With the 98th Academy Awards coming up on March 15, it’s time to get caught up on the 10 nominees for Best Picture. There are several spectacular movies nominated, but others leave something to be desired. It hasn’t always been a 10-nominee category, and that may have been for good reason. Here are the nominees ranked from worst to best.
No. 10: “F1: The Movie”
Want a super unique movie where a rebellious cowboy type who’s seen it all comes in and shakes things up, but later realizes he has to work with his team in order to succeed? “F1" is the movie for you.
A surprising nominee, “F1" from director Joseph Kosinski follows a middle-aged driver as he takes another shot at glory. Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) makes his return to Formula One and changes the game for underdog team APXGP. While the film features great racing sequences, the script doesn’t hold up.
The characters feel underdeveloped, the plot is overly predictable and the writing feels lazy. While it may be a fun movie for fans of F1 and Pitt, it doesn’t offer much beyond that.
No. 9: “Train Dreams”
“Train Dreams” follows Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger in early 20th-century America, as he experiences love and loss throughout his life. It focuses on the relationships he forms within his family and through his work and the impacts they have on his life.
The film features several montages, which contribute to a dream-like feeling. Edgerton’s performance lets the viewer know exactly what he’s thinking. But in case you can’t tell what’s going on, an obnoxious narrator comes in and states it all plainly. The narration feels extremely unnecessary and often distracts from the quiet moments of the film.
While the film is visually beautiful and features great performances from Edgerton, William H. Macy, Felicity Jones and more, it is not for everyone. It ends on a note of peaceful acceptance, but feels pretty depressing for most of its runtime.
No. 8: “The Secret Agent”
“The Secret Agent” is set in 1977 Brazil amidst a military dictatorship and follows Armando (Wagner Moura) as he seeks refuge in the city of Recife. It pieces together parts of his background as the stakes get higher in his flee from persecution.
The colors in this film are vibrant and beautiful, while Moura gives an outstanding performance. His nomination for Best Actor was certainly deserved. It also features a great soundtrack and score.
“The Secret Agent” is not for the impatient. Its pacing is very slow, and when Armando's reason for running is revealed, it’s not necessarily as thrilling as one might expect from the trailer. The way his story is pieced together is very intentional, but it was hard to get into.
No. 7: “Frankenstein"
Adapted from Mary Shelley’s novel, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is a solid take on a classic. While Oscar Isaac is a little old for his role as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi shines in his role as The Creature.
Elordi’s portrayal of the creature is by far the best part of the film. The way he discovers the world around him after his creation is endearing and feels authentic. The chapter of the film from his perspective stands out from the rest of the film, which feels like a pretty generic adaptation.
The parts of the film focused on Frankenstein leave something to be desired. While the gothic set design and costumes are stunning, there doesn’t seem to be much substance to his story beyond that. It almost punches the audience in the face with the never-before-asked question, ‘What if Victor Frankenstein was the real monster all along?’
No. 6: “Hamnet”
Another adaptation, “Hamnet” tells the story of William Shakespeare’s (Paul Mescal) family and the loss of his child. Jessie Buckley plays his wife, Agnes, who the film centers around.
Agnes is said to be the daughter of a forest witch, and that aspect feels a bit out of place. While her connection to the forest feels strong central to her character, her witchy practices with herbs stand out as oddly whimsical in an otherwise dramatic film.
While the film is a bit tough to take in due to its emotional weight, it features several stellar performances from Buckley, Mescal and Jacobi Jupe, who plays Hamnet. The three delivered heartbreaking portrayals that left the audience devastated.
No. 5: “Sentimental Value”
Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” explores the dynamics between two sisters and their estranged father. Nora (Renate Reinsve) is an actor, and her father, Gustav Borg, (Stellan Skarsgård) writes a script for a film he wants her to star in.
The film is very dialogue-heavy, which its cast shines in. Elle Fanning's role feels a bit meta, as she plays an American actress, Rachel, who struggles with the Norwegian script. The characters feel real and lived-in thanks to a combination of nuanced performances and a great original script.
The house passed down in the family for generations has a large presence in the film as well. The memories of it from various generations and how it has changed throughout the years add to the depth of the film.
No. 4: “Sinners”
With a record-breaking 16 well-deserved Oscar nominations, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” is one of the strongest movies in this year’s lineup. It follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) as they encounter supernatural evil powers while trying to open a juke joint for their community.
Pretty much every performance in “Sinners” is beyond amazing. Jordan shines in each of his roles as the twins and creates incredible chemistry with himself. Miles Caton, who plays Sammie, gives one of the best performances in the film. His voice is incredible on the soundtrack’s original songs, with music composed by two-time Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson.
Co-stars Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku also filled their supporting roles beautifully. The costumes, soundtrack and score also each stood out in the film, helping immerse the audience in the scenes. “Sinners” certainly earned its nominations in both acting and technical categories.
No. 3: “Bugonia”
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos’ third consecutive collaboration, “Bugonia”, follows two young men who kidnap a high-profile CEO, convinced she is an alien.
Jesse Plemons gives a chilling and unsettling performance as the conspiracy-obsessed Teddy, and his disturbingly greasy hair in the film certainly adds to that. Stone’s portrayal of Michelle is a comedic take on a girlboss corporate executive, who wants to “have a dialogue” about her possible alien status.
The film looks fantastic. The colors are incredibly vibrant, and the surrealism of the black and white flashback scenes is amazing. It also features an intense score, which adds to the film’s eeriness.
No. 2: “One Battle After Another”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” seems to be the favorite for Best Picture so far in this awards season. The film is a comedic action-thriller that follows an ex-revolutionary and his daughter as they try to evade a corrupt military officer’s pursuit.
The film features great performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti and Benicio del Toro. But Sean Penn stands out in his role as Colonel Steven J Lockjaw. His terrifying yet comedic portrayal of the character was brilliant.
The car chase scene toward the end of the film is perhaps the best scene in a movie this year. Paired with a fantastic and tense score from Jonny Greenwood, the scene is enthralling. The stakes slowly rise as the camera moves over each of the road's many hills and the gap between the cars closes.
No. 1: “Marty Supreme”
Set in 1950s New York, “Marty Supreme” follows Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) as he strives for greatness as a ping-pong legend. Mauser’s journey grows increasingly chaotic as the stakes get higher.
Chalamet’s performance in the film feels enormous. Mauser’s obnoxious actions make him more and more unlikeable, but he’s still impossible not to root for. With prosthetic acne scars and glasses that distort his eyes, Chalamet disappears into the character.
The synth-driven soundtrack and score are very ‘80s, but it works very well for the film. It helps escalate Mauser’s most stressful scenes. And with scenes depicting tense ping-pong matches, wild shootouts and explosions, this movie is certainly stressful.