A few things...
Honestly, I don't love Joker. I've had a few months to sit with it now, and I've come to that conclusion. I like it, I admire it, but can't bring myself to love it. I admire its production design, score, cinematography, Phoenix's performance, etc. It's a handsomely made film and a beautiful production top to bottom. I do not think it's all that great of a script, and it's also not really how I view the character at the end of the day.
However people being salty about it getting nominations is really silly. It's not hard to understand. The movie executed well on its vision. It also features the most talked about performance of the year from one of our best actors. The likely reason it got so many nominations is that the vast majority of voting members of the Academy are actors. And this is a film that is completely driven by the lead performance. A lot of people, of all different backgrounds just loved this movie, including people in the industry. And that's OK.
I'm just so sick of all the importance put on who or what gets nominated for an Oscar. The controversy that erupts year after year is so tiresome.