Here we go. It’s Oscar time.
With the 2025 Academy Awards right around the corner, I knew it was time for me to make this list. Back in 2024, I wrote an Academy Award piece about the Best Picture nominees of that year, and my clear favorite was The Holdovers. While the movie itself didn’t win Best Picture, it did earn several other awards, so I can’t really complain.
And now, here we are, a year later, and we’re about to get into the 2025 picks. From some movies that I don’t think should be there to films that I think deserve even more praise, here is what I think of every 2025 Best Picture nominee – and who I genuinely want to win.
Emilia Pérez Is… There
Yeah, the Emilia Perez hate train from me will not stop today and probably never will at this point.
Aside from the news regarding the film’s lead actress and her past controversial tweets, there are really a lot of reasons I’m not a fan of Emilia Perez. I don’t even think it should be in the Academy Awards category whatsoever—I think the movie is fine and could have been great, but to have it on the biggest awards stage for a film ever is kind of a slap to the face of cinema.
As a Latina, I watched Emilia Perez and was not a huge fan. But as a movie lover, there are other reasons it should not be here among some of these great contenders. My only hope is that, somehow, it does not earn a single win—but I don’t think I’ll be that lucky with how these awards shows have been going.
Anora Is A Heck Of A Fun Time, But Mikey Madison Is Really The Best Part
So here’s the thing with Anora. It’s a great movie, but it’s almost too much for me to handle at certain points. Maybe that’s just me, but this film—about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch and gets into a very dark world—gets super intense very quickly.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the first parts of this film are painted very differently than what we are given later on, where it feels like there is an intense tone shift. Mikey Madison’s Oscar nomination is deserved, as she was the best part of Anora, but it wasn’t my favorite film.
The Brutalist Is Certainly An Incredible Epic, But Its Length Stunts Its Perfection
God, this film is SO LONGGGGGGG.
I know, I probably sound super immature writing that, but I’m sorry – no film out there should be three and a half hours long, even if there’s an intermission like The Brutalist. Don’t get me wrong, this is undoubtedly an epic film – there’s nothing quite like the story of a Holocaust survivor who wishes to inherit the American Dream.
Some of my co-workers think the length works – at least one even sat through The Brutalist twice. I do not like the length, and it stunts the epicness of the film. I think if it had been two and a half hours, it would have worked better.
Dune: Part Two Is A Masterpiece Of Cinematography And Design, But Not Good Enough For Best Picture
As someone who adores watching the best fantasy movies or sci-fi movies, Dune: Part Two is my kind of film. Its story is interesting, but the visual aspects are unlike any other. It delivers on a scale that hasn’t been seen by most and is shot to perfection, where you can’t help but salivate at the stunning beauty captured on the big screen.
…but Best Picture worthy? I don’t think it’s there. Sci-fi can win the prestigious award, but if we’re being honest, this kind of film will be known for its visuals for the rest of its life, not for its story – and it’s not even Timothée Chalamet’s best performance of 2024.
Timothée Chalamet Delivers A Compelling Performance In A Complete Unknown
A Complete Unknown is the perfect combination. You have a brilliant director with James Mangold, an interesting subject regarding the life of Bob Dylan, and a compelling performance from Timothée Chalamet.
And it works. Honestly, if Adrien Brody weren’t nominated for The Brutalist, I would say Chalamet had it on lock-down. The actor was as believable as Dylan and knocked it out of the park. The story is not essentially Best Picture worthy, but it deserves plenty of awards.
I’m Still Here Is A Landmark In Brazilian Film From Beginning To End
It always shocks me to see how few people know about I’m Still Here, but I guess that’s what happens when a film gets a limited release or is barely available to see. I only got to see it through a press screener. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, is a true story about Eunice Paiva, a mother whose husband is forced to disappear thanks to Brazil’s corrupt government in the 1970s.
I really wish way more people got to see this film. It captures the resilience of women so beautifully, and the story not only aims to teach you something about history but it’s also well-directed. It’s a sin that Walter Salles was not nominated for Best Director.
The Substance Is A Film I Will NEVER Watch Again, But Man, Was Demi Moore Phenomenal
I don’t want to get into The Substance spoilers. Let’s just say this film gave me nightmares, and one scene turned my stomach upside down.
But aside from its moments of body horror that rival some of the best body horror films of all time, The Substance is a well-written, shot, and directed film. Of course, the star is Demi Moore. I don’t think this will get Best Picture, but I do think Moore will win for Best Lead Actress. It’s genuinely outstanding—and a little creepy.
Wicked Is The Best Musical Adaptation In A Long Time
There are some great musical movies out there, and Wicked has joined that list. I know that at this point, we are all waiting for Wicked: For Good, even if it is coming out as part of the 2025 movie schedule, but the hype for this movie keeps going.
Will it win Best Picture? I don’t think so. There are other movies on this list that deserve it more. But this film deserves the praise it gets. It’s one of the best musical films in decades, and honestly, any award it does win at the Oscars will be well-deserved.
Nickel Boys Is Criminally Underrated
Nickel Boys is another case where this movie did not get a widespread release, which means that no one knows about it. And it is criminally underrated.
This film is emotionally my favorite. The cast, the story, the setting—it is all done perfectly, and it’s one of the only films on here that made me sob in a good way. It is an absolute gem of a film, and the fact that it was only nominated for two awards—Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay—bothers me so deeply.
It’s not my absolute pick for Best Picture, but if I were judging solely on emotion, this would be my win.
Conclave, By Far Is My Pick, Specifically For Its Story, Twists, And Incredible Performances
Yeah, I have to give it to Conclave.
I know that The Brutalist has been winning many ‘best movie’ awards recently, but there is just something about Conclave that I absolutely adore. Whether it’s the acting from Ralph Fiennes and the rest of the cast, the twists and turns we constantly find ourselves in, or the cinematography that somehow wasn’t nominated, this movie is just phenomenally done.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the Academy will end up picking Conclave for Best Picture if other awards shows are any indication. But it’ll end up leaving with a lot of wins. The story is one that had me on the edge of my seat, and one I won’t forget for a long time.
The 2025 Academy Awards will be coming on March 2nd. What are you excited to win? I, for one, need to have another movie marathon beforehand.
