By Priya Klein ‘26

Photo of the Oscar statuette trophy.

Courtesy of Variety.

As the 2025 Oscars rapidly approach (set to premiere on Mar. 2 at 4:00 PM EST) the Best Picture nominees serve as a time capsule of the past year in cinema and culture, reflecting our collective imagination, triumphs, and missteps. I’ve identified the five most notable of these nominees, each offering a mix of ambition, nostalgia, sheer spectacle, and vying for a golden statue–but not all deserving of one. With award season upon us, here are the Best Picture nominees of this year that you should keep an eye on and why.

In reviewing these nominees, I’ve focused on four key elements for each film: the strength of the story and screenplay, the performances of the cast, the production quality (including cinematography, editing, and design), and an overall verdict on its impact. Additionally, I’ll include a brief introduction to each film’s plot and an assessment of its chances of taking home the coveted Best Picture award at this year’s Oscars ceremony.

“Anora”

Mark Eidelstein (left) and Mikey Madison (right) in “Anora” (2024).

Courtesy of Criterion Collection.

“Anora” follows a young sex worker of the same name living in Brooklyn, who on a whim, marries the naive and reckless son of a Russian oligarch, Ivan. Tension begins to rise when Ivan’s family finds out about the marriage and becomes set on ending it at all costs. Anora, accompanied by a group of goons employed by Ivan’s family to see their annulment through, reluctantly embarks on a 149-minute journey to find the in-hiding Ivan.

This film's writing was excellent, thorough in its creation of the characters, and ingenious in the realistic and naturally funny dialogue. While the film’s pacing was quite slow at times, the plot points felt new and creative. Most notably, the film’s ending left my theater silent for five minutes while the credits rolled.

Mikey Madison, who plays the titular character of Anora, gives a captivating performance that, along with quick improvisational skills, will surely lead to us seeing her a lot more in the future. Additionally, performances from Yuriy Borisov and Mark Eidelstein, who played Igor (a goon) and Ivan, respectively, are equally–if not more–impressive considering that they’re considered unknown in the American film world. As a whole, the film is able to be as immersive as it is because of the consistently convincing performances by the film’s actors and actresses.

In accordance with the other aspects of this film, the production is equally spectacular. The cinematography, in particular, is an undeniable highlight, easily transforming the gloom and grime of New York City’s winter into the perfect landscape for a whimsical moonlit adventure, allowing the film’s humor to shine even in its darkest moments. The film’s editing, while still compelling, is simply fine, perhaps a little stunted by the abundance of long, unnecessary stretches of mostly improvised dialogue.

The project shows serious promise and has already received a tremendous amount of critical acclaim. Despite the taboo surrounding its subject matter and its almost unserious quality, I see the film being a strong contender for the Best Picture award.

2. “A Complete Unknown”

Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (2024).

Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

“A Complete Unknown” follows Bob Dylan on his road to stardom, beginning with his discovery at a folk club in Manhattan. During its 140-minute runtime, the film chronicles Dylan’s contentious relationships with romantic interests and politically driven musicians alike, as well as his ultimate decision to shift from the folk genre to rock. The film takes on the ambitious task of capturing the distinct mystical allure of Dylan that captivated the world.

The film's writing is cheap and fundamentally misinterprets Bob Dylan and the people in his life, leaving all of the film’s characters feeling shallow and flat. It’s especially clear that the film itself does not understand Bob Dylan’s independence and has no idea how to approach his status as a pop-culture enigma without entirely reducing him to a hollow mystery. While I appreciate the sentiment, if this was meant to be the film to introduce younger audiences to Bob Dylan, they’re not getting much to base their perception on other than an ungodly amount of unnecessary harmonica playing.

Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Bob Dylan is undeniably the knight in shining armor for this otherwise incredibly bland Cinderella story. Even with the film’s uncertainty about Dylan’s reasoning for his actions, Chalamet manages to deliver a risky, but ultimately rewarding performance. The young actor both captures the essence of Dylan while proving his musical talents.

Likewise, it’s worth acknowledging the dedication and care that all of the actors and actresses put into learning and performing the musical components of each role.

The production, including the cinematography and editing, of this film was nothing to write home about. While the editing and color grading manage to capture the feel of the 1970s folk music scene, like the rest of the film, it feels incredibly dull and colorless. Similarly, the film’s cinematography is uninspired and far too scared to take any risks, leaving most scenes feeling dragged out and visually hollow.

“A Complete Unknown” fades passively into the long list of other musician biopics, sure to be practically forgotten by the end of the decade. Considering the overall mediocre reviews from critics and its lack of vitality, it feels safe to expect that “A Complete Unknown” will not be taking home the Academy Award for Best Picture.

3. “Wicked”

Ariana Grande (left) and Cynthia Erivo (right) in “Wicked” (2024).

Courtesy of wickedmovie.com.

Set in the universe of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked” follows two young witches, Elphaba, an outcast because of her green skin, and Glinda, her popular and bubbly counterpart, as they attend the esteemed “Shiz University” to hone their magical powers. The two witches, while originally harboring an intense hatred for each other, form an unlikely bond. Over 162 minutes, the film introduces a series of elaborate musical numbers as the two witches make their way to the Emerald City to contact the infamous Wizard of Oz.

The film’s choice to only depict the first act of the original Broadway musical of the same name–and yet still employ an outrageously long run time–is more than questionable. This decision leaves the film’s pacing a wreck, stumbling between fast-paced musical numbers and irrelevant and incredibly boring filler. Beyond the film’s divergence from the stage musical in terms of duration, the film’s writing and screenplay are nearly identical to that of the Broadway musical, adding little to the original story.

Through Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s performances, it’s clear to see the effort that was put into casting the best possible fits for the beloved roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. Each actress shines beautifully in their respective roles, making their character unique and delivering goosebumps with their musical performances. Ariana Grande, in particular, surprised me with her undeniable charisma and the seeming ease with which she humorously delivers her lines.

The film’s production lends itself to the same synthetic and commercial gleam that plagued the Barbie movie two summers ago. That is not to undervalue the detailed set design that–combined with the colorful and intricate outfits–made “Wicked” so visually appealing. Additionally, the film’s cinematography and editing, like every musical nowadays, are reliably fun and entertaining, something that becomes very necessary as the film drudges its way into the third act.

Catlin Gabel School (CGS) junior Evan Zhang shared a similar appreciation for the film’s production value, having completed extensive research on the film for a new CatlinSpeak article. “It was stellar,” said Zhang. “It’s definitely rare to see a film put so much love into set design, especially in our era of CGI.”

Beyond the technicolor intrigue and talented performances, the film falls disappointingly short because of its inconsistent pacing and overall lack of emotional weight. As much as I appreciate the cultural impact that Wicked has made this year–for better or for worse–that buzz doesn’t quite feel like enough to land it anywhere near the Academy Award for Best Picture.

3. “Emilia Peréz”

Selena Gomez (middle) in “Emilia Pérez” (2024).

Courtesy of Why Not Productions.

In “Emilia Peréz,” a 130-minute hodge-podge of ideas and poorly sung musical numbers, a depressed lawyer from Mexico City, Rita, is kidnapped and then recruited by a notorious cartel boss to help her retire and transition into living as a woman, aptly named Emelia Peréz. Having recently transitioned, Emelia Peréz must navigate rekindling her relationship with her family and reckon with her criminal past.

It’s undeniably an ambitious project, trying to be 3 different movies at once–a musical, a crime-thriller, and a social commentary–and it’s seemingly failing at all of them. Its depiction of trans women is misguided and underbaked, making it clear that the film is much more focused on the idea of advocacy, rather than depicting an authentic transgender experience. As a whole, the film’s writing is absurd, fast-paced enough to still keep an audience entertained, but ridiculous enough to question if it's worth it.

Unlike the abominable writing, the film’s acting is surprisingly solid. Notably, performances by Zoe Saldaña as Rita and Karla Sofía Gascón as Emelia Peréz are excellent, with Saldaña even winning a Golden Globe this year for her performance. Unfortunately, their performances make Selena Gomez feel all the more out of place–perhaps a cruel joke.

The production of the film makes it feel like a psychedelic fever dream, one that you were given no warning or explanation for. In a weird, indescribable way, I find the cinematography in this film to be an unexpected highlight; it’s interesting, regularly utilizing perfectly symmetrical aspects and short but sweet moving shots that combined with the editing create a uniquely captivating experience. Likewise, the film’s color grading is similarly indescribable, riddled with vibrant hues of red and orange, and undercut by piercing black and blue tones.

As a whole, this film feels unreal–and not in a good way. Ignoring the outrageous writing and questionable production, plenty of speculation and controversy already surrounds this film–will it be enough to drive it to a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards? Just maybe.

5. The Brutalist

Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist” (2024).

Courtesy of A24.

Fleeing Europe after World War II, a Jewish-Hungarian architect, László Tóth, finds himself in Philadelphia, employed by a power-hungry industrialist. There, Tóth tediously tries to balance his work, his marriage, and his integration into American society. Throughout the film’s 215-minute runtime, Tóth reckons with the American dream as he constructs his biggest and most meaningful project yet.

The film’s screenwriting is clearly carefully built from personal experiences and family histories. Surprisingly, the film’s pacing and narrative arc work quite well with its disturbingly long run time, which makes you genuinely thankful for its intermission. Notably, the most controversial aspect of this film is its second act–more specifically, its eerie and questionable climax–that seems to make or break the film for most viewers.

The performances in this film are generally favorable, but perhaps a little exaggerated at times. Adrien Brody, who portrays Tóth, can produce a tender, but magnificent performance that makes even the most uncomfortable of scenes bearable. Supporting Actors, Joe Alwyn and Guy Pearce, who play Tóth’s assimilated cousin and the ominous aristocrat employing Tóth, respectively, are superb in their roles.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of this film is the almost inconceivable set design that leaves you in just as much awe of its grandeur as it does of its astoundingly low budget of $10 million. The cinematography is masterfully used to the film’s advantage and is always executed with the goal of better communicating the characters’ experiences. Likewise, the film’s color grading and editing, while simplistic, are technically brilliant and avoid the dismal composition that seems to loom over most period pieces nowadays.

This film has so many compelling aspects, yet it crumbles under the weight of the inflated critical acclaim that it’s received–a heavy but ultimately benign burden to bear. As much as this film has made me reconsider my strong disdain for brutalist architecture, I find it lacking the emotional weight that I so badly want it to hold and its self-important quality can drag it down at times. That being said, the “Brutalist” is exactly the type of film that the Academy Awards will eat up and I have no doubt in my mind that it will be a very strong contender for Best Picture.

Final Thoughts

The Best Picture nominees remind us that the Oscars are as much a reflection of Hollywood’s aspirations, as they are a snapshot of the cultural moment. From the surreal chaos of “Emilia Peréz” to the gothic grit of “The Brutalist,” these films showcase the good, bad, and very, very ugly of this year’s cinema.

With the 2025 Oscars just around the corner, speculation over which film will take home the Best Picture award is heating up. With just a little bit more knowledge on each of these nominees, I encourage you to tune in on Mar. 2 and immerse yourself in the best of what this year’s cinema has to offer.

REVIEW: What you need to know about these 5 Best Picture nominated films before the 2025 Oscars