The 98th Oscars: Nom Nom Noms

Here I was thinking I needed to write a pensive state-of-the-decrepit-Academy piece as the Oscars sidle up on their centennial, but this morning's slate of nominations cheered me in ways I hardly expected, especially as a spark of celebration in a dark, dark time. First of all, "Sinners" broke right through the record for most nominations with 16 in total, including – inhale – Best Picture, Director (Ryan Coogler), Actor (Michael B. Jordan, and he really should've been nominated twice, since he played twins), Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo, a worthy nomination in its own right but also a make-good for getting skunked by the Academy for 2020's "Da 5 Bloods"), Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku), Original Screenplay (Coogler), Cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw), Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter – her fifth nomination, making her the most-nominated Black woman in AMPAS history), Editing, Production Design, Original Score, Song ("I Lied to You," the blues number that cues the film's most miraculous moment), Sound, Visual Effects and the new category of Best Casting (Francine Maisler), a nomination well deserved when you look at the film's rich array of characters and performers.

Even with that extra push, "Sinners" would still have come in with 15 nominations, one ahead of the 14 racked up by the previous record holders: "All About Eve," "Titanic" and "La La Land."

Does that betoken a sweep on the night of March 15? Not necessarily.