The Post has a great triumvirate of heavy hitters in actors Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, with Steven Spielberg directing. The film, seemingly constructed as an Oscar magnet, got terrific reviews too — not just obligatory valedictory plaudits for the familiar names in lights. But somehow in this topsy-turvy world The Post managed only two Oscar nominations. It’s not, of course, that every time Hanks, Streep and Spielberg appear in theaters they get Oscar nods. But with a total of 41 nominations between them it’s a relatively regular occurrence. This time only Streep came away with a nomination — for Best Actress.
The second nomination for The Post — Best Picture — is inclusive enough that Spielberg and Hanks are clearly being acknowledged. Maybe the Academy just decided it wanted to give its awards to people who haven’t already received dozens of Lifetime Achievement Awards. Oddsmakers certainly gave Spielberg a good chance of winning, and if The Post wins Best Picture he’ll have his moment. (It’s always tough to say the Best Picture didn’t have the Best Director.) But even the Academy seems to be looking for change this year, having received the message to try to stay relevant in changing times.
