Why was Scorsese's movie overlooked at the Oscars

asks First Things.

I haven't watched it.

But I have a few observations:

The movie stresses a failed priest who apostasizes. The "heartland" christians will ignore it as anti Christian propaganda from Hollywood, interpreting Christianity as a minor thing not worth dying for (ah, but what about all those Japanese who disagreed and died?)

One blog complained that the film was "Too religious" and they disliked this theme being thrown in their face. So the country club liberals and "no religion" types might see it as showing that yes, some people would die for their beliefs, and that just might suggest some uncomfortable ideas into their easy life, such as the possibility that God might exist and people might die for such a belief

A third reason is more subtle.

Maybe the modern day analogues are too uncomfortable for the movie going public.

Yes, the Christians and Shiites killed by ISIS are usually ignored, and this movie might ask a question: Why did Obama allow so few non Sunni "refugees" to enter the USA?

Or it might even come closer to prick the conscience of the clergy: Yes, we now see the Pope and a few bishops openly condemning Trumpie for his immigration policies. But how many condemned the three million deported by Obama? (a few, who didn't get a lot of publicity for it).

And how many bishops openly name (mainly Democratic) politicians for supporting abortion and Euthanasia, which under Obamacare was being pushed into Catholic hospitals and hospices? How many protested the pro abortion cheers at the Dcmocratic convention? How many helped the Little Sisters of the poor in their lawsuit against Obamacare's mandates to supply constraception/abortion pills? Again, a very quiet few, who usually did this using vauge language.

What is the difference between a priest who apostasizes to stop the torture of others, and a bishop who remains silent to keep the church's tax exempt status, (so they can use the money to "help the poor")?

Or, in Asia, the question might disturb the present Pope, who is willing to let China run the church (a la Henry VIII) for geopolitical reasons, while the "underground" church is being persecuted? Remember: China has a forced abortion policy.

And here in the Philippines, how many bishops who gladly go out and demonstrate against the "EJK" of drug dealers remained silent about the corrupt politicians who stole the money supposed to go to help the poor, or who took kickbacks from drug dealers? Yes, they did this because the same politicians donate money to the church to use for the poor.

Yes, they compromised for a good reason.