Tag: Best Picture ranking

Posted in 2020-2029, Awards Season, Oscars, Ranking

97th Academy Awards: Best Picture Nominees ranked

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

As the curtain comes down on another awards season, it is time for Hollywood to mark its biggest night. The damage caused by the LA wildfires in January has brought things into perspective and although it promises to be a night filled with usual celebrations, glamour and parties, there is undoubtedly a sombre backdrop to this year’s awards. My heart goes out to all those affected by these terrible tragedies.

Nevertheless, ten more films are looking to bag the top prize and walk away with the coveted prize of Best Picture and join an illustrious company of films which includes Parasite, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Silence of the Lambs. In a year which gave us the first half of an adaptation of a beloved musical, a tense thriller set in the Vatican, a gnarly body horror, a musical biopic of one of the most influential artists of all time, a hilarious take on a not-so-Disney fairytale, and a 215-minute long historical epic. Not as strong as last year’s crop, but some excellent films nonetheless, and one that really doesn’t belong in this company.

Without further ado, here is my ranking of these films from worst to best, starting with…

10. Emilia Pérez

I always say that for every awards season, there is always going to be one film that I, for whatever reason, just do not vibe with or cannot understand why it has been nominated. This year, the film that stands out by quite a long way is Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez. I give this film all the points in the world for its originality and for the big audacious swings it takes. Anyone who says there is no originality left in cinema these days needs to look no further than this, a musical about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender reassignment surgery. You can’t get more original than that, however, originality does not make a good film.

The performances of its central three characters played by Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez are all strong and it hits on some important themes. However, a key requirement for any musical is to have memorable musical numbers that will leave you singing them for days and weeks afterwards, and the musical numbers here just didn’t have that. Furthermore, given the film has attracted strong criticism from Mexico and the transgender community combined with the controversy of resurfaced tweets from Gascon cannot and should not be ignored. All these factors should severely damage its chances of winning any awards. The fact it is the most nominated film this year is truly head-scratching.

 

9. A Complete Unknown

 

Bob Dylan, a name instantly recognisable to countless people worldwide, is considered one of the greatest artists of all time. 40 studio albums and 21 live albums across a more than 60-year career is an extraordinary legacy, and it is no surprise that many filmmakers such as Todd Haynes and Martin Scorsese have made films centred on such a remarkable musician. Having directed 2005’s Walk The Line, a music biopic about Johnny Cash, James Mangold stage dives back into this world for another film about the man who has sold 125 million albums worldwide.

James Mangold could have easily taken the standard biopic approach and chronicled Bob Dylan’s life from his early years to the present. However, he focuses specifically on the early days of Dylan’s career in the 1960s, highlighting his encounters with his idol, Woody Guthrie, and his whirlwind romances with Elle Fanning’s Sylvie Russo, and Monica Barbaro’s Joan Baez. Throughout this period, Dylan grapples with the desire for artistic freedom while rising to mega-stardom. Timothée Chalamet delivers a strong, transformative performance as Dylan and Mangold’s direction hits the right notes. However, I just wasn’t invested in the story as much as I wanted to, and I feel this film is primarily aimed at passionate fans of Dylan, which is not me. That being said, ‘The Times They Are A-Changin'” is one hell of a banger.

 

 

8. I’m Still Here

In every awards show of the 2020s so far, at least one international film has competed for the top prize. Walter Salles’s film, representing Brazil, tells the harrowing true story of a woman’s struggle to uncover the truth about her husband’s disappearance during the 1970s, a time when the country was under military dictatorship. The film portrays a warm and sincere family dynamic set against the backdrop of sunny Rio de Janeiro, despite the ominous sounds of military aircraft flying overhead. It also highlights a historical period that many viewers may not be aware of, making it depressingly relevant given the alarming rise in dictators or aspiring dictators around the world today.

While the film could have conveyed more urgency, considering the family’s desperate situation, Fernanda Torres’s excellent and restrained performance in the face of authoritarian brutality makes it a worthwhile watch. Torres thoroughly deserves her nomination for Best Actress.

 

7. Nickel Boys

Throughout the years, many filmmakers have portrayed the harsh realities of racism in the United States, an insidious presence that unfortunately persists not only in the U.S. but around the world. However, these films have rarely explored this theme from a first-person perspective. This is what makes RaMell Ross’s film so visually striking, entirely unique, and profoundly unsettling to watch. Based on the 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead, the film centres on the friendship of two boys who are sent to an abusive reform school in Florida, where they must endure and survive the brutality they encounter.

The decision to tell this story from the first-person perspective is bold, powerful and innovative and captures the cruelty of this “school” unequivocally. However, it does get to a point where as ground-breaking as telling such a story from the perspective of these two the way the film is directed can work against it. Nevertheless,  it remains an important and necessary watch given the pervasive ugliness of racism that remains pervasive in the US right to the present day.

 

6. The Brutalist

review

In today’s world of smartphones and social media, any film which exceeds three hours is bound to spark debate over whether such a lengthy runtime is justified. Even for the most ardent cinephile, a runtime of 3 hours and 35 minutes can feel like an endurance test. However, with the help of an intermission built into that runtime, Brady Corbet’s ambitious and pertinent drama of a Hungarian-Jewish architect striving to achieve the American Dream, filmed in glorious VistaVision, feels like a film that could have been made and released several decades ago. Unfortunately, the cacophonous bile spewed by supposed world leaders demonising immigrants and their legal bid to emigrate to a brand new country to make a new life for themselves, makes it all the more relevant in today’s political climate.

Its themes of striving to create something to leave a lasting legacy in your respective field, only to have numerous obstacles thrown in your way, are also very timely and topical. Despite that lengthy runtime, the clever use of a built-in intermission ensures the film seldom drags and I could have happily watched more, particularly as I felt the third act came to a sharp and abrupt halt which really took me out of the film and prevents it from becoming a true modern masterpiece.

 

5. The Substance

The sole film among this year’s nominees to be directed by a woman, and the first horror film to receive a best picture nomination since Get Out was nominated at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018. The Academy has not often embraced horror, particularly such gnarly body horror on display here. There has been an array of fantastic performances in horror films not getting the recognition they deserved (Toni Collette, Florence Pugh and Lupita Nyong’o in Hereditary, Midsommar and Us respectively to name but a few).

To see Demi Moore succeed where those aforementioned performances didn’t get the nomination they deserved is immensely satisfying. Coralie Fargeat’s fierce script is filled with biting social commentary about the ridiculous pressure society places on women, the absurd beauty standards women have to put up with compared to men and the pressures to maintain those standards in the face of getting old. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley both give tour-de-force performances, with an absolutely insane third act that you will not be forgetting in a hurry.

4. Anora

review

I was quite nervous about watching the follow-up film directed by Sean Baker, even knowing that it had won the coveted Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. This anxiety stemmed from my experience with his previous film, Red Rocket, which I found to be thoroughly repulsive and predatory. Thankfully, my worries about his latest film were quickly put to rest. Despite my many gripes with Red Rocket, Baker’s films give a voice to the marginalized in American society, and this theme is prominent in his hilarious and chaotic take on the classic Cinderella fairytale. The film follows a young New York sex worker who believes she has found her Prince Charming, only to discover that this particular prince has some rather unwelcoming parents and henchmen.

The entire film rests on her shoulders, and after delivering memorable supporting performances in recent years, Mikey Madison finally gets her well-deserved moment in the spotlight as the princess of this unconventional love story. Just don’t expect any ballgowns or happy-ever-afters.

 

3. Wicked

The first film of this year’s crop which was an undisputed box office juggernaut in 2024. It would be fair to say that given how popular (pun most definitely intended) the musical which inspired this film is, expectations were sky high as to whether the musical would translate to the big screen, which hasn’t always been an easy path. Fortunately, in the very capable hands of Jon M. Chu, the first part of this journey back to the land of Oz to explore the friendship of Shiz University students Galinda and Elphaba before their paths diverge into becoming the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good hit all the right notes. With those irresistibly catchy songs, and the incredible performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film defied expectations (and gravity), and we’re only halfway through the story. Wicked: For Good cannot get here soon enough.

2. Conclave

review

On paper, a film about a group of religious men in fancy robes going through a lengthy process of choosing their next leader doesn’t sound like it would be ripe material for a tense thriller. Yet in the same vein as The Brutalist, in a year when countless people went to the polls across the world, the release couldn’t have been more apt in a tense political climate. We have seen all too often in recent years, political figures who shouldn’t be anywhere near the seats of world government, scramble to obtain and retain power by any means necessary.

This kind of vain and power-hungry behaviour is unexpected from those who have dedicated their lives to serving an institution like the Catholic Church. However, Peter Straughan’s gripping script keeps the audience engaged as agendas clash, long-hidden secrets emerge, and these men participate in a nearly Game of Thrones-style struggle for the right to become the next Pope. Meanwhile, others grapple with crises of faith, questioning the very institutions they have devoted themselves to. A pulsating papal drama, with magnificent work from its ensemble cast, led by the ever-reliable Ralph Fiennes.

1. Dune: Part Two

review

The second film in this year’s crop that was an absolute behemoth at the box office, with the spice flowing in plentiful supply, as it continued the journey of Paul Atriedes on the vast and inhospitable world of Arrakis in his quest for revenge against the Harkonnens. Denis Villeneuve picked up where he left off to deliver a sequel that built on the foundations of its predecessor to give audiences a much bigger, darker and yes better film than its predecessor. The first instalment garnered ten nominations -and won six – at the 94th Oscars in 2022.

The fact that the second half of this masterful adaptation of Frank Herbert’s book only garnered six nominations is a gargantuan sandworm-sized injustice. I can only hope that the Academy is waiting for Dune: Messiah to give this visionary director his well-deserved dues. It is only a matter of time before Villeneuve gets an Oscar given his incredible contributions to cinema since he gained wider recognition in Hollywood in 2013.

 

Could/should have been nominated…

So, there we have it, there is my ranking of the ten films competing for Best Picture. However, with this, I always like to imagine what could have been. It is safe to say that even with some great films in this year’s crop of nominees, one film really stands out like a sore thumb as being unworthy of its place as a Best Picture contender, while with another I can see why it has received a Best Picture nominee, it wouldn’t have been my choice.

So with that in mind, if I had a ballot, out would go Emilia Perez and A Complete Unknown, and in their place, I would choose to nominate two from the following three films:

Sing Sing – It really surprises me, for a film which is all about the arts and the restorative power they can have to transform our lives and offer any of us an outlet to express ourselves, Greg Kweda’s life-affirming and powerful prison drama, would be a sure bet to receive a nomination for Best Picture, particularly given this wasn’t the strongest year for cinema. Colman Domingo continues his remarkable trajectory with a phenomenal leading performance which should be putting him in the running for Best Actor. His time will come soon, I am absolutely sure of that.

We Live in Time – Okay, cards on the table, I am a huge fan of Florence Pugh. Therefore, any film she stars in automatically captures my attention. Adding Andrew Garfield into the equation, in a heartachingly beautiful and devastating film about two people who meet and fall in love while battling a heartbreaking medical diagnosis. It all seems like the perfect combination to merit awards attention, particularly given the devastating performances of Pugh and Garfield. Yet throughout this awards season, this film has been completely overlooked and I am genuinely flummoxed as to why.

Challengers – Like We Live in Time, Luca Guadagnino’s steamy tennis drama is another film to have completely overlooked in this awards season, and while it admittedly was a bit of a long shot particularly given how early in the year it was released, I firmly believe it was good enough to have received awards attention for the incredible performances of Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, its sharp screenplay, and the absolute serve that is the tubthumping score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

 

Posted in 2020-2029, Awards Season, Oscars, Ranking

96th Academy Awards: Best Picture Nominees ranked

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Another awards season is poised to come to a close, in a year filled with terrific movies and one of the best years for cinema in several years. It was also a tumultuous year as Hollywood was ground to a halt for several long months due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes. Though with both strikes now in the rearview mirror, it is time for Hollywood’s biggest night. Another ten films are competing for the top honour and these include a gripping courtroom drama, an extremely idiosyncratic black comedy, analyses of some dark and disturbing chapters in human history, a beautiful love story, a future festive classic, and a film centred on one of the most influential toys of all time.

One of the most impressive batch of Best Picture nominees we’ve had in a long time, perhaps since the 92nd Acadamy Awards in 2020, with no film sticking out like a sore thumb.

So, without further ado, I present my ranking of these films from worst to best. Starting with…

10. Maestro

Usually, I find that whenever awards season rolls around, there is always one film that I don’t understand the hype for. There were some films that this applied to, but in terms of the nominees, this is not applicable as all ten of these films, for my money, thoroughly deserve to be here. Therefore being at the bottom of a list of ten very strong films is not a slight on Bradley Cooper’s passion project exploring the life of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and his complicated marriage to his wife Felicia Montealegre Bernstein (Mulligan). While Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg were attached to the project, it eventually landed in Cooper’s capable hands. Cooper’s passion for Bernstein’s work and who Bernstein was as a person shines through, with Cooper and Carey Mulligan both dynamic in their performances which thoroughly merited Oscar nominations.

The film is absolutely beautiful to look at, with the incredible cinematography from Matthew Libatique and incredible work and from the hair and make-up teams that are so transformative to the point where you don’t see the actor, you see the maestro himself. It suffers a little bit in terms of pacing, and while accusations of the film being nothing more than Oscar bait are unfair, Cooper has composed a film that is a fascinating character study of one of the most legendary composers of the 20th century.

 

9. American Fiction

 

If you’re a writer, no matter your field, it can be a funny old business. Even if you are extremely successful, you can find yourself struggling to put the words on the page for any number of reasons, be it writer’s block, fatigue/exhaustion or frustration with the industry. The latter is most applicable for Monk (Wright), an author/professor who after being put on a leave of absence, writes a novel that leans to tired cliches/stereotypes, only for it to become a massive, runaway success, much to his immense annoyance.  Biting sharp and hilarious satire about the media we consume and the marginalisation of voices of colour, with moving and impactful family drama, and an arguable career-best performance from Jeffrey Wright. An impressive first foray into the realm of feature filmmaking from Cord Jefferson, and one which could well merit an Oscar at the first time of asking.

 

8. Anatomy of a Fall

In a historic first for Best Picture nominees, three of this year’s nominees were directed by women. That fact alone deserves to be celebrated, and all three films thoroughly deserve their status as Best Picture Nominees. The first of these is Justine Triet’s Palme D’Or winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, which does what all great courtroom dramas should do, in that it keeps the audience on its toes as to whether novelist Sandra (Sandra Hüller) is innocent or guilty after she is accused of murder after her husband fell to his death at their remote home in the French Alps.

Throughout two and a half gripping hours, the audience – like a jury in a courtroom – watches and listens with eagle eyes and ears to the evidence and witness testimony being presented to determine if Sandra is guilty of the crime or whether she is innocent, all while showing the crucial backstory of the relationship with her husband which led to the breakdown of their relationship and the fall which led to his death.  In an extraordinary year for Huller, who also appeared in another Best Picture contender this year (more on that very shortly), she carries the film on her shoulders with a captivating performance that makes you sympathise with the plight in her family life but also really makes you question if she committed the crime she is being accused of. Tremendously compelling.

 

7. The Zone of Interest

review

Cinema is so often designed to entertain, but every once in a while, a film comes along designed to chill us to our core and serve as a lesson for humanity, and Jonathan Glazer’s latest film is one such example.  The horrors of the Holocaust are well-documented in our history textbooks and in previous films which have captured the brutalities inflicted upon millions of Jews during the Second World War by the Nazis in concentration camps. By depicting these horrors from the perspective of a Nazi commandant and his family as they go about their daily lives while living right next door to the Auschwitz concentration camp, it serves as a reminder of how humanity can be complicit in the face of unspeakable evil.

The horrors of the camp are kept of sight but never out of mind due to the unmistakable and horrifying sounds of gunshots, orders being yelled, cries for mercy, and the sight of the Auschwitz chimney splurging out smoke, are used to chill the audience to their very core. It is horrifying to hear these, all the while the family, and in particular the matriarch (another impressive performance from Sandra Huller) show complete indifference to the suffering taking place mere yards away. It is easy to see why the film has been hailed as one of the most important films of the century, with a final few minutes that unmistakeably connects the horrors witnessed in the Holocaust to the present day. Definitely not an easy watch, and probably not one that will lend itself to many rewatches. But, in this messy and very hostile world, we live in, a necessary one.

6. The Holdovers

review

If someone told me that Alexander Payne is a time traveller, I’d be very tempted to believe them based on this film, because it genuinely feels as though it was made in the 1970s and has been preserved all these years later. From those retro opening titles to the cinematography which immediately transports us to the 1970s and to Boston USA, where three unlikely souls are made to spend the festive period at their boarding school, the last place on Earth they probably would want to be.

The most joyous time of the year in a place not usually known for its joy is a recipe for both witty and sometimes sombre dialogue, which is exactly what David Hemingson’s script delivers as these unlikely souls spend time together, learning what it means to be a family during Christmas. The trio of central performances are all wonderfully well-drawn, with Giamatti’s cantankerous teacher going toe-to-toe with newcomer Dominic Sessa, and the brilliant and soon to be with soon to be Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph bringing warmth and heart to the group as she navigates a period in her life no one should have to go through alone. A film that evokes a warm fuzzy feeling whenever Christmas rolls around and one that is destined to become a future festive classic.

 

5. Poor Things

review

There is no director currently in the business who is making films quite like Yorgos Lanthimos, and honestly, all the better for it. Hollywood has been dominated by superheroes, reboots and sequels in recent years. Therefore you can always rely on Lanthimos, whether he’s adapting from existing source material or an entirely original concept, to make something wholly unique and thoroughly entertaining.

For his latest, it’s the former as he reteams with his The Favourite writer Tony McNamara to adapt the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray in which an eccentric scientist brings a dead woman back to life by replacing her brain with that of an infant. A premise on the base of it, sounds so bizarre and disturbing, in any other director’s hands it would probably be exactly that and not remotely entertaining. Yet, the Greek auteur delivers (like another film on this list) an unashamedly feminist tale of a woman on an emotional journey of self-discovery as she takes control of her destiny. Visually stunning, with some of the most outrageously humorous dialogue, and a career-best performance from Emma Stone. Lanthimos and Stone are clearly having a ball being each other’s muses, with another film set to come out later this year. Long may their collaborative partnership continue.

4. Barbie

review

Hi, Barbie! The undisputed queen of the box office in 2023,  one-half of a cinematic phenomenon unlike anything we have seen for quite a few years, and the second film on this list to be directed by a woman. Right from the moment the first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s take on the iconic Mattel doll which changed the world forever dropped, you knew that audiences were in for something special that would not merely be a toy commercial. With one of the most impressively stacked casts of the entire year, the journey Gerwig took audiences on to Barbie Land, the real world and back again, probably went harder than anyone could have possibly imagined as it packs stark social commentary on gender roles, feminism, patriarchy and its treatment of women, and much more. Funny, full of heart, with no shortage of emotional and hard-hitting moments, and an endless amount of Kenergy. Life in Plastic is truly fantastic, especially for Greta Gerwig as every one of her movies has now been nominated for Best Picture. An incredible achievement for this filmmaker Barbie.

 

 

3. Past Lives 

review

Completing the trio of best picture nominees directed by women, and the second directorial debut on this list, is Celine Song’s heart-achingly beautiful romantic semi-autobiographical drama of the meeting of two former childhood sweethearts who meet in person after nearly two decades apart. At its heart, it’s a simple story of three people, who are in a very complex and emotional love triangle, meeting and ruminating on the choices they have made in their lives and what might have been had certain things transpired differently. Yet, in no small part due to the tremendous performances of Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, and given it is based on Song’s own life experiences, it has a lot more to say about destiny, love, regrets and what might have been, relatable themes as we all navigate this complex, messy and sometimes beautiful world we live in.

2. Killers of the Flower Moon 

review

Like The Zone of Interest, the latest epic from Martin Scorsese is another film which takes a look at a dark and disturbing chapter in human history. Over three and a half hours, Scorsese takes an unflinching look at how the ugliness of corruption, greed and white supremacy in the 1920s USA, a time known as the Roaring Twenties due to the economic upturn in the country, resulted in the white community systematically murdering wealthy Osage members just to secure their wealth, in a period that became known as the Reign of Terror. It’s not an easy watch, but seeing Leonardo DiCaprio share a screen with Robert DeNiro,  the latter of whom is chillingly terrifying in his performance, and the phenomenal Lily Gladstone outshines them both with masterful editing by Scorsese’s long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker, and one extremely powerful ending, this is one film you will not forget in a hurry, and proof that even at 81 years old, Scorsese is still at the very top of his game.

 

1. Oppenheimer 

review

What more is there to say about the latest masterpiece from Christopher Nolan? Since his debut feature back in 1998, he has become one of the most recognisable names in Hollywood. There has always been an interest in science and scientific discovery with his films, and this biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a man who the director considers one of the most important people to have ever lived, represents the culmination of his career.

It is a testament to his immense skill as a screenwriter/director, that Nolan made a film which is a very science-heavy dialogue-driven film about a very complex subject and yet made it accessible to audiences, primarily due to the phenomenal importance of the weapon built by Oppenheimer at Los Alamos and the consequences of the uses of such a weapon, consequences which are still being felt on the world stage today. Barbeneheimer defined cinema in 2023, so it is extremely fitting that one-half of that phenomenon will walk away with the biggest prize on the night and could well become the most successful Best Picture winner in more than a decade, since Slumdog Millionaire walked away with eight Oscars, a haul Oppy stands a very strong chance of matching.

And now he has become victor, the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture… 

 

Could/should have been nominated…

That concludes my ranking of the ten films up for Best Picture this year. However, I always like to hypothesise what could have been, but given the quality in this year’s crop, this is considerably harder than normal as I can’t really say that none of these films deserve their place competing for the top prize. But, if push comes to shove, if I had a ballot to cast, I would eliminate Maestro and replace it with one of the following three films:

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – My favourite film of last year, the Academy’s tendency to not nominate animated films outside of the Best Animated category is starting to get particularly frustrating as with this year alone,  incredible film as well as displaying truly ground-breaking animation, could and perhaps should have got in for Best Picture, as well as Best Visual Effects, and certainly Best Score. Perhaps they are keeping those nominations for when Beyond the Spider-Verse swings its way into cinemas and blows our collective socks off.

The Iron Claw – The first of two films that absolutely broke me into a million pieces. I knew absolutely nothing about the Von Erich family going into this movie and by the end, I was uncontrollably sobbing in my seat. The mark of a great sports film is that even if you know nothing about the sport or the true story on which it is based, it still can have a profound impact, particularly if you have a brother. This was a stacked and fiercely competitive year for movies, absolutely. However,  how this didn’t, like a devastating wrestling move, leave Academy members floored and bestowing it with a tonne of nominations (Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Directing, Original Song) to name but a few is something I cannot fathom.

All of Us Strangers – The second of two films released in this awards season that reduced me to an absolute sobbing mess. As with The Iron Claw, how Andrew Haigh’s beautiful and devastating emotional drama of one man who makes a fateful journey to his childhood home, didn’t even get a single nomination at the Oscars totally eludes me. Seeing this at the London Film Festival, I genuinely don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. The experience after the film as everyone collectively processed their emotions after they were put through the wringer, was cathartic, to say the least.