The Oscars have a very interesting selection of movies this year, with a handful of indie films nominated alongside some of the biggest blockbusters of the year.

Here is my ranking from worst to best.

10. “Emilia Perez” (Audiard, 2024). This is one of the most negatively talked about best picture nominees I can remember. It is a story based on a stage play written by Audiard and stars Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. There is not one good or memorable thing from this film, but there are a ton of negatives to talk about. The music numbers are abysmal, the performances are laughable and the portrayal of transgender people is in awful taste, just like the entire film. Rating: 1/10

9. “Wicked” (Chu, 2024). The jump from “Emilia Perez” to “Wicked” is a big jump in range of movies. “Wicked” is an adaptation of the hit stage musical and stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. “Wicked” is a very well-acted movie with a few memorable musical numbers. Grande is really great and her chemistry with Erivo makes the entire film. While I find the film to be entirely too long and not well-paced, I find the final sequence in Emerald City to be good, especially the final musical number of the film. Rating: 4/10

8. “I’m Still Here” (Salles, 2024). This movie was one of the bigger surprises of the year, as it seemed like it came out of nowhere and led to Fernanda Torres winning Best Actress at the Golden Globes. The film is based on the true story of The Paiva family when the father of the family is taken into questioning by the Brazilian government. This harrowing true story is a pretty by-the-book Oscar biographical drama. There seems to be a movie like this nominated each year, but the acting showcased here is really good. The main problem I saw was that the pacing falters a lot in the second act, making the film drag. Rating: 7/10

7. “Dune Part II” (Villeneuve, 2024). As a sequel to “Dune” from 2021, this movie follows Paul Atreides as he seeks revenge, all while trying to prevent a future only he can see. This almost three-hour epic builds upon the first “Dune” expertly and adapts the second half of the book well. It is grand in scale, thanks to Greig Fraser’s cinematography. Along with incredible set pieces with great lead performances from Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya these performances were well done. Rating: 8/10

6. “Conclave” (Berger, 2024). As another throwback feeling film, “Conclave” is a tight, well-made thriller. It feels like a movie we would see from the 1990s era. The movie follows the unexpected death of the Pope and the cardinals as they try to elect a new one. Taking place in one building for almost the entire film, “Conclave” works so well due to the tight script along with the performances from Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci. Rating: 8/10

5. “A Complete Unknown” (Mangold, 2024). Following the early career of Bob Dylan, it shows Dylan’s first album all the way up to the moment he changed folk music with “Highway 61 Revisited.” I am an incredibly big fan of Bob Dylan, so this movie entirely works for me. Chalamet perfectly plays Dylan, and the way Chalamet has modeled his voice is a really great piece of acting. Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez is also really great in this. As far as musical biographies go, this is one of the better ones, even if it can become a bit cliche at times. Rating: 8/10 

4. “The Substance” (Fargeat, 2024). Horror has long been unnoticed at the Oscars, but “The Substance” is a rare exception. It follows an aging star (Demi Moore) who takes a black-market drug that creates a younger, better version of herself. This is the weirdest nomination here for me. “The Substance” is a gross-out, nasty movie that, most of the time, would be completely discarded from any awards race. Moore is really great in this and I think knowing how her career has been reflected by this character adds a lot to her performance. Coralie Fargeat’s direction is solid, but the script is almost hilariously unsubtle. It feels like the movie is bashing you over the head with its message at times. The third act is so insane and out there, however, that I can’t help but love it. Rating: 9/10 

3. “Nickel Boys” (Ross, 2024). “Nickel Boys” is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. I found it to be a moving portrayal of friendship between two black teenagers in a Florida reform school. What makes this movie stand out so much is the way it is shot. Almost all of the film is from a first person point-of-view. This is such a wholly original and unique way of making a movie, and for that reason, you’ll either really admire and appreciate the film or it will turn you off from it. I found it incredibly effective and it made the entire film very intimate, which makes the big third act reveal hit even harder. Rating: 9/10

2. “The Brutalist” (Corbet, 2024). Another one of the year’s indie hits has also been making headlines for its length — a massive 215 minutes with a built-in 15-minute intermission. It follows architect Laszlo Toth, a Jewish man who escapes Europe. After arriving in America, he finds Harrison Lee Van Buren, who recognizes his talent. I could probably write an entire separate piece on this movie. The movie’s length may seem intimidating but it is so brilliantly paced and never seems boring. The performances are all exceptional, especially Adrien Brody (Toth) and Guy Pearce (Van Buren). Brody is especially phenomenal as it is a 3 hour plus film that he is on screen for almost all of. While not all the decisions ended up working with me, especially those made in the third act, I found the sum of its parts to be greater than one or two scenes at the end of the film. “The Brutalist” is an incredible and staggering achievement. Rating: 10/10

1. “Anora” (Baker, 2024). The best movie of the year is nominated at the Oscars. Very rarely do I find that the movie of the year is nominated, but “Anora” is. “Anora” is the story of a sex worker, Ani, who falls in love with a Russian oligarch. Mikey Madison’s performance is star-making, groundbreaking and excellent. The supporting cast is also incredibly funny and nuanced. Baker’s script and direction is impressive, and his editing shows the full control he has over every aspect of the film. He continues to not only increase the scope of his films with each one he makes, but also sticks to the realistic feeling of what it is like to live in America as a lower-class citizen. Rating: 10/10 

A lot of these films are for rent on Amazon Prime or will be coming back to theaters soon. If you are interested in The Oscars this year, they are worth watching, besides Emilia Perez. Here is also the full list of the Oscar nominees — The 97th Academy Awards | 2025.