowded best picture category. But Meryl Streep [6] was a strong contender in the best actress category, with many lauding her work and predicting her win early on in the season. In this case, the film's momentum seems to have fizzled in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.
The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman only received one nomination, but it was almost surely locked in to win. "This Is Me" has everything an Oscar-winning song would need (in theory). It's a big, bold, triumphant song about self-empowerment and inner beauty. It was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who had just won the same Oscar the year before for La La Land. Shockingly, "This Is Me" lost.
Honorable Mention: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
By many accounts, Three Billboards had a triumphant Oscars night. Frances McDormand brought down the house [7] when she won best actress, and Sam Rockwell took home the gold for best supporting actor [8]. But the film had been sweeping the other ceremonies; it snagged best drama and best screenplay at the Golden Globes and outstanding performance by a cast at the SAG Awards. Most expected the film to take best picture and Martin McDonagh to win for best original screenplay. But those awards went to The Shape of Water and Get Out, respectively.