Reviews & Ratings for the 2025 Oscar Best Picture Nominees

I always try to see every movie nominated for Best Picture, but I haven’t seen I’m Still Here yet, so that spot will be blank for now. I’ll update this after I eventually see it.

Dune: Part 2 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239678)

When I saw Dune: Part 2 in March, I said that it is the best movie I've seen since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. I stand by that statement as I absolutely love this movie and if it hadn’t come out in March, I think it’d be getting more Oscar buzz…10/10 stars

A Complete Unknown (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11563598)

I saw A Complete Unknown with some family on Christmas Day and thought it was a great way to enjoy Christmas. The movie depicts the early days of Bob Dylan’s career and his music of that time, which is the era of his that I like the best. The performances are outstanding, especially Timothée Chalamet’s…9.0/10 stars

Anora (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28607951)

I’ve seen Anora twice now, including once in the theater and I liked it even more after watching it for that 2nd time. Mikey Madison is fantastic in this somewhat batshit crazy, manic, funny, heartfelt, and even a bit sad movie…9.0/10 stars

The Brutalist (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8999762)

The Brutalist is a very long movie clocking in at 3 hours & 35 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission and the credits) and it’s worth seeing every minute of. It’s an excellent movie with great performances by Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce…8.5/10 stars

Conclave (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20215234)

Conclave is a very entertaining movie with a great cast. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and while I somewhat question the ending of it, that didn’t take away from how much I liked it…8.0/10 stars

Wicked (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426)

Even though it’s a bit long, I definitely liked Wicked, especially the performances of the 2 leads, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. I’ve never seen the musical and I didn’t know any of the songs until I saw the movie. The songs are great and the performances of those songs were great as well…7.5/10 stars

Nickel Boys (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23055660)

Nickel Boys is a good movie with a unique filming style. I just thought it was a bit boring at times. But the ending made up for that and I did like it…7.0/10 stars

Emilia Perez (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20221436)

I thought Emilia Perez was a decent movie with good performances, especially by Zoe Saldaña. I am just not sure it belongs as a Best Picture nominee…6.0/10 stars

The Substance (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17526714)

I was enjoying the batshit craziness of The Substance until the end where it went off of the rails. It just reaffirmed that this type of movie just isn’t for me…5.0/10 stars

I'm Still Here (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14961016) - TBD

2024 Oscar Predictions

 

I think 2023 was a great year for movies and I saw some great ones throughout the year with many of those nominated for numerous Oscars. Here are my predictions in 18 of the 23 categories for the 2024 Oscars.

UPDATE: I went 13/18 with my predictions and unlike last year, I believe the Best Picture Oscar was awarded correctly. The winners below are in blue.

BEST PICTURE

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

What I want to/think should win and what I predict will win: You heard it here last…Oppenheimer

BEST ACTOR

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Who I want to/think should win and who I predict will win: You heard it here last again…Cillian Murphy

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening, Nyad

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Emma Stone, Poor Things

Who I want to/think should win and who I predict will win: Lily Gladstone

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Who I want to/think should win: Ryan Gosling

Who I predict will win: Robert Downey Jr.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

America Ferrera, Barbie

Jodie Foster, Nyad

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Who I want to/think should win and who I predict will win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph

BEST DIRECTOR

Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Who I want to/think should win and who I predict will win: Slam dunk time…Christopher Nolan

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Io Capitano, Italy

Perfect Days, Japan

Society of the Snow, Spain

The Teachers' Lounge, Germany

The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom

What I want to/think should win: Society of the Snow

What I predict will win: The Zone of Interest

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

The Boy and the Heron

Elemental

Nimona

Robot Dreams

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

What I want to/think should win and what I predict will win: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

Barbie – Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach

Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan

Poor Things – Tony McNamara

The Zone of Interest – Jonathan Glazer

What/Who I want to/think should win: Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan

What/Who I predict will win: American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

The Holdovers – David Hemingson

Maestro – Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

May December – Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik

Past Lives – Celine Song

What/Who I want to/think should win: The Holdovers – David Hemingson

What/Who I predict will win: Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

The Creator – Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould

Godzilla Minus One – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould

Napoleon – Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould

What I want to/think should win: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould

What I predict will win: The Creator – Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

American Fiction – Laura Karpman

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – John Williams

Killers of the Flower Moon – Robbie Robertson

Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson

Poor Things – Jerskin Fendrix

What/Who I want to/think should win and what/who I predict will win: Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

El Conde – Edward Lachman

Killers of the Flower Moon – Rodrigo Prieto

Maestro – Matthew Libatique

Oppenheimer – Hoyte van Hoytema

Poor Things – Robbie Ryan

What/Who I want to/think should win and what/who I predict will win: Oppenheimer – Hoyte van Hoytema

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Barbie – Jacqueline Durran

Killers of the Flower Moon – Jacqueline West

Napoleon – Janty Yates and Dave Crossman

Oppenheimer – Ellen Mirojnick

Poor Things – Holly Waddington

What/Who I want to/think should win: Barbie – Jacqueline Durran

What/Who I predict will win: Poor Things – Holly Waddington

BEST FILM EDITING

Anatomy of a Fall – Laurent Sénéchal

The Holdovers – Kevin Tent

Killers of the Flower Moon – Thelma Schoonmaker

Oppenheimer – Jennifer Lame

Poor Things – Yorgos Mavropsaridis

What/Who I want to/think should win and what/who I predict will win: Oppenheimer – Jennifer Lame

BEST SOUND

The Creator – Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic

Maestro – Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

Oppenheimer – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O'Connell

The Zone of Interest – Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn

What I want to/think should win: Oppenheimer – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O'Connell

What I predict will win: The Zone of Interest – Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Barbie – Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Killers of the Flower Moon – Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis

Napoleon – Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff

Oppenheimer – Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman

Poor Things – Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

What I want to/think should win and what I predict will win: Oppenheimer – Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Golda – Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashra Kelly-Blue

Maestro – Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell

Oppenheimer – Luisa Abel

Poor Things – Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston

Society of the Snow – Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé

What I want to/think should win: Oppenheimer – Luisa Abel

What I predict will win: Maestro – Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell