The 87th Academy Awards: The 8 most surprising Oscar snubs

Selma, Gone Girl, and The LEGO Movie top the list of expected nominees that didn't make the cut

(Image credit: (Paramount Pictures, Pathe, and Harpo Films))

Every year, the Oscar nominations are met with a chorus of boos by critics, analysts, and moviegoers alike — but this year's reaction is louder and angrier than usual. Greeted with a list of nominees that's both whiter and more male-centric than any year in well over a decade — including some baffling left-field picks, like Robert Duvall's nomination for his role in the much-derided The Judge — critics spent much of their time picking over the snubs, and the possible reasons behind them. Here are eight of the biggest:

1. Director Ava DuVernay for Selma

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.