I WATCHED EVERY BEST PICTURE NOMINEE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO

Vanessa Norris
55 minutes ago
10 min read

An honest review of the 10 films nominated for the biggest award of the season

By: Vanessa Norris

This year’s award season comes to a close on Sunday with the film industry's most anticipated night: the Oscars.

Films released in 2025 were nothing short of impressive. They got people talking, setting the stage for an exciting awards season filled with iconic pop culture moments and juicy controversy.

With an interesting variety of casting, directing and writing, 2025 made for a competitive season. Between the Critics’ Choice Awards, Actor Awards, British Academy Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards, it's clear there are multiple nominees playing tug-of-war for every category:

Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan or Timothée Chalamet?

Best Actress: Jessie Buckley or Rose Byrne?

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson or Ryan Coogler?

And the list goes on.

High-stakes competition makes for a night sure to be filled with unexpected wins, and hopefully one without a boring sweep.

Best picture, the most sought-after award of the year, is always saved for last. The winner is selected using a ranked-choice ballot, where each voter ranks the nominees best to worst. The Academy’s 10-film lineup is solid, with a few surprises and several standout nominees.

This year, instead of watching only two nominated films and holding bias for them throughout the entire show, I decided to actually sit down and watch each film to judge them and share my thoughts.

To preface, my only credential for this review is that I have seen a lot of movies. My favorites vary from “Gnomeo and Juliet,” to “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “Bridesmaids,” so you may want to take my advice with a grain of salt. I am not a movie critic, just someone who loves watching them (and often has strong opinions about them).

I would also like to mention “Sorry, Baby” and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” two 2025 films that would’ve made this lineup stronger and much more compelling. Both of these films absolutely blew me away, and in my opinion, they were blatantly robbed of a nomination for Best Picture. If you take one thing from this article, please let it be to give them a watch.

Now, onto the review.

The Secret Agent

“The Secret Agent” is a Portuguese-language film following Armando (Wagner Moura) as he tries to escape political persecution by the Brazilian military dictatorship in the 1970s.

The movie presents a colorful, heartfelt story addressing the loss of autonomy and the detrimental impacts of corruption. Going into the movie blind, I had no previous knowledge about Brazil’s history with dictatorship, and this film sent me down an internet rabbit hole trying to learn more.

Wagner Moura’s performance in this film is outstanding — his “I am not a violent person” monologue was probably my favorite scene.

A win for Best Picture doesn’t seem likely, but a Best Actor win for Moura is definitely on the table.

I appreciated the film’s emphasis on censorship and the influence art and research has within a society. I especially loved the nods to Brazilian journalism during this time, particularly how journalists would mention a “hairy leg” in their stories as code for instances of government brutality.

“The Secret Agent” offered a glimpse into a time period often left unaddressed, and its warning against fascism and censorship is something we can all learn from.

Sinners

“Sinners” is a horror film following twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) in 1939 as they return to their hometown in Mississippi and discover a supernatural evil.

The fresh and distinctive film was a major success in the box office, grossing over $279 million, nearly $100 million more than the next highest-grossing nominee, “F1.”

Watching this film was a thrilling experience from beginning to end. It tastefully revived an outdated horror concept and intricately wove it into American history. A vampire box office hit was not on my 2025 bingo card, but I’m not complaining.

The cinematography, casting and screenwriting were phenomenal. This film is gorgeous, and the color palette was incredibly refreshing, especially in an era of low-grade Netflix productions.

Jordan’s dual performance was also seamless — I would love to see him take home the Oscar for best actor.

“Sinners” broke the record for the most Academy Award nominations for a single film with 16 nominations. Between the film’s resonance with viewers and success within nearly every major category, I think it has a great chance of winning best picture.

Bugonia

“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy theorists as they kidnap a CEO (Emma Stone), who they believe is an alien trying to destroy Earth.

This film was…weird. It honestly left me a little speechless.

I appreciated the funny moments, largely thanks to Emma Stone’s performance and the film’s color palette, but it otherwise left me unimpressed. I think the ending was intended to hold some sort of shock value, but other than the strangeness of it all, I definitely saw it coming.

That being said, Jesse Plemons was truly snubbed a nomination for best actor — his performance was almost too believable, and watching him opposite Stone was a highlight of this film.

The best part about “Bugonia” is undoubtedly the score. As a soundtrack-loving ex-cellist, music from this film was immediately added to my study playlist. Who knew watching a crazy conspiracy theorist riding a bike could be so moving?

F1

“F1” follows a retired Formula 1 driver (Brad Pitt) as he joins a struggling team and returns to race alongside a rookie (Damson Idris).

I’ll be honest, the fact that I have to write a review on this film pisses me off. I have no clue how this ended up in the lineup, especially for a year jam-packed with great films. Why this spot wasn’t given to “Sorry, Baby” or “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is beyond me.

“F1” is a sequence of great visuals and sound, but is generally lacking in every other category. It’s a typical action film with no standout performances or interesting plot points.

I would be more inclined to applaud “F1” if it was a thrilling action film that got me excited and kept me interested the whole way through, but it didn’t. This is no “Top Gun” or “Heat.”

This film has a great chance of winning best sound, but its awards potential ends there.

Marty Supreme

In “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a table tennis player doing everything in his power to achieve greatness.

This film was lively and fast-paced, with quick-witted dialogue and stunning visuals. It made table tennis exciting, and I couldn’t help but root for the main character despite his self-serving tendencies.

Chalamet’s performance is excellent, carrying the movie with high-energy monologues and hilarious one-liners. He might have been my pick for Best Actor if he wasn’t so recently disrespectful to ballet and opera (if you know, you know).

The beginning of “Marty Supreme” hooked me in fast — the need to achieve greatness is a trope I’m particularly fond of. Every scene was exciting, and Marty’s yearning to win is palpable through every scene.

The last third of the film was slightly underwhelming compared to the rest of it, but watching it was still one hell of a ride.

“Marty Supreme” is definitely a top contender for several major categories, including Best Editing, Best Actor and Best Cinematography, but it’s going to be hard to scrape by with a Best Picture win, especially with the competition this year.

Train Dreams

“Train Dreams” takes place in early 20th century America, following a logger (Joel Edgerton) as he navigates regret, love and loss.

The film’s themes are heavy — it puts you inside the head of man riddled with guilt, grief and loneliness. The messaging of “Train Dreams” is accompanied by beautiful visuals of the Pacific Northwest, making it a frontrunner for Best Cinematography.

I will admit, for a Netflix production, I was immensely impressed with the camerawork in “Train Dreams.” I wish there were more productions taking cinematography as seriously and releasing films as visually mesmerizing as this one.

This film is raw, intimate and outright depressing. Its slower pace caused me to lose interest several times throughout the story, but the shots were gorgeous enough to steal back my attention.

Despite the important messaging and nuanced performances from Edgerton and Felicity Jones, I don’t see “Train Dreams” snatching up many awards at the Oscars, especially not best picture.

Frankenstein

“Frankenstein” is the most recent adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, with Oscar Issac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature.

Along with “F1,” this film was a shocking addition to the lineup. Despite being directed by gothic-fairytale expert Guillermo del Toro, I spent the entire film thinking, “This is obviously a Netflix production.”

“Frankenstein” had almost everything it needed to be successful: a great ensemble cast, a famed director and one of the most praised novels of all time. Nonetheless, the film’s aesthetics and color palette turned out so dull that it was distracting. I wanted a “Nosferatu” or “Crimson Peak” vibe, and instead I got a gothic “The Kissing Booth.”

Nevertheless, the scenes between the Creature and Elizabeth (Mia Goth) were standout moments, and Elordi gave a captivating performance as the Creature.

“Frankenstein” is a strong nominee for Best Costume Design or Best Makeup and Hairstyling, but I’d be surprised to see it dominate in other categories.

Hamnet

“Hamnet” is an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell’s novel following William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, as they cope with the death of their son.

Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley absolutely outdid themselves as Shakespeare and Agnes — watching them act together is truly a gift. The tenderness and love poured into this film is tangible. Every choice is intentional and executed tastefully.

The dialogue and storytelling in “Hamnet” are stunning. I applaud Chloé Zhao’s directing and screenwriting. Handling a story with so much grief is a difficult task, but she did it with a rare authenticity and grace you can feel through the screen.

I could sit here and write about Buckley’s performance in this film for hours. She is exceptional from beginning to end, and there is little doubt about her taking home the Oscar for best actress.

I can’t talk about “Hamnet” without discussing about the closing scene. Witnessing Agnes’ visceral, awestruck reaction to watching a play for the first time is magical. It highlights the power of storytelling, and how we need stories to connect with one another. And adding “On the Nature of Daylight” to the soundtrack? Outstanding.

One Battle After Another

“One Battle After Another” is a multi-genre film following a retired revolutionary (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he tracks down his teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti) after she is kidnapped by someone from his past.

Here it is, the film bros’ pick of the year.

I have to say, I understand the hype for this film. It was original, unpredictable and thrilling all the way through. There wasn’t a second of boredom.

The movie examines America’s current political climate through an exaggerated, satirical lens: an approach met with some controversy by viewers. I was intrigued by the film’s messaging, particularly its take on political extremism.

The ensemble cast is incredible, with standout performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. DiCaprio was hilarious — I could watch him argue with someone over the phone for days.

The car chase scene was a brilliantly shot sequence and definitely one of my favorite scenes of the year.

If there were to be a sweep this year at the Oscars, it would most likely be for “One Battle After Another.” It is eyeing almost every major category, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Cinematography. It also seems to be a favorite among critics, so a Best Picture win is definitely in the cards.

Sentimental Value

Finally, “Sentimental Value.” This Norwegian film follows two sisters as they reunite with their estranged father, a film director who wants one of his daughters to play the lead role in his newest project.

“Sentimental Value” may not be a major winner at Sunday’s show, but it’s the winner of my heart. I absolutely loved this film, and it is definitely my favorite out of the lineup.

This film is an utterly raw and honest depiction of generational trauma, sisterhood and memory. Its intimate setting and dialogue were powerful, engrossing viewers in the family's history and complex relationships.

Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Stellan Skarsgård worked beautifully together, and Elle Fanning was an excellent addition. Each performance in this film was brilliantly subtle, showcasing each cast member’s genuine talent.

The structure and flow of “Sentimental Value” reminded me of a literary fiction novel. It serves as a character study and tackles complex themes in a way in which one rarely gets to see on screen.

As one of two sisters, for me every scene between the Borg sisters hit close to home. Seeing sisterhood reflected so authentically was incredibly refreshing — Reinsve and Lilleaas deserve endless flowers for their scenes together.

Unfortunately, “Sentimental Value” doesn’t seem like the first pick for many critics, but I’ll be rooting for it the entire night. Lilleaas is my pick for Best Supporting Actress and Skarsgård is my pick for Best Supporting Actor. And, of course, I think “Sentimental Value” has Best International Feature in the bag, unless “The Secret Agent” sweeps in for the win.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the lineup this year is strong, and competition is looking rough. Film in 2025 focused on powerful themes centered around loss, human connection and storytelling. The Best Picture nominees made me cry, laugh, shake my head and turn to the invisible camera in my room to say “What the fuck?”

If I were to put money on who would win Best Picture, I’d go with “Sinners” or “One Battle After Another.” If you were to ask me which film is my personal pick, I’d say “Sentimental Value,” but I’m not in the Academy, so my opinion doesn’t really matter (again, take my reviews with a grain of salt).

My top recommendations out of this lineup are “Sinners,” “Marty Supreme,” “Hamnet,” “One Battle After Another” and “Sentimental Value.”

Hopefully, these films take home some well-deserved awards on Sunday so I don’t have to scream at the TV and curse the Academy.

The Oscars premiere at 7 p.m. on March 15, available live on ABC and Hulu.

Vanessa Norris is a second-year journalism student at University of Florida. She is an online writer for Rowdy Magazine and loves all things books, movies and pop culture.