2025 Oscar Nominees for Best Picture Ranked

The most glamorous night in hollywood

We finally made it to the Super Bowl for people with Letterboxd accounts, the 2025 Academy Awards. While, for some Emilia Pérez shaped reason, this awards season has felt a bit more exhausting than others, I am still very excited and hope to see some shocking wins tonight. No one likes long speeches, so let me dive right into my personal ranked-choice ballot and thoughts about the best-picture nominees of last year.

10. The Brutalist

Letterboxd Review

Sex, Drugs, and Architecture

I know I am in the minority, but The Brutalist was not for me. I have a full review with my thoughts here, so I will quickly move on from this, but it is my least favorite. It is not a horrible movie with many impressive technical aspects; however, I would not vote for it in any of the categories it is up for. Also, I am angry this is probably winning score when the rightful winner Challengers was not nominated. I’ll stand by this take: The Golden Globes does much better at nominating and awarding the year’s best scores.

9. Emilia Pérez

Letterboxd Review

I can’t believe a French dude came up with this.

Emilia Pérez is not a fun movie to talk about anymore, which is surprising given that there are no other French-directed Spanish-language transgender crime boss musicals out there. I did not hate this movie when I watched it on Netflix way before the high praise and massive backlash around the nominations. I think Jacques Audiard is not a bad filmmaker. While I agree Emilia Pérez is much weaker than his other films (I watched A Prophet and The Sisters Brothers last year) if there is anything this crazy Frenchman has, it is range.

I predict this film will win Best Supporting Actress and Best Song, but that is it. I would not vote for it in any categories it is up for, but it is genuinely a goofy, silly time that I don’t take too seriously. And I appreciate that this movie had a bunch of controversy because it threw the Oscar race into quite an unprecedented place, and for that, I am grateful.

8. The Substance

Letterboxd Review

RIP David Cronenberg, you would have loved The Substance.

Fact check: David Cronenberg is still alive

Right off the bat, I must admit the body horror sub-genre has never been my thing. Despite my tastes, there is a lot of craft to The Substance that is top-notch. The sound design, in particular, was so gross and in your face (or more so in your ears) and enhanced the images so well it should have picked up a sound nomination.

The closest race of the night might be Best Actress, and Demi Moore might just take the prize. She might be winning because of the one mirror scene alone because much of the movie also rides on Margaret Qualley and the makeup. However, she is memorable in the film, and it would not be a bad win by any means.

I think the aspects of the movie I liked the best were how tactile and thought-through the science fiction aspects of how the titular substance actually works. I loved the strict rules she had to follow and how breaking those rules had direct consequences. The screenplay did a great job of exploring the themes of aging and beauty in a fun and visually disturbing way that made me think about my relationship with myself and what having a relationship with yourself even means.

7. Wicked

Letterboxd Review

Can’t believe Glinda made Dorthy walk to The Emerald City when she knew there was a train.

In the “Glicked” movie showdown, there was no contest. Wicked was better than Gladiator II. I had not seen the musical before but had obviously heard the iconic music, and I was impressed with how good of a time this was. The production design was insane, and I am glad it will probably win that award tonight. They planted 9 million Tulips for a couple-second opening shot of Munchkinland. That fact alone is equal parts impressive and disconcerting. The more I learn about the physical sets built for the movie, the more I am in awe.

Besides the production design, the two lead performances were equally as great. My only big problem with the movie was it was Part 1 when there was no need to split this story into two films. It is an almost unforgivable sin that the part 1 run time is longer than the entire musical, hence the placement on this list. I am still going to see Part 2 in theaters, no question.

6. Anora

Letterboxd Review

I did not know New York was annexed by Russia, when did this happen?

I am most conflicted about Anora. I like Sean Baker. I think about Tangerine and The Florida Project frequently. They are good examples of his unique filmmaking style. So Anora, being the favorite to win Best Picture, should make me happy, but it does not feel like the best film of the year to me; it’s not even close. It is a well-made film with a mood shift halfway through that was surprising and very well-edited.

I have no real desire to rewatch this film, although if it wins Best Picture, I might have to try and see what I missed. It will probably be a good night for Anora tonight, but I secretly hope the Academy spreads the love a bit more. It is my pick for Best Director only. I hope the rest of the categories it is up for go a different way.

5. I’m Still Here

Letterboxd Review

I know the whole point is the dad did nothing wrong but WHY, WHY did he not give his wife access to the bank account!?

I’m Still Here is a Brazilian movie about the military state that had control of the country in the 70’s. It would be my pick for Best Actress. Whenever I watch a foreign film like this, I realize how little I know about the world and different countries’ histories. It is a devastatingly true story grounded in its performances, most notably by Fernanda Torres. It was the hardest best picture nomination to find, but the packed theater I saw it in seemed to like it. I recommend it to those who can handle heavy subjects. My prediction is that the momentum is right, and this will surprise and pick up the win for the Best Foreign Film; that is my hope.

4. A Complete Unknown

Letterboxd Review

A musical biopic that isn’t about hard drugs!? I didn’t know it was possible.

I was not looking forward to seeing A Complete Unknown. The Musical Biopic tropes have soured me a bit to the whole genre. I know I am not the only person who hears Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story quotes every time I watch one of these. Surprisingly, A Complete Unknown put a bit of a spell over me. The spell was cast by a great ensemble of performances and a captivating sound design. I could hear every little nuanced sound in the instruments as they were being set up or played, and it was a true feast for the ears. Also, and I know this sounds wild, Bob Dylan has some good music.

I would Pick Timothée Chalamet to beat Adrien Brody for the win, but I do not think the Academy will agree. Granted, there is another performance last year from Timothée that I think was even better but, we will get there soon ;)

3. Nickel Boys

Letterboxd Review

Now this is a respectable Oscar nomination, finally.

Nickel Boys was one of the most recent movies I have seen, and it is so layered that I want to watch it again. I know it could only go up in these rankings. It is based on a true story about two boys in a correctional facility in Florida during the Jim Crow South and all the horrors that come along with that. This has the best cinematography of the year, hands down. There is some stiff competition, but Nickel Boys takes the cake. It is shot from 1st person POV, leading to one of the more unique experiences you can have: literally walking in someone else’s shoes.

The story is complex and sticks with you. I can’t think of a single choice the director made that does not seem intentional, every shot adding to the themes and feelings of the film. It will sadly go away empty-handed at the Oscars tonight, but I highly recommend Nickel Boys as one of the best of the year.

2. Conclave

Letterboxd Review

I know certainty is the sin he fears most but I am certain this movie is fantastic.

Conclave was tailor-made to my sensibilities. I love political thrillers. I like watching people grapple with religious doubt. The TV show Succession is my favorite drama TV show. All these facts about me and more set me up to have a blast watching Conclave. It would be my pick for best Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay. Lucky for me, I think the Academy Agrees with me for once on those.

The cast is insane. Every one is firing on all cylinders. I love how the tense score enhances these backroom conversations. I think about Ralph Fiennes speech to open the Conclave often and how great that bit of writing and performance was. The ending does not bug me as much as it does other people, although I agree that it is not as strong as the rest of the film. I can’t recommend Conclave highly enough.

The general feeling is that because this film won the BAFTA, it has a real shot at winning Best Picture. I know some people would be disappointed by this, but hey, I am not catholic, so I will not be one of them. I will be celebrating every win Conclave can get tonight.

1. Dune: Part Two

Letterboxd Review

I liked when Paul said “Now this is worm racing”

It is so rare for me to re-watch movies as there are so many new ones to watch and never enough time. It is even more rare for me to re-watch a movie within the same year, let alone within a week. I watched Dune: Part Two in theaters opening weekend, ordered the Dune book on Amazon, read the whole book in a week, went back to theaters, watched Dune: Part Two again, and also watched it on New Year’s Eve to make sure my last film of the year was the best.

2024 was the year of Dune for me, and maybe the start of a decade of Dune if I am lucky. This movie gives me chills. The score, acting, cinematography, VFX, screenplay, sound, and direction are all so good it almost makes me want to boycott the Oscars for nominating it in so few categories. Denis Villeneuve not getting nominated for either Dune film is such a crime I can’t think about it anymore.

I rarely find a blockbuster that lives up to the hype, like Dune: Part Two. The worm riding, every line uttered by Javier Bardem, and the fact that Timothée Chalamet might be the actual Lisan al Gaib is almost too much for me to handle. I have so many thoughts about Dune that I will probably write more about it one day, but for now, I’ll say it was not only the best movie nominated for Best Picture, but it’s also my favorite movie of the year.