Mia Goth, ‘Nope’ and the great Oscars 2023 horror snub
Nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards have been revealed, leaving critics and movie lovers who are still interested in the Oscars incessantly debating which films and performers should take home a coveted statuette. Alongside those who are lucky enough to receive nominations, plenty of others were snubbed of praise, with the entire horror genre being sidelined for the 2023 ceremony, despite enjoying an unprecedented year of growth in 2022.
Favouring grand tales of American patriotism or human endeavour, it isn’t exactly surprising that the Oscars has chosen to ignore horror after decades of considering the genre to be nothing more than a teenage game of hack and slash. Indeed, over 95 iterations of the vanity project, only five horrors have been nominated for the top prize, including Jaws, The Exorcist, Get Out, The Sixth Sense and The Silence of the Lambs, with the latter being the only terrifying film to ever take home the prize.
Indeed, when it comes to Academy acclaim, horror is all-too-regularly treated with unfair disdain, regarded as frivolous ventures rather than artistic triumphs. This is curious considering the genre’s recent resurgence, with horror being seen as the trendiest conduit to channel the most pertinent questions about contemporary society. Such is indicated in Jennifer Kent’s examination of depression in 2014s Babadook, Ari Aster’s breakdown of mental health issues in 2018s Hereditary and Rose Glass’ tender insight into modern loneliness in 2019s Saint Maud, to name just three recent releases.
Growing with power and pertinence year by year, 2022 felt like the flourishing of a revolutionary decade in horror as esteemed modern genre filmmakers and innovative newcomers combined to create an impressive collective oeuvre.
Though glittering with impressive projects of varying shapes, sizes and tones, the year was arguably dominated by three key names who have long been ticking away in the industry: Jordan Peele, Phil Tippett and Ti West. Releasing Nope, Mad God and X, three entirely different pieces of horror cinema, the three creatives demonstrated the fabulous eccentricity of modern horror, shining a light on the genre’s spectacle and passion for the cinematic form, with Peele’s UFO-centric thriller even being laced with the same cinema-loving tone that the Oscars usually lap up.
What’s more, besides snubs for Peele, Tippett and West, the modern horror landscape is being pioneered by female filmmakers who are redefining a genre that has long been dominated by male voices. Thanks to such modern releases as Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Mimi Cave’s Fresh and Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies, horror is quickly becoming one of the most diverse and expressive genres of modern cinema, a triumph that should be praised by an Academy that has long been criticised for its stiff, dated attitudes.
Look closer at the most impressive horror triumph of the past year in Ti West’s stunning double-bill X and Pearl, and the staggering efforts of lead star and screenwriter Mia Goth come to light. Going viral for her terrifying performance in West’s Pearl, which was also written by the rising star, Goth established herself as a multi-faceted star capable of impressing on multiple fronts of production.
Considering the swath of audiences who demanded she be nominated for an Academy Award for Pearl, alongside the critical success of both of Ti West’s 2022s horror, Goth’s snub may be the most glaring omission from this year’s Oscars.
Expressing her frustration about the lack of awards recognition, Goth recently stated that the Oscars are: “very political. It’s not entirely based on the quality of a project per se. There’s a lot going on there and a lot of cooks in the kitchen when it comes to nominations. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but I think that’s true. I think a lot of people know that”.
The actor also insisted that a change in perception is necessary if the Academy wants to reflect the tastes of audiences, with the actor and screenwriter adding, “A change is necessary. A shift should take place if they wanted to engage with the wider public. I think it would be of benefit, really, [to nominate horror movies]”.
With 2022 being one of the most innovative and diverse years for horror in recent memory, it’s difficult to know what kind of genre flick the genre would have to produce for the Academy to sit up and take notice. With a forthcoming remake of the Oscar-nominated William Friedkin classic The Exorcist on the way, in addition to MaXXXine, the final film in West’s Goth-led trilogy, here’s hoping horror will take centre stage this time next year.
