The Oscar nominations have been announced and all the attention is on the ten movies vying for the top prize of Best Picture of the year. While one will take the title on Oscar night, everyone always has different opinions on which movies actually deserve to be named as the best of the year.
Among the big-budget movies and smaller more intimate stories, the reaction to the Best Picture nominees varies quite a bit. According to the users at IMDb, there are some of these titles that are more popular than others and the top-rated among them could serve as a sign for which movie will be victorious at this year’s Oscars.
The Power Of The Dog (6.9)
Despite being considered the frontrunner by many, The Power of the Dog ends up being the most polarizing of the nominees among IMDb users. The Western stars Benedict Cumberbatch as an intimidating rancher who torments his brother’s new family until he finds an unexpected connection.
The movie is up for more awards than any other this year, proving to be a massive hit with the Oscar voters. And while many viewers seem to be engrossed with the beautiful scenery and riveting performances, the slow burn approach might have turned some off.
Nightmare Alley (7.2)
In his first movie since winning Best Picture for The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro could return to the Oscar stage with his noir thriller, Nightmare Alley. Bradley Cooper stars as a carnival worker who develops an act as a mentalist only for his “abilities” to draw him down a dark path.
Del Toro’s atmospheric filmmaking and complex script helped to make this a gripping period thriller. However, it is also the darkest of the Best Picture nominees this year and perhaps not what viewers were looking for.
Don’t Look Up (7.2)
It is not often a comedy is nominated for Best Picture, but Adam McKay has managed to do it with his last three movies. Like his other projects, Don’t Look Up combines laughs with topical issues in this story of two scientists attempting to warn an uncaring world of a deadly comet heading towards Earth.
The star-studded cast and timely message about climate change made Don’t Look Up one of the most talked-about movies of the year. Many found it to be a hilarious and thought-provoking experience while others felt it was messy and unsubtle.
Belfast (7.4)
After directing big blockbusters like Thor and Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh told a more intimate story based on his own childhood with Belfast. Set in the 1960s in Ireland, the movie deals with a young boy and his family during The Troubles.
The black-and-white coming-of-age story struck a chord with many viewers who found it to be a touching story filled with moments of tragedy as well as uplifting and funny moments.
King Richard (7.6)
It is not uncommon that there will be a biopic found among the Best Picture nominees of any year. In 2022, that movie is King Richard which stars Will Smith as the dedicated and driven father of future tennis superstars, Venus and Serena Williams.
Smith’s performance which shows both the faults and strength of this man really helps to carry the movie. It makes for an interesting and enjoyable sports story about two of the greatest athletes of all time and the path they took to achieve their greatness.
West Side Story (7.8)
Steven Spielberg is a filmmaker whose work seems to be synonymous with the Oscars. In remaking West Side Story, the Hollywood legend has his shot at yet another Best Picture trophy. The musical follows a forbidden love between two young lovers from different backgrounds who find themselves in the midst of a gang war.
Despite the love for the original movie adaptation, Spielberg’s direction helped make this a worthwhile retelling. With elaborate numbers and exciting sequences, it is a movie that helps show why Spielberg is still one of the best.
Drive My Car (7.9)
It is not uncommon for an acclaimed international movie to gain enough attention to be considered among the Best Picture nominees. Parasite made Oscar history a few years ago when it won the top prize and the Japanese movie Drive My Car hopes to do the same.
It tells the story of a theater director who is invited to a festival where he connects with the chauffeur hired to drive him around. With recognition from Oscar voters and general audiences, it is clear Drive My Car has become an international crossover.
Licorice Pizza (7.9)
Paul Thomas Anderson continues his amazing career of incredible work with Licorice Pizza. The period comedy tells the story of first love between a high school student and an older girl set in California in 1979.
Newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman impressed a lot of people while the movie also boasts more established talents like Bradley Cooper and Sean Penn in supporting roles. Along with being named as one of the best movies of the year, it was also dubbed as one of the funniest comedies.
CODA (8.1)
Among big, anticipated movies from acclaimed directors, there are occasionally smaller indies that get the Oscar voters’ attention. This year, CODA was the little movie that could, earning huge acclaim following its breakout screening at Sundance.
The movie follows a high school girl who is the only non-deaf member of her family as she struggles with fulfilling her dreams of being a singer. It is the kind of movie that delivers moments of laughter, inspiration, and sadness that all combine into a beautiful crowd-pleaser.
Dune (8.1)
Adapting the massive sci-fi novel from Frank Herbert was a seemingly impossible task, but Denis Villeneuve managed to make one of the most immersive movies of the year with Dune. The movie takes place in the far-distant future as a royal family takes control of a dangerous planet and finds themselves the target of powerful enemies.
Villeneuve’s grand and ambitious vision makes for a beautiful, engrossing, and epic movie unlike anything else this year. Not only did audiences love it as much or more than critics, but they eagerly await the second chapter in the story.
