The 97thAcademy Awardsare just around the corner, and all eyes are on which of the ten films will take home the top prize for Best Picture. The lineup for the 2025 Oscars is a diverse mix, with big-budget blockbusters likeDune: Part TwoandWickedsitting alongside lesser-seen movies likeI’m Still HereandNickel Boythat have a fraction of those films’ catering budgets. Where else would a drama about selecting the next pope likeConclavebe mentioned alongside a body horror film likeThe Substance? This year’s Best Picture nominees do a great job of showcasing the many genres, stories, and tones of films produced last year, even if they stillmanaged to snub a masterpiece likeChallengers.
While most of the attention is nowfocused on who will win the top prize, how do the nominees stack up against one another? Most people have seen one or two of the nominees, hopefully, and some have seen all ten. Everyone has a favorite film, and with most talk being around who will or should win, what about why a movie should win? With these being considered the “best” films of their respective year, where does each fall in the hierarchy of their fellow nominees? Here are the 2025 Best Picture nominees ranked from worst to best.
10’Emilia Perez'
Emilia Perez
If the 97th Academy Awards had a weak link, it is undoubtedlyEmilia Pérez. Even before the controversy surrounding star Karla Sofía Gascón’s previous tweets,Emilia Pérezhad already become a widely hated Academy Award nominee.Emilia Pérezeven made it onto our list of theworst Best Picture nominationswithin the past 25 years. This certainly is a drastic fall from grace for a movie that initially received a great deal of positive reviews following its premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Emilia Pérezhas been widely criticized by both trans critics and audience members, as well as those of Mexican descent. Mexican trans artist Camila Aurora and screenwriter Héctor Guillén even made a parody film,Johanne Sacreblu, which trades in many French stereotypes the same way thatEmilia Pérezseems to play into Mexican stereotypes from a French filmmaker. The inclusion ofEmilia Pérezcan’t help but feel like various members of the Academy patting themselves on the back for supporting a film that seemingly defies the Trump administration, despite the very people it is meant to represent hating it.SlashFilm’s B.J. Colangelo said it best:
“the well-meaning cis people desperately trying to prove they’re not transphobic by hyping up a regressive mess… It’s wildly disappointing to realize just how many Academy voters are completely out of touch and clearly voting for the guise of performative progress of whatEmilia Pérezsymbolizes, rather than letting the communities represented in the film take the lead and determine whether or not this is a portrayal that deserves celebration.”
9’A Complete Unknown'
A Complete Unknown
A Complete Unknown, being ranked just aboveEmilia Pérez, is in no way suggesting that it is anywhere near the same quality, as the Bob Dylan musical biopic easily surpasses it.A Complete Unknownranks relatively low because, while it is a good movie, it feels slightly out of place within the Oscar nominations. Is it that different from any other musical biopic nominated in the past? Doesn’t this genre feel a little cliché as Oscar bait?A Complete Unknownis entertaining, but is that enough to warrant a Best Picture nomination?
Director James Mangoldpreviously helmed another musical biopic,Walk the Line, which failed to land a Best Picture nomination in 2005, soA Complete Unknowncan’t help but feel like the Academy possibly making up for that snub.A Complete Unknowndoesn’t reinvent the wheel; it delivers a serviceable biopic with a strong leading performance by Timothée Chalamet that has seemingly played well with both older and younger Academy voters who enjoy Bob Dylan’s music. Yet it can’t help but feel like a safe pick in a year when many more challenging movies - likeChallengers,Nosferatu,Sing Sing, andHard Truths -were shut out entirely.A Complete Unknownis a good movie in a category of great films… andEmilia Pérez.
What to Know About the 2025 Best Picture Oscar Nominees and Where to Stream Them
Here’s a breakdown of every film nominated for Best Picture and where you can watch them, along with other major Oscar nominees.
8’The Substance'
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat’sThe Substancetruly is an underdog story—a body horror film that broke through the Academy’s perceived genre bias and went on to become a Best Picture nominee, joining the ranks of other horror movies likeThe Exorcist,The Silence of the Lambs,The Sixth Sense, andGet Outin being recognized for the top prize. Considering the fact that the movie was dropped by its original financier, Universal Pictures, for being deemed unmarketable, only to be picked up by the smaller platform Mubi and still manage to earn five Academy Award nominations, it feels unreal.
Yet,The Substance’s nomination shouldn’t be that shocking, as it still checks off a lot of boxes that Academy voters like. It is a movie about Hollywood and acting as a profession, it features amajor comeback narrativefor a star like Demi Moore, and it indeed has a visual style more akin to a Best Picture nominee than some other horror films, making its nomination a little more understandable.
While the movie might lose the thread a bit in merging its body horror visuals with its theme and intended target (it wants to critique how Hollywood views women’s bodies but also asks the audience to both laugh and be disgusted by a woman’s body aging), there is no denying that this is the strong, singular vision of a talented filmmaker. Despite seeming like a niche film,The Substancehas managed to cross over into mainstream popularity in a way that horror films uniquely can.
7’Conclave'
Conclave, or as some fans lovingly call it, “Mean Girlsin the Vatican,” is director Edward Berger’s follow-up to his 2022 filmAll Quiet on the Western Front.Conclave’s October 2024 release and subsequent awards season run have both put a spotlight on and shined a mirror on the election process,using the selection of a new popeto reflect the behind-the-scenes politics involved in choosing the President of the United States. It is a timely movie that speaks to the anxieties of the current moment.
Yet it is also a damn entertaining film. It’s incredible how well Berger takes a movie primarily set in one location, detailing the complicated inner workings of the various factions within the Catholic Church, and turns it into a riveting and suspenseful thrill ride. With an incredible cast that includes Oscar-nominated performances by Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini, the film won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble. This mid-budget film connected with a general audience, became a surprise box office hit, and can be enjoyed by all viewers alike. It is the platonic ideal of an Oscar movie—one that seems to appeal to every type of audience member.
6’Dune: Part Two'
Dune: Part Two
The most shocking thing aboutDune: Part Twois how people initially predicted it to be a lock for Best Picture when it first hit theaters, yet by the time the nominees were announced, it was a bit of a shock that Oscar voters even remembered it, as it seemed to have lost much of its awards season buzz. YetDune: Part Twois the big-scale, high-quality blockbuster that earns its spot among the Best Picture nominees, as the film itself harkens back to the large-scale biblical epics that defined the Academy Awards in the 1950s.
WhileDunewas the clear odds-on favorite for various technical categories in 2021,Dune: Part Twonow faces a bit of an uphill battle, competing with films likeNosferatuandWicked, which offer a fresh visual style rather than awarding the same series twice.
Dune: Part Two, like its predecessor, is difficult to judge since it is, by design, only half of a movie. It does feel more complete thanDune, andthe setup forDune: Messiahdoes not seem as obvious as the ending ofDune, so its final moment works as a tragic conclusion to this tale. However, there is a question of whether Oscar voters might hold off on awardingDune: Part Twothe top prize now that they knowDune: Messiahis coming, potentially giving it theLord of the Ringstreatment—where the third film is awarded as a way to celebrate the entire trilogy.
Be that as it may, the fact thatDune: Part Twois as good as it is feels like a miracle, given how unfilmable this book was considered a decade ago. The fact that director Denis Villeneuve was able to turnDuneinto a critically acclaimed, blockbuster franchise embraced by general audiences makesthe Academy’s decision to snub him for Best Directorall the more baffling.
5’I’m Still Here'
I’m Still Here
I’m Still Heremakes history as the first Brazilian movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.I’m Still Hereis likely the least-seen of the ten nominated films and one whose nomination surprised many. However, it was a welcome one. Since debuting at the 81st Venice International Film Festival,I’m Still Herehas generated near-universal acclaim, with special attention paid to star Fernanda Torres. The film tells the real-life story of Eunice Paiva, a mother and activist coping with the forced disappearance of her husband, a dissident politician killed by Brazil’s Military Dictatorship.
Torres won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, andI’m Still Herehas generated plenty of awards buzz, even being named one of the Top 5 International Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review. While far-right groups in Brazil called for a boycott of the film,I’m Still Hereis a deeply powerful and heartbreaking story about the dangers of dictatorships, what can happen to individual citizens living under them, and the impact on the families of those targeted by the regime.
Even thoughI’m Still Herelikely won’t be seen by many viewers before the Academy Awards broadcast, hopefully, after the ceremony, more audiences will be compelled to check it out—because it is worth the watch.
Wickedmight be, and, pardon the pun, the popular pick, but it more than earned its spot.Wickedis a full-blown cultural phenomenon and the type of big, lavish Hollywood musical that used to dominate the box office and the Academy Awards. Being connected to the classicWizard of Oz, an IP with strong ties to Academy Awards history,Wickedis a technical marvel in terms of production design, costuming, makeup, and choreography, where everything comes together to create a truly wonderful film that connects with millions of viewers in the way only a blockbuster sometimes can.Wickedis one of those films that will live on long after the Academy Awards and be passed down for generations.
Yet what makesWickeda genuinely great movie is the Academy Award-nominated performances by stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Erivo delivers a powerhouse performance, making the role of Elphaba her own and giving a career-defining turn. Meanwhile, Grande redefines her star image in one of the funniest comedic performances of the past decade, which feels right at home with the great 1930s screwball comedies. On their own, these performances are breathtaking, but together… well, as the movie says, they are “unlimited.” It is unclear ifWicked: For Goodwill be able to live up to the high bar set by the first film, but everyone left the theater fist-pumping the air when Erivo hit that high note in “Defying Gravity” and took off on her broom, closing out the film with a sonic boom. It is hard to argue againstThe National Board of ReviewawardingWickedthe Best Film of 2024.
What ‘Wicked’ Does Better Than ‘Dune’
Both ‘Wicked’ and “Dune' split their story into two parts, but ‘Wicked’ tells a complete story while ‘Dune’ feels like set up.
3’Nickel Boys'
Nickel Boys
Director RaMell Ross’Nickel Boysis a movie that has to be seen to be believed. This historical drama follows two young men in the 1960s as they are sent to an abusive reform school in Florida, inspired by the infamous Dozier School for Boys, which was known for its mistreatment of students and was later discovered to have unmarked graves for various victims over the years.Nickel Boys' central creative choice is that it is entirely told from a first-person point of view, jumping back and forth between the perspectives of the two lead characters.
While some might mislabel this as a gimmick—just as was often leveled atBoyhood—much like that 2014 Best Picture nominee,Nickel Boysuses this storytelling tool to put the viewer into the shoes of the protagonists, allowing them to witness and feel the terror and hopelessness firsthand. The movie has gained praise for its innovative storytelling choices, and there is no doubt that it will now serve as a new source of inspiration for many filmmakers in the future and mark a turning point for first-person point-of-view storytelling. Yet, all of this is done in service of telling a powerful story. It is a rough watch at times, forcing the viewer to sit in the characters' despair and truly see racial injustice unfold through another person’s eyes, making it a must-watch film.
MovieWeb’s own George Edelman perfectly summed up the power of the movie in his review, stating:
“Filmmaker RaMell Ross, like novelist Colson Whitehead, refuses to go quietly into that good night, using every tool in cinema’s arsenal to remind us who we’ve been and what we’ve done. The modern prison system isn’t a far cry from the world depicted inThe Nickel; the gross miscarriage of justice persists.”
2’The Brutalist'
The Brutalist
“Monumental” is a word often used to describeThe Brutalist, and it appeared in so many reviews that the film’s poster boldly showcased it, highlighting all the various publications that used the word in their critiques. Yet it is hard to disagree with that statement, asThe Brutalisttruly is an event picture. This sweeping American epic chronicles and deconstructs the idea of the American Dream.The Brutalistfeels very much in form and design like a spiritual successor to films such asThe Godfather,Once Upon a Time in America, andThere Will Be Blood—epics that explore the heart of the American identity, both for good and ill.
Director Brady Corbet delivers a truly stunning film that justifies its 3-hour and 35-minute runtime. Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce all give standout performances that would be career highlights in any other film, yet here they balance into one perfect ensemble. Shot using the VistaVision process and cameras that shoot horizontally on 35mm film stock,The Brutalist’s scope demands to be seen on a big screen but will still look breathtaking at home. Daniel Blumberg’s score also must be acknowledged, with its blaring brass band capturing the operatic nature of the story.The Brutalistis a one-of-a-kind picture, and in any other year, it would be the Best Picture. However, there is one film that narrowly edges it out.
Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival,Anorais the best of the Best Picture nominees. Having been named one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute—and winning Best Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards, Best Picture at the Critics' Choice Awards, Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures at the Producers Guild Awards, and Outstanding Directing – Feature Film at the Directors Guild Awards—Anorahas emerged as the frontrunnerfor Best Picture. And it’s not hard to see why. It’s not just the incredible way Mikey Madison says, “A fraud marriage.”
Anorais, in many ways, a 21st-century dark comedy spin on romantic comedies, walking a tightrope between hilarious and tragic. This shouldn’t work—the idea of a scene where a woman is theoretically assaulted by a group of men should be horrifying, not funny—but director Sean Baker and the cast perfectly balance the tone, ensuring the audience not only knows that the lead character is never in real danger but also framing the central male henchmen as comedic foils who are about as competent as the Three Stooges. Mikey Madison delivers a star-making performance, cementing her as one of today’s best working actors. The film’s main cast consists largely of actors audiences likely have never heard of, but after one viewing ofAnora, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Mark Eydelshteyn should be in everything.
Not only isAnoraa great film, but it might also be the Best Picture nominee that speaks most directly to this moment in time. While the lead character is a sex worker, the idea of her getting married and leaving her work behind is never framed as her needing to escape sex work specifically, but rather as the deeply human dream of escaping the pressures and stresses of work itself. At a time when inflation is rising while wages remain stagnant, and the cost of living becomes increasingly unsustainable, the pressures of existing under capitalism have never been more exhausting. The idea of escaping it—no matter the job—is universally appealing.Anoraprovides both the fairy-tale escape and the dark revelation that it might be impossible ever to break free.
Anorais one of the funniest movies in years, and it’s hard to imagine a film with this many laugh-out-loud moments winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. Yet, inits final moments, the true tragedy of this fairy tale is revealed, and both the audience and Anora are left with tears and heartbreak. Anchored by breakout performances from the entire cast,Anorais unlike any of the other nominees, updating a classic genre with a down-to-earth aesthetic that sometimes feels all too relatable. That is Best Picture-worthy if we’ve ever heard it.
