The 2023 Best Picture Nominees Ranked
10. Avatar: The Way of Water
While its visual effects are undoubtedly astonishing and some sequences are great to look at, Avatar 2, has very little else going for it. Its story is somehow even more derivative than its predecessor, its character writing paper thin and its villains goofier than anything you would find on a Saturday morning cartoon. Its themes of environmentalism being at the forefront of a huge blockbuster film is admirable, but it does very little to expand on these ideas that were already explored in the last film. It is still good to see the Academy embrace the sci-fi/ fantasy genre once again; it is just a shame that in a year where Nope, After Yang and Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio were released, they give the attention to a film that is all style and little substance.
9. Elvis
Of course, no best picture nominee list would be complete without the obligatory biopic. Elvis is perhaps the most imbalanced film of 2022. There are genuine moments of enthralling, musical mania and an Austin Butler performance that is truly captivating. However, it feels as though director Baz Luhrmann, is at odds with himself. Luhrmann is most well-known for his fast and frantic style of filmmaking and when this is reigned in slightly, Elvis really finds its feet. Its first hour feels all too stylistically incoherent, feeling like a feverish nightmare at times. The film also boasts the most bafflingly bombastic performance of the year with Tom Hanks’, Colonel Tom Parker, a performance solely concerned with derailing any sense of dramatic sincerity.
8. All Quiet on the Western Front
Much like the obligatory biopic, no best picture list would be seen without a traditional war epic. All Quiet on the Wester Front is an impeccably well-made film – almost to a fault. It is a war film that looks slightly too good and in doing so, it lacks a real sense of grit that all the great war epics do. Its anti-war message is solid, but it does not provide anything new when it comes to depicting the horrors of war. There are so many excellent aspects of All Quiet on the Western Front, from its ensemble performance and dread inducing score and sound design. Yet, when it all comes together it just lacks that distinctive quality to make it stand out from the vast catalogue of war films that have come and gone.
7. Triangle of Sadness
Ruben Östlund’s satirical commentary on the plagues of capitalism and the super-rich is an enjoyably twisted feature. Östlund has put together a cast of exceptionally unlikeable snobs in this humorous societal deconstruction of the imaginary barriers of wealth. Triangle of Sadness is also an interesting exercise in film’s ability to create empathy, even for those we find deplorable and Östlund manages to conjure these contradictory feelings quite successfully. There are moments of truly effective cinema, with the captain’s dinner being a comical and nightmare inducing sensory overload. Its commentary may be on the nose and at times it does meander, but nonetheless, Triangle of Sadness’ observations are astute, and its ending is brilliantly bleak.
6. Women Talking
Sarah Polley writes and directs this tragic account of systemic misogyny and the brutality that follows. Based on the novel by Miriam Toews and inspired by true events in Bolivia; Women Talking is an emotionally stirring piece that brings with it one of the strongest ensembles of last year. The tales of sexual abuse and the fears of how the women should carry on are captivating, with every argument bringing with it weight and purpose. The entire cast are exceptional, but it is Claire Foy’s performance that leaves you speechless; an acting snub that is beyond perplexing. Women Talking’s importance lies in its heartbreakingly relevant themes and over time its importance will only grow as society fails to change.
5. Everything Everywhere All At Once
With Everything Everywhere All At Once, the Daniels have created a feature that exudes cinema. From spectacle, action, comedy and tender emotion, Everything Everywhere All at Once leaves you almost overwhelmed by the time the credits roll. It swells with a near overload of the senses, but one that never feels messy, always keeping focus on the importance of story, character and its multitude of themes. Michelle Yeoh is a leading lady like no other, bringing heart and heft in every scene. This is without question one of the most explosively inventive and enjoyable films of last year and will most likely be this year’s winner.
4. The Banshees of Inisherin
Martin McDonagh has crafted a darkly funny picture that brings with it weighty existential questions as to the meaning of life and legacy. The Banshees of Inisherin also hosts a sleugh of terrific performances; However, it is Brendan Gleeson whose dry, ruthless persona, which at first proves humorous; soon reveals a man in deep depression. While the folk tale atmosphere may allude to something more mystical, what you have here is an honest depiction of a man struggling with his mental health and how he should be remembered. The Banshees of Inisherin may leave you melancholic once it is over, but it is a film that will keep you ruminating long after the credits roll.
3. The Fabelmans
Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical tale of passion becoming obsession only perpetuates his status as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. It is both personal and universal, a tragic story which tells the tale of the fractious relationship between a mother and her son and how the blessings of talent can exile you from those you love. A soulful piece that shows us how art can reveal truth within ourselves as well as its power to move us. Spielberg infuses his film with his signature visual flare that brings with it the essence of something classical, and John Williams provides a sweetly sentimental score instilling this intertextual device that takes us back in time along with Spielberg himself. The ensemble here are all distinctly terrific, but it is Gabriel LaBelle who delivers the most underrated lead performance of the year. Even after 50 years of filmmaking, Spielberg still has powers like no other.
2. Tár
Todd Field’s grandiose arthouse picture is a testament to pitch perfect character writing. Lydia Tár is the most strikingly well realised character of 2022, with Cate Blanchett delivering what might be her greatest performance. Blanchett outperforms any actor of last year, bringing this problematic, predatory figure to life in such a strikingly authentic way. Along with Field’s sublime screenplay, his film feels visually distinct. Overcast with the bleak grey skies of Berlin, there is a compounding sense of dread that hangs over Tár’s head. The wide and still nature of the film’s frames liberate the actors to deliver the full weight of Field’s script. There are even moments of horror and dreams of fate that feel simultaneously alien and at home in this dark character study. Tár is a dense, distinctive film that, much like its titular character, has many secrets to uncover. Yet, even after one watch, the power of Blanchett and Field overwhelm and astonish.
1. Top Gun: Maverick
Yes, Top Gun: Maverick may have been gushed over too many times on this site. It may not be the most intellectual or artistically evocative film of last year; however, Top Gun: Maverick is raw, visceral entertainment done to perfection. It is a film that celebrates the power of cinema, a demonstration of how all aspects of filmmaking can come together to provide thrills like no other. This is a blockbuster from days passed, something long missed, yet simultaneously pioneering on a cinematic front. This is not just the best blockbuster of the year, this is the best blockbuster in many years, one that demonstrates the power of the big screen. Is it cheesy? Yes. Predictable? Perhaps. But somehow, none of it seems to matter, this is a film in which the sum is greater than its parts. It works on a visceral and emotional level, with a tight, impactful story that reaches an astounding crescendo. Now, will it win best picture? Absolutely not. But it cannot be denied that the lengths taken Cruise and crew took to entertain is something that even the likes of Steven Spielberg had to praise. For it cannot be denied that Top Gun: Maverick is an astonishing cinematic achievement.