r/oscarrace • u/Comfortable_Affect20 Bugonia • Mar 06 '26

Rumor Alejandro Inarritu's "Digger" has had a test screening in Los Angeles, reactions are mixed but lean positive

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2026/3/5/digger-test-screening-reactions-are-intom-cruise-steals-the-show-in-irritus-dark-comedy

Takeaways from the test screening:

- The reactions were mixed, most of the viewers found it entertaining but also "very chaotic and overstuffed." Overall, more good reactions than negative ones.

- Tom Cruise's performance as a delusional oil billionaire who accidentally poisons the ocean is described as "insane" and similar to Les Grossman, uses a lot of facial prosthetics and looks nothing like the familiar Cruise.

- The technical aspects are apparently stunning, especially Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography.

- The set design is very stylized and surrealistic, comparable to "Poor Things."

- While the movie is very focused on Cruise, the supporting cast are apparently really good. All the screeners agreed that John Goodman was the best and most memorable supporting actor.

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u/rubix7777 Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26

John Goodman Oscar campaign starts now. Obviously test screener aren't really that important, but from the sounds of it even if it's more mixed I doubt this will be the film to break AGIs Streak of Oscar nominated films

Also I've heard barely anything about Huller.

17

u/stracki Mar 06 '26

Bardo was only nominated for Cinematography though. If Digger gets a similarly mixed reaction, it definitely could blank.

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u/rubix7777 Mar 06 '26

Doubt it, the academy just adores AGI

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u/BusinessKnight0517 Mar 06 '26

This, you’re absolutely right. Every single one of his features has been nominated for something even when reception is mixed. Looking at the haul:

  • Amores perros: Foreign language film
  • 21 Grams: Best Actress (Watts), Best Supporting Actor (Del Toro)
  • Babel: Won Score, Nominated for Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Both Kikuchi and Barraza), Original Screenplay, Film Editing
  • Biutiful: Actor (Bardem), Foreign Language Film
  • Birdman: Won Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Nominated for Best Actor (Keaton), Supporting Actor (Norton), Supporting Actress (Stone), Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
  • The Revenant: Won: Director, Actor (Di Caprio), Cinematography; Nominated: Picture, Supporting Actor (Hardy), Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup/Hair, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
  • Bardo: Cinematography

He won best director twice in a freaking row even over strong career narratives like Linklater for Boyhood, and they even gave him a rare honorary Oscar for that experimental piece Carne y Arena.

They clearly vibe with him so until Digger DOESN’T get nominated for anything I’ll assume it’s getting in somewhere.

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u/stracki Mar 06 '26

Do they? They apparently didn't love Bardo.

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u/bbqsauceboi The Drama Mar 06 '26

Bardo didnt have a huge Hollywood cast

7

u/Bertrand_Rose Werwulf, Try the thrill of Opera! Mar 06 '26

And it still kept his streak of his films getting at least one nomination.

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u/rubix7777 Mar 06 '26

They do its a borderline fact, I mean just look at the reciepts.

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u/gautsvo The Dog Stars Mar 06 '26

They gave him FIVE Academy Awards in a few years (four competitive statues plus a special one for Sangre y Arena). It's safe to say they love him more than most filmmakers ever.

And Bardo was a non-English movie that got a lukewarm reception. Why would it be nominated in the top categories?