Introduction: 

The Oscars are right around the corner, taking place on March 2. So naturally, we (Julia and Amber) watch a combined seven strong contenders out of 10 films nominated for Best Picture to provide you with a thorough review — plus predictions for how it will perform at the Oscars for Best Picture and other major categories. 

Both of us are very passionate about movies; Julia especially enjoys learning about the filmmaking process in her media production class, while
Amber is an obsessive Letterboxd user and self-proclaimed filmmaking amateur. Overall, this Oscar season has been extremely competitive and we hope to make the Oscars a little more approachable with our reviews and predictions.

Best Picture Pick:

The Brutalist

Directed by Nick Gordon, “The Brutalist” chronicles aesthetic and historical narratives through an architect’s escape from the brutal Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany to prosperous Pennsylvania, U.S., for a construction opportunity under a shadowy millionaire.

At three and a half hours, this movie, at first, captured the public’s attention because of its length rather than its plot. However, upon entering the theater, much like other moviegoers, you’ll find the time fly by in a cinematic, instrumental and sensory journey. Despite operating primarily in the fictional lives of Architect László Tóth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), the film develops into a tale that feels completely real, like an earnest recorded account of a 1950s Jewish artist’s true lived experiences.

“The Brutalist” won Best Picture at the Golden Globes Awards, and it is most likely the strongest contender to win at the Oscars due in part to the Oscars’ tendency to lean toward drama movies rather than science fiction stories like “Dune” or musical comedies like “Emilia Pérez.”

Others:

Conclave

Edward Bergery’s masterful “Conclave” pits cardinal against cardinal in the race for power as the Catholic Church picks a new pope. Main characters Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) engage viewers with powerful dialogue from screenwriter Peter Straughan. Overall, this film has accomplished something impressive — it tells the potentially mundane story of a religious topic in an engaging way by incorporating important social themes on ambition, power and unpredictable plot twists. “Conclave” deserves the praise it’s getting, including the nomination for Best Picture.

However, the movie, highlighting some of the most pressing issues and divisions the modern Church confronts, is also facing pushback on its portrayal of Catholics. I think the movie calls attention to the difficulty of finding the balance between spirituality and temptation for power in the Catholic Church. Although I don’t think it’s going to score big at the Oscars even after eight nominations, simply because of its extremely tough competition, it remains a strong contender for Best Adapted Screenplay thanks to its richly nuanced and complex character arcs. 

Emilia Pérez

“Emilia Pérez,” directed by Jacques Audiard, made a splash during the Golden Globes, racking up four awards including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy. However, many viewers online are expressing disagreement with the critics, wondering why the movie is getting such high praise. In “Emilia Pérez,” a Mexican cartel kingpin (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists lawyer Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldaña) to fake his own death, enabling his transformation into a woman and his pursuit of a new life. 

Given that the film is being nominated for 13 awards at the Oscars, usually audiences would applaud critics for highlighting diverse casts and stories. Instead, however, viewers have criticized the film for perpetuating stereotypes of the Latino community, Mexicans and transgender people — some go so far to say that this movie is a step back in transgender representation.

Zoe Saldaña has an outstanding performance worthy of her win at the Golden Globes and potentially an Oscar. However, there is little confidence that the movie will follow suit in the other categories; even the 13 Oscar nominations were unforeseen, which almost tied for most nominations (14) held by Titanic, so the film may perform unexpectedly.

Dune Part 2

Epic, massive, bold — all words to describe French filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s second film installment based on Frank Herbert’s original “Dune” book series. “Dune Part 2” picks up right where “Dune Part 1” left off in both story and production quality, garnering two Golden Globe nominations and five Oscar nominations. Villeneuve amps up the tension as main protagonist Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) joins with the Fremen to wage an epic war against House Harkonnen, fulfilling his destiny as a messianic leader on the desert planet Arrakis.

“Dune Part 2” is by far the fan favorite with a 95% audience score. I personally have watched this movie several times; it’s rewatchable in part due to its engaging plot but also its beautiful cinematography and perfectly orchestrated sound. However, the Oscars don’t usually follow the fan favorite. In my opinion, they snubbed Villaneve for best director and Jacqueline West for Best Costumes for nominations and likely will skip out on awarding their other nominations as well.

A Complete Unknown

“A Complete Unknown” is a love letter to folk music with portrayals of leading musicians (i.e. Joan Baez, Al Kooper), soulful renditions of widely-loved songs and complete with dreamy frames and a reflective pace.

Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” may just parallel his co-star Edward Norton’s performance as the Narrator in “Fight Club.” As evident by a highly energized press tour following the movie’s release (hosting as well as musically performing on SNL, Lime e-scootering to the movie premiere and method dressing for public events), this was a role that Chalamet took personally and heartily. And it shows. Despite his increasing popularity, Chalamet embodies Bob Dylan onscreen with such a profuse gravity that his real-life persona is utterly forgotten by the audience. 

Moreover, he sings. And he plays the guitar. For Chalamet, it wasn’t enough to act out the legendary music personality — he also took on Dylan’s unique voice and strumming, generationally adored keystones of music, with a precision that feels uncanny. Chalamet deserves an Academy Award for Best Actor, just as Bob Dylan had earned one for Best Original Song.

Anora

A tragic interpretation of the folktale Cinderella: “Anora” chases through NYC’s Brooklyn and Manhattan in sex, glamour and Russian to comment comically (unexpectedly) on sex work and class.

Considering “Anora’s” opening scene pans across a row of strippers in a nightclub, one being the titular protagonist Anora (Mikey Madison) herself, you might be surprised to learn that there was no intimacy coordinator in this sex-positive film, so the film’s nomination for Sean Baker as Best Director may be the most contested amongst its myriad of other nominations. 

Sex scenes in “Anora” are essential to the plot, but that’s not to say that they aren’t discomforting, contextualized by the major themes of consent and exploitation weaving the film together. While Madison has spoken out about declining the intimacy coordinator offered by Sean Baker on her own terms, internet discourse is still commenting on the situation, referencing potential manipulation from Baker or arguing that intimacy coordinators should be required, not offered. The controversy, which overshadows a truly gritty, emotionally compelling story, may just get between Sean Baker and his Oscar.

The Substance

Would you take “the substance”? It’s all anyone could talk about following French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat’s breakout horror-sci-fi film “The Substance.” Featuring soul-crushing performances of Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) and her younger persona, Sue (Margaret Qualley), this movie deserves its flowers at the Oscars for numerous reasons — from cinematography to direction to visual effects.

What truly captured the attention of social media, however, is the completely novel approach to the well-known dangers of lookism, sexism and female-specific ageism, concentrated into the dystopian “substance” of the two-hour, 20-minute film. Through striking visuals and a vibrant soundtrack, the movie absorbs the viewer into its self-obsessed world. Just like its protagonist, you may find yourself not wanting to come back, unsure how to face reality on your own once again.

“The Substance” feels like a perfect contradiction — a testament to Moore’s powerful performance, shaped by years of experience, juxtaposed with her character’s spiral into desperation after rejection despite her own long career. The Oscars would completely miss the point of the movie should they pass over Moore for Best Actress.