Alfonso Cuarón

Though the show featured some pleasantly surprising wins and an impressive number of awards given to artists of color, the moments we could champion were quickly snuffed out by those that disappointed.

Even though “Beale Street” is a better film than “Vice,” the latter is the easier awards sell. As films such as “Darkest Hour” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” can attest, even awful-to-mediocre biopics with strong central performances are an Oscars shoo-in for best actor and best picture.

“Roma” is surely a representation of someone’s story; it’s simply not Cleo’s or Libo’s. It’s Cuarón’s. And that is OK. The film should be recognized for telling his largely autobiographical story in a beautiful way.

Awards show season has commenced with Sunday’s 76th annual Golden Globe Awards, a time of year full of unfulfilled hopes that somehow or someday the awards givers will meet audience’s expectations. Unfortunately, this year was not an exception to any rule.

It is undeniable that “Roma” has its heart in the right place. It is a loving tribute to the women who raised Cuarón, and it’s no accident that many of the film’s male characters are either wholly toxic or, at worst, terrifyingly violent.

Christopher Nolan may have received that coveted nomination, but the industry’s unwillingness to celebrate him remains to a significant degree.

The No. 1-seeded contenders, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Blade Runner,” rode their all-time classic force through to the final four.