The 2024 Best Picture Nominees Ranked
The Oscars are nearly here, and while most of the winners are practically set in stone, with an Oppenheimer sweep set for Sunday evening, there is still plenty of praise to be given to a (mostly) terrific set of films. This year’s best picture list is the strongest selection the category has had in recent times, with an array of worthy winners. This may be a personal ranking, but if almost any one of these film’s took the top honour on Sunday night, there would be very little to complain about.
10. Maestro – The story of the great American composer, Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper), while technically impressive, Maestro unfortunately falls into the typical biopic pitfalls. Leonard Bernstein’s greatness is often discussed, yet seldom shown (bar one truly evocative symphony in a cathedral), as we jump through thirty years of his life with his wife Felecia (Carrey Mulligan). The drama centring on Leonard Bernstein’s sexuality and his wife’s ashamedness over it, does provoke interest; however, the weight of such conflict is always kept at arm’s length due to Cooper and Mulligan’s ostentatious performances. Out of all the nominees, Maestro is the one that feels the least interesting, following a safe narrative without much provocation and in turn making it the most bog-standard, typical best picture nominee you would find every other year.
9. Barbie – The Film that took the world by storm, Barbie, is a completely nonsensical picture, and it is all the better for it. The entirety of the cast brings gleefully childish performances to their Barbie’s and Ken’s, acting as if they are kids in dress up. Margot Robbie’s turn as a lost doll now suddenly burdened with purpose has the hardest performance, but Robbie strives in both the comedic and the dramatic bringing real heart and soul to this plastic person. Ryan Gosling as Ken has proven to be a fan favourite, having some of the biggest gags and a massive musical number - that will most likely win an Oscar. His discovery of the patriarchy leads to one of the film’s funniest sequences and Gosling pulls it off, completely immersed in the silliness and fragility of Ken’s ego. The real-world sequences remove some of the film’s cinematic flare and its corporate confounds mean its criticisms cannot go too far. Nevertheless, Barbie will remain a true cultural moment and one of 2023’s best comedies.
8. American Fiction – Cord Jefferson’s, American Fiction, is an astute, funny, and sincere film that looks at the establishment that pigeonholes Black storytellers. Much of its humour is derived from Monk’s embittered personality, brilliantly portrayed by the often-underrated Jeffrey Wright (also nominated for best actor) frustrated with the state of modern fiction. In turn, this pushes him to create a derivative, over the top novel that, to his bewilderment, becomes one of America’s most talked about novels. Yet, even with its primary thesis, American Fiction juggles many plots at once, never feeling overwhelming or unfocussed. Its ability to capture the tender and flawed aspects of love and family life, while having this meta commentary of how race is used in fiction, make for an impressive and captivating watch. Sincere, Witty and on the pulse, American Fiction is a worthy and astute best picture nominee.
7. The Holdovers – Inspired by films of the late 70s and 80s, such as The Last Detail, Five Easy Pieces and Dead Poets Society, The Holdovers is a heartfelt tale of the bonds formed between the lost and the lonely. Set to become a Christmas classic, the film follows a grumpy, alcoholic boarding schoolteacher, Paul (Paul Giamatti) who has been put in charge to babysit a handful of kids over the holiday season, including one particularly bright troublemaker, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa). Giamatti has rightfully earned a nod for Best Actor as the disgruntled, regretful teacher instilled with pathos. Paul’s evolving relationships with Angus and the School cook Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph, a shoo-in to win Best Supporting Actress) make for moments of familial joviality and heart-rending revelations. David Hemingson’s characters are well realised by director Alexander Payne who brings sincerity and conviction out of his performers, whose journey’s reach touching and satisfying conclusions.
6. The Zone of Interest - Much like Jonathan glazer’s previous feature (Under the Skin), The Zone of Interest, explores humanity and the immeasurable depths of human evil. Set in 1943, the film centres on Nazi Officer, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), his wife, Hedwig Höss (Sandra Hüller) and their family, as they live a life of luxury and contentment in their villa, positioned right next to Auschwitz concentration camp. Glazer’s direction is masterful. The power and unsettling nature of the film is in the imagery of everything that is and is not explicitly shown. The camp, the sounds of gunshots and screams, the smoke from chimneys or steam from trains pervade almost every shot of the household. A place where no discussion, remorse, or fraction of empathy is shown for the crimes committed only a few metres away. As every scene layers new horror upon the last, Glazer is doing the inverse of what he did in Under the Skin. Showing the depletion of humanity, becoming something terrifying and wholly alien. It is harrowing, but The Zone of Interest will leave you utterly compelled.
5. Past Lives – Past Lives is a tender, resonant account of two people with a profound bond. Through divergences in culture and career, Nora and Hae-Sung are still bound to each other through fate or, as the two call it, “in-yeon” (a connection between two people that span multiple lifetimes). Even, with its typically romantic set-up, Past Lives is more interested in the complexities of love and its undying, evolving form. For Nora and Hae-Sung, love is not one static entity, but something that sleeps and reawakens over time. It is Greta Lee and Teo Yoo’s naturalistic performances that manage to convey love’s intricacies, as their eyes look deep into the soul of the other with longing and a tinge of wonder. There is a meditative quality to Song’s direction that allows the viewer to soak in this relationship, bringing focus to the dialogue and characters. Past Lives is one of the sweetest films of the year and a heartfelt look into the everlasting and indecipherable ties between us.
4. Oppenheimer – Undoubtedly set to win Best Picture, director, lead actor and many more, Oppenheimer is a colossal film, one that manages to capture the personal plight of its protagonist, while ruminating on humanity’s own, potentially fatal mistakes. At times Nolan makes us want to turn back the clock, bringing forth the horror of scientific discovery that feels emotionally overwhelming at points. All of it is punctuated by Murphy’s profound performance and an ensemble that aid him at every turn. Once it starts, Oppenheimer never stops, going at blistering pace for its entire three-hour runtime. Yet, even within this rapidity, Nolan makes everything clear, and the tension built between courtrooms, marriages and detonation tests become almost too overwhelming to bear. This is spectacle on a terrifyingly beautiful scale, with an ending that will remain one of 2023’s most memorable.
3. Poor Things – Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted his finest film yet with Poor Things. A Frankenstein inspired story of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a woman brought back to life with the curious and quickly evolving mind of a child. Lanthimos’ vision is a fantastical blend of steam punk and the surreal, perfectly brought to life by production designers Shona Heath and James Price, evoking a sense of wonder, confusion and horror that fills Bella’s mind on her journey of self-discovery. Lanthimos’ ensemble are freakish and hilarious (particularly Mark Ruffalo’s utterly ridiculous Duncan Wedderburn), spearheaded by an audacious Emma Stone performance that stands as her greatest performance. Lanthimos returns to his study of control, with the twisted objectification and control of Bella used to highlight the insecurities of masculinity, while also providing a refreshingly progressive understanding on the self and sexuality. Hilarious, progressive, and tragic, Poor Things is a steampunk inspired wonderland that cannot be missed.
2. Anatomy of a Fall – A film about the complexities of relationships and the myriad of ways in which we are perceived by the outside world. Sharply penned by director Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, their story grows more complex with every passing scene, as revelations lead to engaging courtroom clashes. Sandra Hüller ignites as the imperfect widow. Her performance is instilled with misjudged self-assurance as her emotions unravel in the realisation of what her life appears to the public. Milo Machado Graner plays the tortured son Daniel, caught between two narratives of his mother’s life. He carries much of the film’s emotional weight, giving a remarkably powerful turn that stands out as one of the year’s best supporting performances. With primarily only two locations and coming in at 2 hours and 30 minutes, Triet has made movie magic as all that time slips away through a mesmerising tale filled with secrecy and the realisation that even your own memory and perceptions may not in fact be the truth at all. Anatomy of a Fall is an instant courtroom thriller classic, layered, enthralling, unforgettable.
1. Killers of the Flower Moon - Killers of the Flower Moon is a rich tapestry of a film, an American epic that comes around once in a blue moon. It is a film that encompasses a multitude of ideas and shines a light on one of America’s darkest and most shameful chapters. Killers of the Flower Moon is Scorsese’s final statement on America’s true nature: ugly, violent, and greedy. Its subject matter is uncomfortably relevant, exposing mankind’s lack of self-reflection, as one character puts it, “This is just another tragedy. People will forget and no one will care.” Its trio of main performances are stellar. Leonardo DiCaprio gives his most pitiful performance, while Robert De Niro gives a villainous turn for the ages. However, it is Lilly Gladstone whose eyes command the picture, where the horrors are most reflected and with such a powerful performance it is likely she will take home the gold. Scorsese triumphs with yet another profound study into the routine, banality of evil and the consequences of complicity, leading to an ending that remains unforgettable. Killers of the Flower Moon may not win best picture, but it will be remembered as perhaps the most important film Scorsese has ever made.