Awards Season is in full effect, with the 2025 Academy Award Nominations announced this morning. Historically, some of the best horror movies have failed to get recognized, as the genre is seemingly a hard pill to swallow for voters. Coralie Fargeat's The Substance was a big question mark for this reason, but the project managed to pick up some major nods, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Demi Moore. But there are also some egregious snubs in categories where it deserved more. Let's break it all down.
Much of the upcoming Awards show chatter surrounding The Substance has been about Moore finally getting recognized, especially after she won Best Actress at the Golden Globes. The Academy didn't let the Ghost actress down in this regard, and also gave Fargeat the flowers she deserves for her impeccable vision and bringing the project together. But I'm still not satisfied, as there are a number of categories I believe it the body horror flick should have gotten nominated for. Especially Best Sound, Editing, Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress for Margaret Qualley.
The Substance's BTS featurette showed just how much work and vision Coralie Fargeat put into The Substance, and her hands-on approach to shooting. And it's for that reason that I think the film's cinematography deserved some love. The movie is so captivating because of the very specific way it's captured on camera, as well as how it's all edited together as the stakes and tension rise.
While Demi Moore has been rightfully getting her flowers for her performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, I don't think that there's been enough chatter about her counterpart Margaret Qualley as Sue. While she starts off the movie as a gorgeous new talent on the scene, she ends up running the gamut of emotions and becoming a murderous Mr. Hyde. And that's to say nothing of her performance as MonstroElisaSue, which required her to be basically completely covered in prosthesis.
Although I have to say that the snub that I'm most fired up about for The Substance was Best Sound. The movie's sound is basically another character, with every squelch adding to the nausea-inducing body horror. And I'll truly never forget the scene where Kevin Costner disgustingly chowed down on shrimp while firing Elisabeth. Despite all the blood and guts of the film, that one ended up being the most disturbing for me... largely due to the sound. Add in the way The Substance's theme song as well as "Pump It Up" are utilized throughout its runtime, and the sound is basically another character.
As someone who ranked The Substance as the best movie of 2024, I should clarify I'm hyped it got recognized on so many categories, and am really hoping Demi Moore wins for Best Actress. I just wanted even more love for the horror flick.
Be sure to check the 2025 movie release dates, especially with all the upcoming horror movies heading to theaters.
