Jake Ruderman ’26
Staff Writer
After the reveal of the 2024 Academy Awards nominations last week, there was controversy, some outrage, and personal statements issued by nominated actors criticizing the Academy’s lack of foresight and self-awareness. While this is an important topic in the film industry and greater movie culture at large, it’s a topic that I find fairly redundant, and would direct those interested in the topic to smarter people within the film industry for their analyses.
What I’m far more interested in writing about, as a complete and utter cinephile, is the incredible crop of movies nominated across the board, specifically within this year’s Best Picture nominees, which I believe to be one of the strongest slates of all time. From top to bottom, this group contains exceptional films, ranging from intense, biographical dramas, to fairly commercial movies with seriously impactful messaging under their surfaces, to outright wacky and unique films – there’s truly something here for everyone. From the perspective of someone who has seen nearly every 2024 Oscar nominated film, I’m going to try and hone in on one (or maybe a few) reasons why you should watch each of this year’s Best Picture nominees.
Beginning from the most natural starting point, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is one of the greatest films to come out in the 2020s (and the 21st century as a whole), and checks virtually every single box for a movie lover. Aside from its star studded cast, incredibly well-adapted, accurate story, and bold storytelling choices, the number one reason to see this movie is for its technical brilliance on every level. While Nolan is known for consistently assembling the greatest crews in Hollywood, he simply outdid himself with this one. In truly every technical aspect, from cinematography and editing, to score and visual effects, Oppenheimer is a collection of the most talented people at their respective professions all doing their absolute best work, and is a cinematic masterpiece in every meaning of the phrase.
Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction, in contradiction with its name, tells a very real, complicated, and uncomfortable story about the current states of racism, white guilt, and disingenuous racial overcompensation in America today. Through its genius screenplay, American Fiction is able to drive home serious points on incredibly prevalent and emotional issues, while providing a genuine laugh-out-loud movie at the same time. The number one reason to see American Fiction is to laugh along with it, then cry because of it. Jefferson’s directorial debut is a truly masterful blending of an otherwise dichotomous set of issues, and an absolute must see.
Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is a fantastic combination of nostalgia, deep, guttural sadness, and unlikely, yet heartwarming, relationships. But, above all else, this is a movie that demands to be seen because of its performances. Best Actor nominee Paul Giamatti gives a truly uncharacteristic performance, balancing severe contempt for the world with innate, though hidden, sympathy for its fellow outcasts. Best Supporting Actress nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph crushes it on every level, providing a gut wrenching display of emotion juxtaposed with serious disdain for nearly everyone she’s surrounded by, all with fairly limited screen time. And newcomer Dominic Sessa expertly embodies a disgruntled, depressed, angsty, 80s teen with as much accuracy and believability as any performance from this entire year. This trio operates seamlessly with each other, effortlessly bringing you into the troubled lives of these three wildly different characters, a feat rarely seen in today’s movies.
While it’s true that Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is never going to be everyone’s cup of tea, its 3 hour 26 minute run time allows it the ability to achieve what simply cannot be achieved in 90 minutes. Because of its longevity, Killers is able to spend copious amounts of time on otherwise miniscule details, beautifully resurrecting a long-gone world and fully immersing the viewer in its riveting story, as it truly played out in real life – painstakingly slowly. The number one reason to see Killers is to allow yourself to be engulfed by arguably the most experienced cinematic mind alive: Martin Scorsese. Scorsese is a true genius of filmmaking, and has continued his work well into his 80s, honing his craft through longer form storytelling. His work never fails to command respect, especially with this largely successful adaptation of a brutal and overlooked part of American history.
Celine Song’s directorial debut, Past Lives, is without a doubt the film that ‘stayed with me’ the most after watching it, lingering in my mind and chest for multiple weeks after. Easily the best new romance film I saw this year, at times, it begs the question: is this a romance film at all? The number one reason to watch Past Lives is to engage with a story that the general public rarely engages with. Not only is Celine Song a first time writer and director, she’s also a Korean-American female director, telling her story through the creation of characters played largely by Korean actors as well. The movie gracefully slips back and forth between English and Korean, as Song conveys her own lived experience of navigating American life while struggling to maintain heritage, culture, and traditions from her ‘Past Life’ in another country. The plethora of romantic scenes are gorgeous, and every single line drips with a sense of nostalgia, longing, and wonderment for the infinite lives unlived that exist on the other side of previous decisions.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things is undoubtedly the ‘weirdest’ new movie I saw this past year, taking constant risks and succeeding for the sheer intensity at which it embraces itself. The number one reason to watch Poor Things is to expand your palette filmmaking-wise, and allow yourself to experience the uncomfortableness that this film oozes in every scene. Whether it be Willem Dafoe’s unconventional prosthetic jaw, composer Jerskin Fendrix’s off-putting score, cinematographer Robbie Ryan’s jarring visuals, or Best Actress nominee Emma Stone’s ‘falling-with-style’ acting approach, this film has weirdness deep within its soul. But that’s the beauty of Best Director nominee Yorgos Lanthimos’ creation – he’s challenging you to embrace uncomfortableness and instead be on high alert for anything that seems too ordinary. In an industry that too often elevates the generic and rewards conventional perfection, Lanthimos is a shining example of the gift that is outside-the-box filmmaking, and none of his works better embody that than Poor Things.
While it may be unfair, I’m choosing to rope both European films together, providing a reason for both Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest all wrapped up in one. The number one reason to watch both of these films is to remind yourself of the subjectivity of film, and art as a whole. Both Glazer and Triet aren’t interested in making movies that stay within the confines of traditional cinema, and both push the audience to their maximum capacity for thought, though in different ways. Through withholding expected story elements, these masterful storytellers, both of whom are Best Director nominees, are able to spit in the face of convention, skillfully playing off of audience expectations and basic movie structure fundamentals. While these films are wildly different, they’re grouped together not simply for the geography of their origins, but for their reminder that film is a subjective art. Every single audience member should come away with a different interpretation and appreciation; otherwise, what’s the point?
Bradley Cooper’s Maestro is an elegant telling of an American icon and a staple of music history. But is the character of Leonard Bernstein the star of his own film? That’s the interesting question that Maestro poses, subverting the expectations of the traditional biopic again and again. And while many biopics face criticism for their glorification of celebrities – especially straight, white, male celebrities – it seems that Maestro is so careful to avoid this, that Bernstein isn’t the focal point of his supposed life story, despite being the titular character. Best Actress nominee Carey Mulligan, who portrays Felicia Montealegre, Bernstein’s wife, steals the show from Best Actor nominee Bradley Cooper, often embodying the modern audience through her frequent and vocal criticism of Bernstein, despite his commercial successes. Whether or not this choice works is the number one reason to watch this film; Cooper, whether intentionally or not, instructs the audience to really dive deep into the biopic genre (especially in the assembly-line era of the biopic) and examine what key elements are essential for a “good” biopic, how the involvement of non-titular characters shapes the audience’s perception, and ultimately, what message should lie within.
While you’d be hard pressed to find someone that hasn’t yet seen Greta Gerwig’s smash hit Barbie, it still demands important conversation, especially in the wake of its aforementioned nomination controversy. But despite its astounding commercial success ($1.5 billion worldwide!!), the number one reason to watch Barbie is to celebrate arguably the most dominant female director – actress duo Hollywood has ever seen. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie are forces to be reckoned with in their own right, but together they’re nothing short of unstoppable. The combination of Gerwig’s technical brilliance and knack for relatability with Robbie’s wildly amorphous abilities and on-screen power creates a perfect blend that leaves you dazzled and longing for more. And though Barbie didn’t contain my personal favorite Margot Robbie scene of the year (Asteroid City!), it forever redefined the definition of the summer blockbuster, the cultural phenomenon, and the power behind a female-led film. I’d bet my lunch money that Gerwig and Robbie are just getting started as a duo, and I’ll be first in line for their next project, whatever it may be.
Featured Image Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly
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