Every Best Picture Nominee Ranked | Oscars 2025

Oscar season is here, and with it comes the annual tradition of ranking every Best Picture nominee. Some of these films blew me away, others left me cold, and at least one still has me scratching my head. But no matter where they land, each of these films sparked a conversation. So, let’s break them down.

10. Emilia Pérez

Director: Jacques Audiard
Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Édgar Ramírez
Logline: Rita, an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm more interested in getting criminals out of jail than bringing them to justice, is hired by the leader of a criminal organization.

Nominations (13 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actress (Karla Sofía Gascón)
• Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña)
• Best Directing (Jacques Audiard)
• Best Adapted Screenplay
• Best International Feature
• Best Editing
• Best Cinematography
• Best Original Score
• Best Original Song (“El Mal” and “Mi Camino”)
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Best Sound

My Thoughts:
I don’t think it is shocking to see this as number 10. My stance on Emilia Perez hasn’t shifted since watching it for the first time – it felt disjointed, incomplete, and lacking in nearly every department (editing, cinematography, and yes, even the performances). Yet, it somehow secured thirteen Oscar nominations. Jacques Audiard missed the mark here: the depiction of trans identity is shallow, and the exploration of Mexico is reductive. Though it once had genuine hype – just go back to Cannes and TIFF – the pieces never come together.

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9. A Complete Unknown

Director: James Mangold
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook
Logline: New York, early 1960s. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives in the West Village with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music.

Nominations (8 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet)
• Best Supporting Actor (Edward Norton)
• Best Supporting Actress (Monica Barbaro)
• Best Directing (James Mangold)
• Best Adapted Screenplay
• Best Sound
• Best Costume Design

My Thoughts:
From this point on, each film is one I genuinely enjoyed – so “ninth place” isn’t an insult. As a massive Bob Dylan fan, A Complete Unknown was a wonderful transportation. Timothée Chalamet’s Dylan impression is strong (albeit on occasion slipping into caricature), and James Mangold’s direction is competent but doesn’t stray far from typical biopic formulas. It’s well-structured and captures the era, and the music is fantastic, but it doesn’t quite stand out in a year filled with boundary-pushing films. Still, if we must have a biopic nomination every year to please the Academy, we could be doing much worse.

Find My Full Review for A Complete Unknown Here

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8. Wicked

Director: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh
Logline: When ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda, the two’s unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Nominations (10 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo)
• Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande)
• Best Editing
• Best Production Design
• Best Costume Design
• Best Original Score
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Best Sound
• Best Visual Effects

My Thoughts:
I’m not upset about the love for Wicked. It has undeniably captured the hearts of millions of people around the globe. Even a month after its release, theatres were still jam-packed, which was both heartening (for the communal movie-going experience) and a bit sad, considering how small the release was for other worthy films like Nickel Boys. There is definite magic here – some standout directorial moments by Jon M. Chu, iconic musical sequences, and the wonderful Cynthia Erivo being breathtaking. The costumes and set design deserve every accolade, but the overall film can’t quite rise to the level of the remaining contenders on this list.

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7. Conclave

Director: Edward Berger
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini
Logline: After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.

Nominations (8 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actor (Ralph Fiennes)
• Best Supporting Actress (Isabella Rossellini)
• Best Adapted Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Best Production Design
• Best Costume Design
• Best Original Score

My Thoughts:
Edward Berger is one of today’s greatest technical directors, and Conclave exemplifies his mastery of tension and pacing. From the moment we enter the Chapel, the film grips you tight and never lets go. The ensemble performances are stellar, with each dramatic beat landing perfectly. Yet it sometimes feels almost too polished – so meticulously executed that it lacks a certain emotional spark. It’s difficult to fault a film that’s this well-made, but it left me wishing for just a touch more heart beneath the technique.

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6. Anora

Director: Sean Baker
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Aleksei Serebryakov
Logline: Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Nominations (6 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actress (Mikey Madison)
• Best Supporting Actor (Yura Borisov)
• Best Directing (Sean Baker)
• Best Editing
• Best Original Screenplay

My Thoughts:
I have a feeling Anora might climb higher on my list with time. Mikey Madison’s performance is inescapable – her character initially seems naive, but we inevitably uncover layers of pain and trauma. Sean Baker is the ultimate indie realist, and his immersive style shines here, though Yura Borisov’s subtle supporting role nearly steals the show. At moments, that dynamic overshadows Anora’s journey, which made me uncertain if the film fully hits its intended notes regarding Madison and sex work on the whole. Still, both are so deserving of all the praise they’ve received.

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5. I’m Still Here

Director: Walter Salles
Cast: Fernanda Torres, Fernanda Montenegro, Selton Mello
Logline: In the early 1970s, the military dictatorship in Brazil reaches its height. The Paiva family—Rubens, Eunice, and their five children—live in a welcoming beachside home until Rubens is taken for questioning and never returns.

Nominations (3 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actress (Fernanda Torres)
• Best International Feature

My Thoughts:
Fernanda Torres might be the most unexpected frontrunner in the Best Actress race, and I’m fully on board. Still, I’m Still Here hasn’t reached nearly as many people as it deserves to. It’s a political family drama that lulls you with music and warmth before reality strikes. While Torres anchors the film, the entire ensemble delivers grounded and deeply affecting performances. The cinematography transitions from sun-soaked familial moments to claustrophobic interrogation rooms, which so perfectly pulls us along each emotional beat. Beautiful and devastating; this one will stick with me for a long time.

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4. The Substance

Director: Coralie Fargeat
Cast: Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, Margaret Qualley
Logline: A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug—a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Nominations (5 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actress (Demi Moore)
• Best Directing (Coralie Fargeat)
• Best Original Screenplay
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling

My Thoughts:
A feminist body-horror in Best Picture contention was the last thing I expected, but Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is impossible to ignore. Demi Moore’s performance is a career best – raw, violent, heartbreaking. The film doesn’t hold back: it’s graphic, bold, and drenched in social commentary about aging, self-hate, and societal pressures. Some final-act beats didn’t fully land for me, but it’s an audacious effort that leaves a lasting impression; love it or hate it, you won’t soon forget it.

Find My Full Review for The Substance Here

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3. The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet
Cast: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Stacy Martin
Logline: Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to Erzsébet after being forced apart by shifting borders. His talent attracts a wealthy industrialist whose demands could change László’s life—for better or worse.

Nominations (10 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Actor (Adrien Brody)
• Best Supporting Actor (Guy Pearce)
• Best Supporting Actress (Felicity Jones)
• Best Directing (Brady Corbet)
• Best Original Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Best Cinematography
• Best Production Design
• Best Original Score

My Thoughts:
Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist might be a masterpiece, but I’ve only watched it once, and it’s a sprawling, four-hour epic that probably requires multiple viewings. Adrien Brody delivers the finest male performance of the year, depicting a Holocaust survivor whose architectural vision mirrors his internal struggles. Despite its massive scope – moving through eras and continents – it never feels indulgent or lost. If you can carve out the time required, it’s well worth the investment.

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2. Dune: Part Two

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh
Logline: Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen to wage war against House Harkonnen—facing an impossible choice between love and the fate of the known universe.

Nominations (5 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Cinematography
• Best Production Design
• Best Sound
• Best Visual Effects

My Thoughts:
We might be taking Dune: Part Two for granted. Denis Villeneuve has achieved the seemingly impossible with this adaptation, rivaling the ambition and scope of The Lord of the Rings. Every technical element – from Greig Fraser’s breathtaking cinematography to Hans Zimmer’s [always] brilliant score – comes together perfectly. Yet the awards conversation seems muted, which baffles me. We should all pause to appreciate just how impressive Villeneuve’s achievement is for the sci-fi genre. Dune: Messiah can’t come soon enough.

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1. Nickel Boys

Director: RaMell Ross
Cast: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs
Logline: Chronicles the powerful friendship between two young Black teenagers navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in 1960s Florida.

Nominations (2 total):

• Best Picture
• Best Adapted Screenplay

My Thoughts:
Nickel Boys left me nearly speechless. It’s one of the most beautifully heart-wrenching films I’ve encountered in years. RaMell Ross and cinematographer Jomo Fray create a point-of-view experience that immerses you in the hopes and fears of its young protagonists. Through shallow depth of field and purposeful shifts in focus, we see exactly what the characters see – whether they are truly present in the moment or trying to escape. Not everyone will connect with these stylistic choices, but they profoundly moved me.  Hopefully, it finds the wider audience it deserves because it’s the sort of film that lingers with you for a very, very long time.

Find My Full Review Here

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