Best Picture: Ranking Every Oscar Nominee
We made it. It is the final day of our compulsive need to rank every single Academy Award category. Well, technically this is the second last day (tomorrow, we run the well dry by ranking literally every 2020 Academy Award nominee simply as films in one giant list). This is the big one, though. Best Picture. After all that we have been through, what does Best Picture even mean? With all of the films we have reviewed, and all of the rankings and predictions we have made, do the nine nominees really qualify as the best works of 2019? That’s what we are here to decide. No beating around the bush here. We’re simply ranking these films as films.
However, before we get to the final list, we need to reflect on the project as a whole. We can toss together a tentative ten-other Best Pictures nominees list on two factors: five films that were neglected by the Academy entirely, and five films with multiple nominations that could have worked their way in as that tenth final nominee (why stop at nine or less always, Academy?). Let’s have a bit of extra fun before the party is over.
FIVE FILMS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT BY THE ACADEMY AWARDS ENTIRELY
The premise here is simple. None of the following films garnered a single nomination, and it’s appalling. Maybe some of these works are a bit too out there for Best Picture, but the absence of any nomination at all is appalling. We’ll point out specifically what categories these films could have been included in. The only catch is that these films can’t have even one nomination (sorry The Lighthouse). Shall we?
5. Midsommar
Possible Nominations: Best Actress, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture
Okay, Midsommar is strange, but there’s no doubt about how well made this film is. We’re stretching by pushing for a Best Picture nod, but look at the other categories. The sets are elaborate. The costumes are detailed. The visuals are stunning. Florence Pugh is brilliant. There could have been some love here, but the Academy seldom rewards intense, disturbing viewings like this.
Our review of Midsommar
4. The Farewell
Possible Nominations: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Picture
Seeing Awkwafina get left out of the Best Actress race was bad enough. Not one stand alone nomination for the fantastic The Farewell is something else. Lulu Wang’s balance between comedy and tragedy, as well as maintaining the theme of heritage based soul searching, is a splendid achievement. Maybe in another year, The Farewell would have gotten its dues. It deserved to now, though.
Our review of The Farewell
3. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Possible Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score
This isn’t entirely the Academy’s fault, but shame on all of the major awards shows for completely shutting out The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Touted as an early candidate for film-of-the-year by many (including us), this indie masterpiece has been slept on way too much. It is a devastating portrayal of societal hardships, done in a mesmerizing way. This could be one of those cult films that is looked back on more than it was cherished the time of. Oh well. The Academy’s loss (and everyone else’s as well).
Our review of The Last Black Man in San Francisco
2. Uncut Gems
Possible Nominations: Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing
We understand that Uncut Gems is a little unpolished (pun intended) in a way that can be displeasing to the “regal” awards show circuits. However, Adam Sandler’s dark horse Best Actor run came to a screeching halt before it even really began. We feel like any other name, or the lack of Sandler’s poor reputation (we hate Happy Madison films just as much as you do) could have allowed Uncut Gems to shine here. That didn’t happen, and the Academy has missed out on a blistering thrill ride.
Our review of Uncut Gems
1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Possible Nominations: Best International Feature Film, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Like Cold War did last year, Portrait of a Lady on Fire had the chance to be a foreign film that could have commanded alongside the other foreign film of the year (last year was Roma, this year is Parasite). Unfortunately, France cut the film loose from the Oscars race and selected Les Misérables to represent the country instead, despite how well Fire was doing elsewhere. It could have been celebrated the ways it was meant to be. Instead, it was left with nothing. Its lack of a presence in the International category stymied its chances everywhere else. Depressing.
Our review of Portrait of a Lady on Fire
FIVE FILMS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE TENTH BEST PICTURE NOMINEE
Let us explain something here. Last year’s list had more strong candidates that allowed us to make the bold claim that these were Best Picture possibilities left out. 2020’s nominations list just doesn’t work out the same way (especially considering that Joker has eleven nominations, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Irishman each have ten nominations, and et cetera). With a few films dominating many of the categories, this year’s Academy Awards don’t really flaunt the same possible Best Picture nominees. So, we’re going to demote this category a bit. Here are five possible options for what could have been that tenth Best Picture nominee, if the Academy saw fit to select one more (which won’t be the case, given the Academy’s rules for the category). The criteria here is that we’re looking at which acclaimed films have multiple nominations (sorry again, The Lighthouse), and maybe stood a slight shot at being nominated for the top prize.
5. Toy Story 4
Nominations: Best Animated Feature, Best Original Song
Weakest entry goes last, right? However, Toy Story 3 pulled off the Best Picture nomination based on similar circumstances back in 2011. There may have been a slight chance that Toy Story 4 — of which, like 3, is a favourite to win for Animated Feature — could have taken the final spot here. Truth be told, 4 isn’t as good as 3, and those odds seem very slim. We needed to fill the fifth spot, and it’s funny to just speculate.
Our review of Toy Story 4
4. Honeyland
Nominations: Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature Film
Realistically, documentaries almost never have a chance of even being nominated here, so Honeyland’s shots were always borderline nonexistent. Given the film’s success, and the rarity of it breaking into the International category alone, it might not be insane to wonder about Honeyland’s possibilities for a Best Picture nomination after all. Someone likely voted for it to be there. It got taken seriously amongst foreign narrative works (including major category heavyweights like Parasite and Pain and Glory). You never know.
Our review of Honeyland
3. Pain and Glory
Nominations: Best International Feature Film, Best Actor
While the best film we’re mentioning in this category, we’re trying to rank our suggestions based on the actual odds of the film being nominated for Best Picture. However, Best International Feature Film is a hefty category for a film’s chances, and Best Actor adds even heavier odds. Had Parasite not been released in 2019, Pain and Glory could have been the foreign film that dominated in most categories. There were actual prognosticators that favoured Pain and Glory to be nominated for Best Picture, so it isn’t just us.
Our review of Pain and Glory
2. Bombshell
Nominations: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
The only film from our ten Best Picture films predictions that didn’t make the cut (we did well otherwise, wouldn’t you say?). Sure, not every critic is on board with Bombshell, but the Academy did give Vice tons of love the year before, so we may not have been too far off. Plus, it has love in some reputable categories, particularly Best Actress. Bombshell was promoted as a complete film as well. This is just a “what if?” scenario, really.
Our review of Bombshell
1. The Two Popes
Nominations: Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor
Given the Golden Globes love (and other awards shows), The Two Popes could have easily been the one Best Picture candidate that just missed the boat. Every single category it was nominated for is cherished by the Academy, and these are the kinds of wins that even secure a Best Picture win for a film (not that we believe The Two Popes will get any wins). Plus, it’s fair to say that The Two Popes isn’t as schmaltzy and bland as we may have expected it to be. Sadly, that may have been why it was forgotten about for Best Picture. It wasn’t compelling enough to compete with the riskier films, and not safe enough to outmatch the pedestrian choices the Academy buffers with.
Our review of The Two Popes.
FINALLY, HERE ARE YOUR NOMINEES FOR BEST PICTURE, RANKED FROM WORST TO BEST
9. Ford v Ferrari
Shallow but fun. Ford v Ferrari was possibly the last film to squeak its way into the category, and it makes sense as to why. It’s well made as a technical flick, but the story is a little too by-the-numbers. Still, Ford v Ferrari was built to win (just like the race cars created in the film). It may not have gotten everything its producers wanted (nothing for sets, acting, or directing), but it found its way here. As the “worst” Best Picture nominee of the year, the Academy has certainly made more terrible choices. Ford v Ferrari is decent.
Our review of Ford v Ferrari
8. Joker
It may seem strange that a film we rated lower than Ford v Ferrari is now placed higher than it. Well, we did some thinking, and we still find Joker overrated, but maybe a little bit better made than we initially thought (despite its glaring problems that remain). Plus, as a Best Picture nominee, it is flat out better. It’s better made overall, and it has major shots at winning specific categories (Actor and Original Score). We’re not going to start gushing over Joker anytime soon, but it’s alright enough.
Our review of Joker
7. Jojo Rabbit
The most divisive Best Picture nominee (with Joker featured as well, that is saying a lot). Jojo Rabbit is sweet and funny, but maybe not as captivating or riveting as the other works featured. Ah well. We still found it to be a lot of fun, with some extra oomph we didn’t know we ordered. As a warm “anti-hate” satire, the film delivers its goal rather well. Plus, it’s well made in a number of aspects (particularly the costumes and sets).
Our review of Jojo Rabbit
6. The Irishman
It may seem sacreligious to place Martin Scorsese’s return-to-form so low, but there have been some solid flicks this year. The Irishman is the leap into the stronger films of the category, and it’s a shame that there is a great chance that the film will go home empty handed on Sunday. It’s astonishing how much it commands you for three and a half hours, plus the very high bar set was easily matched by the performances and directing. You know it’s a good year for the Academy when this film isn’t anywhere near the top.
Our review of The Irishman
5. 1917
Sam Mendes’ one-shot experiment works well enough that it will likely win Best Picture on Sunday (however, you never know what can happen). The gimmick transcends into a poetic take on war, with your inability to turn away from any of the harsh realities on screen. 1917 becomes an endurance test that is ultimately rewarding, and it’s hard to try and refute how well made it is. 1917 has “Best Picture Winner” all over it, and it does feel like the safer win of the possible winners this Sunday, but still. We’re on board.
Our review of 1917
4. Little Women
Little Women’s awards-season slowdown saddens us, but we’re glad it got as much love as it did anyway. The experiment could have been a complete failure, but Greta Gerwig and company retold the same old story in a fresh new way (and, arguably, the finest cinematic take yet). As a Best Picture nominee, it makes perfect sense. Forget that this story has been told before, and you may agree with us. Hell, you might agree with us already. Little Women is quirky, lush, passionate, and visceral. We love it.
Our review of Little Women
3. Marriage Story
If any film dropped off harder than Little Women, it’s Marriage Story, which came before and had more weight in the awards season race. It looks like this domestic drama will only go home with Best Supporting Actress, but we could be wrong. Having Marriage Story pop up in so many categories (and for Best Picture) is fantastic, though. It is the finest hour thus far for Noah Baumbach, Adam Driver, and Scarlett Johansson. We’d like to think that the meme outbreak didn’t slow down Marriage Story’s accolades run, but anything can stupidly trigger the Academy nowadays.
Our review of Marriage Story
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
You already know how we feel about this one. We’ve been championing Hollywood since last summer, and for good reason. It’s Quentin Tarantino’s finest film in two decades. It’s a moving love letter to a lost era, the end of the peace movement, and Old Hollywood. It’s a replication of New Hollywood’s bombastic conception, and the many careers jeopardized during this transition. It’s the rewriting of tragic history, by giving Sharon Tate the Hollywood treatment before the old, mandatorily safe years of the industry were gone for good.
Our review of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
1. Parasite
Rarely does the Academy Awards actually nominate the true greatest film of a year for Best Picture (the odds of said film winning are even slimmer, but it can happen [see Moonlight]). Luckily, Parasite is here. A foreign film usually doesn’t command every single cinematic circuit of the year, but Bong Joon-ho’s opus did just that. It hypnotized mainstream crowds that would usually avoid it, won trophies left right and centre, was the best reviewed film of the year, and is now an Academy Awards darling (and the strongest dark horse that could potentially change the entire ceremony). As commentary, entertainment, stimulation, challenge, or art, Parasite is perfect.
Our review of Parasite
Who we want to win: We’re going to select the films we think have an actual possibility of winning (while we ranked Marriage Story and Little Women highly here, their odds of winning are far too low). We’ll state which subsequent wins our Best Picture possibilities may also win in order to climb the stairs to the top.
So, our first hopeful is Parasite (can win International Feature Film, Director, Set Design, Editing, and/or Original Screenplay).
Second, we have Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (can win Director, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Set Design, Costume Design, etc.)
Lastly, 1917, which is the favourite to win (and we don’t mind) (can win Director, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects).
Who we think will win: 1917 is almost guaranteed, but consider the possibility of that film causing a split amongst other Hollywood-y works (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Jojo Rabbit, The Irishman, Joker, etc.). Maybe there is a slight chance that Parasite could pull through unsuspected and win it all.
Tomorrow is the last day of our project! Tune in and see how we rank every single Academy Awards nominee of 2020 in our gigantic super list!
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.