The Bafta Award nominations are out and there’s no arguing it’s been a glorious year for film.
Gravity, American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave lead the pack but with so many incredible releases jostling for contention, it’s no surprise that there have been some notable snubs too.
Here are our pick of the most baffling omissions.
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Idris Elba and Naomie Harris
It’s not called the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for nothing.
Usually, there’s a distinct bias towards Brits in the nominations but neither Idris Elba or Naomie Harris received nominations for their performances in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, just a month after the ex-South African president’s death.
James McAvoy
James McAvoy picked up a best actor prize at the British Independent Film Awards for his searing performance as a bent copper fast losing his morals and his mind in this Irvine Welsh adaptation but failed to make even the shortlist at the Baftas.
Dallas Buyers Club
It’s a well-known awards formula that putting on or losing weight for a harrowing role, pretty much guarantees nominations galore.
Sadly, this hasn’t worked for either Matthew McConaughey or Jared Leto, both sensational as AIDS sufferers in Dallas Buyers Club.
Inside Llewyn Davis
Since it premiered at Cannes last year, Inside Llewyn Davis has been touted as a sure-fire awards magnet.
But it seems the Coen brothers have been forgotten as their latest film only picked up a measly three nominations with nothing for incredible lead actor Oscar Isaac.
Michael Douglas
A supporting actor nod for Matt Damon but nothing for co-star Michael Douglas? That’s just plain crazy.
Douglas’ turn as pianist Liberace in Behind the Candelabra was a career best and deserved at least a nomination in the best actor category.
Before Midnight
A smaller film like Before Midnight was never going to be in with a shot for any of the main categories but its witty and intelligent script, co-written by director Richard Linklater and stars Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, should have scored an original screenplay nod.
Her
Her has emerged as a surprise front-runner in the awards race with voters falling for Spike Jonze’s tender love story between a lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) and a Siri-like computer operating system (Scarlett Johansson)
Although it won’t be getting any Bafta love as it failed to get any nominations at all today.
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