Ranking the Best Picture Nominees at the 93rd Academy Awards

It's Oscar day in America, and eight films are vowing for the most prestigious award in the film industry: Best Picture. I'm counting down all eight Best Picture nominees from worst to best. Keep reading to see which was my favorite this year!

Ranking the Best Picture Nominees at the 92nd Academy Awards

The Oscars are here, and it's one of my favorite nights of the year.  I'm always excited to see how the night will play out, and as per TVRG tradition, I'll be ranking all the Best Picture nominees once again this year.

9- Joker

In a fantastic year for film, Joker doesn't come close to earning a Best Picture nomination, at least not in my eyes. A strong leading performance does not a Best Picture nominee make, and that's one of the few things I can praise Joker for. The story wasn't particularly original or all that interesting and the script wasn't anything special. The creative team took a different approach to making a comic book film, and while I appreciate that, it still felt like something I'd seen before. I don't think it's a bad film, I just don't understand the hype behind it. It's a fine movie, a decent way to spend two hours but nothing more.

8- 1917

This movie is an absolute masterpiece from a technical standpoint. The direction, editing, and, in particular, the cinematography is worthy of the praise and it certainly deserves the Oscar buzz it has in those categories. Even beyond the technical aspects, the film is very solid. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie and found it to be extremely well put together. War films aren't generally my thing, but this was actually interesting. I definitely preferred it to Dunkirk from a few award seasons ago. The story didn't completely wow me, however, and for that reason, I have to put it as one of the weaker picks this year. A great movie for sure, but not one of the better ones from a very strong crop.

7- Marriage Story

A deeply touching film, Marriage Story stands out in this pack. Between the loud, showy movies clearly made for the big screen (1917, Ford v Ferrari) and the buzzy films with massive ensembles (The Irishman, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood), this film is far more reserved and simple. That doesn't mean it's not great. A film doesn't need to throw in all the special effects and loud sounds to be good. This film is just that. It's a story of a couple going through a divorce, but it manages to make as much of an impact as those bigger movies, thanks to a spectacular script by director Noah Baumbach and great performances by Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Laura Dern. It wasn't at the top of my list among these Best Picture nominees, but it's still very impressively crafted.

6- The Irishman

The three-and-a-half-hour runtime may have given me pause, but once I got past it, The Irishman is a very strong film. Even though it could've been shorter, it's hard to point out what I'd cut out of the film, and therefore I don't see its runtime as a negative. The film put three acting legends back in their element, giving De Niro, Pacino and Pesci a good, old-fashioned gangster movie that features some of the best performances by all of them in many years. Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors working today, and he works his magic again with this film, adding his unique flair to what could've been an extremely boring film. The film is a fascinating look at the lives of gangsters over the years, and is one of the best films of the genre that I've seen.

5- Jojo Rabbit

Of all the movies nominated this year, this one by far has the biggest heart. It's a movie with something to say, and what it has to say is extremely important. It's about learning to love those that are different from you, even when it goes against everything you've previously been taught to believe, a necessary message in these times. Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell both deliver scene-stealing performances that are worthy of praise, but I was most impressed by the film's child actors. This was the first film for lead actor Roman Griffin Davis, though you couldn't tell by how experienced he seemed. A film that relied so heavily on the talents of a young actor could have fallen flat, but Griffin Davis rose to the challenge. The rest of the young cast was equally talented. The film's production designers deserve ample credit for bringing the film to life, doing what I'd crafter what I'd consider one of the best sets of any film in 2019. The script of the film (based on the book Caging Skies) was sharp and masterfully-written, and the sum of all of these parts led to a heartwarming and beautiful film that is one of the year's best.

4- Parasite

I haven't seen many foreign-language films (I've only watched some of the recent Oscar nominees), but Parasite is the best one that I've seen. It's darkly funny and thought-provoking, and it leaves you guessing as to what it's even about for the first quarter of the movie or so. Featuring some of the best writing of any film last year and one of the most intriguing storylines, this film draws you in from the start, even if seemingly nothing out of the ordinary happening. Once it gets going, though, it is one of the wildest rides of any movie this year. Director/writer/producer Bong Joon-ho truly created a masterpiece here. If you haven't seen it, do so. I won't say anything further about it so I don't spoil it, because it's extremely difficult to talk about this movie without discussing the twists and turns that make it so great.

3- Ford v. Ferrari

When I first heard that this movie was being made, it wasn't something I was interested in. It's certainly not a movie that was made for me. However, the trailer was enough to reel me in and I gave it a shot, and I loved it. The film was fast-paced and easy to follow if you aren't knowledgable about cars or car racing, but nothing about it was dumbed down or overly simplistic. Christian Bale, coming off a stellar turn as Dick Cheney in last year's Best Picture-nominated Vice, gave a great leading performance as he always does, as did Matt Damon. The two were able to make a lengthy scene involving a car race interesting even for those that don't usually watch races. That's a hallmark of a great film: managing to make something you wouldn't otherwise care about into something that leaves you on the edge of your seat.

2- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite directors. His films always have a special quality, managing to be so dark and gritty but also give you something to laugh about and find humor in even when they are dramatic as a whole. I thought his previous film, The Hateful Eight, was woefully underrated, and so I'm glad to see OUATIH getting some recognition from critics and award shows. This is my favorite film of Tarantino's because it's about something that Tarantino and I are both fascinated by - old Hollywood. The two lead characters in this film are some of this year's best, fully formed and easy to foot for despite their flaws. Brad Pitt gives the performance of the year while Leonardo DiCaprio and the rest of the movie's huge cast are able to easily hold their own while on-screen with him and shine in their own right. I was hooked from the moment it started to the moment the credits rolled.

1- Little Women

As much as I loved most of the rest of these nominees, none of them stuck with me as much as Little Women did. The film was made so carefully, and every little detail of the film is perfect, from the costumes to the production design. Saoirse Ronan is one of my favorite actresses working today, and she shines in the film's lead role. The actresses behind the rest of the "little women" also give admirable performances that all help make the film into something truly great. Even if the differences in age between the actresses and the characters they play was a bit confusing at first, I still don't know if I could pick anyone better to play them. Greta Gerwig's last collaboration with Saoirse Ronan was spectacular, and I think that this one may be even better than Lady Bird, thanks to an even better script this time around. Gerwig's direction was also terrific and deserved recognition from the Academy. I adore every single thing about this film and it truly is my favorite of all of these nominees. There isn't a single thing about it that I could criticize or that I would change, it's perfect.

Top Picks in Other Categories:

Best Actor: Adam Driver - Marriage Story
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan - Little Women
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates - Richard Jewell
Best Director: Martin Scorsese - The Irishman
Best Original Screenplay: Knives Out
Best Adapted Screenplay: Little Women
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 4
Best International Feature Film: Parasite
Best Original Score: Little Women
Best Original Song: I'm Gonna Love Me Again - Rocketman
Best Sound Editing: Ford v Ferrari
Best Sound Mixing: Ford v Ferrari
Best Makeup & Hairstyling: Bombshell
Best Costume Design: Little Women
Best Cinematography: 1917
Best Production Design: Jojo Rabbit
Best Film Editing: Ford v Ferrari
Best Visual Effects: The Irishman
Best Animated Short: Kitbull

Ranking the Best Picture Nominees at the 91st Academy Awards

Tonight are the Oscars and, for the first time, I watched all of the year's nominees for Best Picture. As always, I was definitely more in love with some films this year than others. Some were stellar films. others were merely enjoyable. Here are my rankings of every nominee for Best Picture at the 91st Annual Academy Awards.

8- Bohemian Rhapsody

One of the weaker Best Picture nominees of recent memory, Bohemian Rhapsody really isn't a bad film. I just don't find it worthy of a nomination. Best Picture, for me at least, should be reserved for the very best of films. This movie just isn't a top film of the year for me, nor is it close. The only part of the film worth nominating is the admittedly stellar lead performance of Rami Malek. The rest of the film was just too messy for me to consider putting it any higher than last. For a biopic, it isn't all that informative, and that's a big flaw. We don't learn much more about Queen or Freddie Mercury than you could find out by skimming through Wikipedia, and big chunks of history are simply omitted, leaving key pieces  There's nothing revolutionary about this film, and it's mostly just forgettable fun.

7- Black Panther

I must admit, I'm not typically a big fan of superhero films (which is ironic considering that one of my favorite films of the year, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is of the genre). This makes me less likely to enjoy a film like Black Panther in the same way as many others who adored it. However, I did find the film to be ver enjoyable to watch. I probably wouldn't have nominated it for Best Picture myself, but I can understand why it was. The performances were strong, if not breathtaking. The direction was competent. The production and costume designs were marvelous. Every element of the film was good, even if other nominees outpaced the film in all of the categories. I can't complain about its nomination, even if it shouldn't be the winner on Oscar night.

6- Roma

The cinematography of this film is breathtaking, and the direction also is fantastic. Both of these must be credited to Alfonso Cuarón, the creative mind responsible for nearly every part of Roma. The acting in the film is also very good, particularly newcomer Yalitza Aparicio. However, I just didn't find the film to be all that enjoyable to watch. It's a great piece of art that's beautiful to look at, and it's a technical marvel, but it's not something I'd want to watch again. It's just a real downer, and the storyline isn't that intriguing. Not much happens in it until the tail-end of the film, and that's why it has to be near the bottom of the ranks.

5- Vice

I really enjoyed this movie, even though the individual pieces of the film are better than the film in its entirety. The acting is the best part of the film, however, with lead actor Christian Bale delivering a career-best performance as former VP Dick Cheney. Amy Adams also shines as Second Lady Lynne Cheney, though everyone in the cast did a solid job, particularly Steve Carell in his spectacularly underrated performance as Donald Rumsfeld. The writing is sharp and interesting, and unlike many films this year based on true stories, this one actually felt like it was written pretty close to the truth. It's not as well-written as the last McKay project starring Bale and Carell. Lastly, though I don't hold it against the film, its labeling as a comedy at award shows made me think it was more comedic that it actually was, so the film wasn't what I expected it to be. What we got was still a very good film, just not one that I found funny in the slightest. All of this adds up to it being a middle-of-the-road pick for Best Picture this year.

4- A Star Is Born

This is one of the more popular of the Best Picture nominees around the general population, and it's not hard to see why. Everything about it is great, in a way that appeals to both a broad audience and movie buffs. The best part of the film is the leading performances by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga and the supporting performance of Sam Elliott, all of whom are Oscar-nominated for the film. Its use of original music is one of the best examples in recent years, with Shallow (the song everyone on the planet has heard and had stuck in their head since October) being the most notable and best song from the film. Its brilliant direction by first-time director Bradley Cooper helps make the film one of the year's very best, and its strong screenplay makes it even better. It may not be the most original film, being the fourth Star Is Born film made, but it sure is a good time. And an extremely emotional one.

3- BlacKkKlansman

This film is one of the most interesting of the year, because it's both so absurd that it's funny (despite the serious source material) and so captivating that it leaves you on the edge of your seat. The fact that it's a true story (well, mostly) is what makes it even more captivating, and the screenplay is very, very strong. I haven't seen any Spike Lee films besides this one, but it's not hard to see why this film gave him his first nomination for Best Director. Its leading actor, John David Washington, deserved more recognition for his breakout performance, though at least its supporting actor Adam Driver was given his due. While it wasn't my favorite film of the year, it was still a great one, and it deserves all of the love the Academy gave it this year.

2- Green Book

This film isn't one I would normally even consider watching. The premise doesn't really appeal to me. But the awards and nominations it received at all of the major ceremonies was enough for me to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did, because otherwise I'd be missing out on a truly special movie. Even though it didn't tell the full story of its subjects, it was still captivating and informative, informing me about two fascinating figures, played spectacularly by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. While the film started out slowly, it soon became incredibly interesting and truly delightful, using comedic and serious moments to its benefit. The direction and screenplay weren't quite as strong as some of the other contenders for Best Picture, but they still were pretty great.

1- The Favourite

This film is my favourite of the Best Picture nominees for many reasons. Most of all, I love its perfect blend of comedy and drama. It's a rare movie that manages to be absolutely hilarious at some points and suspenseful and dramatic at others. It's absolutely stunning to look at, with some of the most beautiful sets and costumes in any move from 2018. The set doesn't look like a set, it looks real. It's why nothing about this film felt like a film. Thanks to these technical elements, as well as the incredible acting and writing, it felt like we were witnessing reality. It is the best film of these Best Picture nominees, and one that I'm sure I'll watch many times in the future.

Top Picks in Other Categories:

Best Actor: Christian Bale, Vice
Best Actress: Glenn Close, The Wife
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, Vice
Best Director: Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman
Best Original Screenplay: The Favourite
Best Adapted Screenplay: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Best Documentary: RBG
Best Foreign Language Film: Roma
Best Original Score: Mary Poppins Returns
Best Original Song: Shallow, A Star Is Born
Best Sound Editing: A Quiet Place
Best Sound Mixing: A Star Is Born
Best Makeup: Vice
Best Costume Design: The Favourite
Best Cinematography: Roma
Best Production Design: The Favourite
Best Film Editing: The Favourite
Best Visual Effects: Christopher Robin

Ranking the 90th Academy Awards’ Best Picture Nominees

The nominees at the 90th Academy Awards were announced last week, and the category most care about, as always, is Best Picture. Most of the nominees were pretty predictable, though there were a few surprise nominees and a few surprise snubs. Nevertheless, this crop of Best Picture candidates is an immensely entertaining one filled with passionate, beautiful layers and well-crafted storylines. And I saw them all (nearly), so you don't have to. Even though you should.

Unranked- Call Me By Your Name

Call Me By Your Name is the only 2017 Best Picture nominee I didn't get the chance to watch. For reasons beyond my control, I was unable to make it to the theater in time to see it. For that reason, I won't be ranking it here.

8- Dunkirk

Dunkirk is the only film on this list that I'd describe as "just okay." Mark Rylance gives an admirable performance her, but this film is an achievement in directing more than anything else. The movie is absolutely breathtaking to look at, due to Christopher Nolan's incredible direction. However, the story itself left me bored at times, and I wasn't quite intrigued at this film like I was with the others. Its still fine, and I would give it another go to see if I liked it more the second time, but it's still my fourth-favorite period piece nominated for Best Picture.

7- Phantom Thread

Of all of the films on this list, Phantom Thread is the slowest burn of them all. It takes the entire movie to fully grasp what's actually going on here. I'm not going to spoil it here, but the film certainly does take you on an emotional roller coaster with numerous ups and down. At some points, you can't help but feel sorry for a character that for much of the movie seems like a villain. At others, you just want them gone. And at others, you're just incredibly confused. That's my only real problem with this picture. Not that it starts off quite slow, but that it ends in such a frenzy that you're just left baffled by the whole experience  I watched the movie in the theater and I still had to look up its Wikipedia summary. Phantom Thread is a very good movie, but its ending keeps it from reaching greatness. That's why it's hugging the bottom of this list.

6- Get Out

Get Out was the first film of 2017 that I watched, and thus was the first Best Picture nominee that I watched, as well. I found it to be wholeheartedly enjoyable and was a terrific effort of first-time director Jordan Peele. I just wasn't as blown away as most people were. One thing, however, that did blow me away was lead actor Daniel Kaluuya's performance. He's a relative newcomer in the film world, and I'd never seen him in anything before, so I was shocked by his great performance. The rest of the cast was great as well, and the casting here is some of the year's finest. The film certainly left me thinking, but one thought that didn't cross my mind was "that was best picture-worthy." That has stayed the same in the months since. Don't get me wrong, it was a wonderful film, but there were quite a few better than it.

5- Darkest Hour

Going into Darkest Hour, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. In my mind, there was a high probability that it would just be a stuffy war drama that would be remarkable only in the sense that it was remarkably boring. After seeing it, I can now say that I was wrong to have ever even thought that way. The film was nothing like that, somehow leaving me on the edge of my set despite already knowing the outcome. Front and center throughout the entire affair was Gary Oldman, perfectly (and unrecognizably) portraying former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Without Oldman in that role, the film would be much worse off. I may not even be discussing it here as an Oscar nominee. With him, it becomes a remarkable way to tell a story about one of history's most notable leaders.

From this point on, these are all-time great films. Films that will undoubtedly stand the test of time, at least for me. They are movies that I haven't been able to stop thinking about since seeing them, and it was immensely difficult to rank them. But here goes.

4- The Post

The Post potentially assembled one of the greatest casts of any movie. Spearheaded by director and movie god Steven Spielberg, this film managed to rope in film legends Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks as its leads. It also grabbed those always-reliable players like Bob Odenkirk, Bradley Whitford, Sarah Paulson and Carrie Coon, just to name a few. Its ensemble cast is incredible. And the most incredibly of all here is that they all manage to come together and make a fantastic film that is always, always about the characters and the paper that gave the film its name, The Washington Post. These immensely gifted performers always balance an appropriate tone for the film, never overacting or stealing the spotlight from the main story. Much credit also has to be given to Spielberg, who does a phenomenal job directing here.

3- Lady Bird

Lady Bird is a beautiful little film that really touched my heart in so many ways. And it's very hard to point to why in particular I feel this way, because there's really so many factors. Most notable of course is lead actress (and one of my favorite people on the planet) Saoirse Ronan, who brings the titular Lady Bird to life in a way only she could. She brings a sweet and relatable layer to a character that could easily be seen as deeply unlikable. And then there's the poignant performance of Laurie Metcalf as the protagonist's mother Marion, who is the film's emotional heart and soul. Without her, there's no film. It's not a flashy role, but Metcalf still does an incredible job with it and helps make it just as important and striking of a role as Ronan's Lady Bird. In a more minor yet still memorable role is Tracy Letts as Lady Bird's father Larry, who does so much with so little. This film is Greta Gerwig's passion project. And it shows. She lovingly crafts each character in her love letter to teenage life and, of course, the city of Sacramento.

2- The Shape of Water

Nothing about The Shape of Water is short of incredible. The sets are breathtakingly gorgeous, the acting is superb, and the direction is about as fine as it can be. Sally Hawkins speaks exactly zero times throughout the film, but she is able to make me feel so many emotions despite that. That alone makes her performance in this film one of the very best of the year and the best of her career. I could rave on and on about it, that's how deeply her performance touched me. And yet, she wasn't the only mind-blowing performance. Two supporting performers, Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer, also do incredible jobs. Neither one of them is the star of the film, yet I still was captivated by their performances whenever they were on screen. This is going to sound strange, but while it's not my personal favorite film of the year, The Shape of Water is the movie that I think should win Best Picture. I fail to find even a single flaw with it. The premise sounds strange, and it is. That isn't even close to being a flaw, because it works so well and I can think of nobody more qualified to tell this story than Guillermo del Toro.

1- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Three Billboards is the only film on this list that I've seen not once, but twice. It's a funny yet devastating tale that is led in a dynamo performance by Frances McDormand. The supporting performances are great, but make no mistake: this is McDormand's movie. She is incredible in her role, delivering what I believe to be the greatest performance of her career. She can make you laugh, but in seconds can make you cry as well. Elsewhere, Sam Rockwell takes a morally challenged character and, in just a two hour runtime, makes you feel both extreme rage and compassion for. Martin McDonagh wrote a beautiful story of heartbreak and grief that manages to strike all the right chords. That's pretty remarkable.

What was your favorite Best Picture nominees? How would you rank them? Let me know in the comments below, and vote for your favorite in the poll below.

Predict the Winners at the 90th Academy Awards

Tonight are the 90th Academy Awards, the biggest day for film and one of the highest-rated telecasts of the year. Late-night star Jimmy Kimmel is hosting tonight for the second year in a row. All eyes are on Best Picture, with a tight race there that could seemingly go to anyone. Below are polls to predict who you think will win Oscar gold tonight.

Best Picture:

Best Actor:

Best Actress: 

Best Supporting Actor:

Best Supporting Actress:

Best Director: