Oscar Buzz: What Is Nominated for Best Picture and What You Need to Know
The Oscars are right around the corner, and this year there looks to be some fierce competition among the Best Picture nominations. With 10 critically acclaimed films ranging from deeply personal stories to epic tentpole movies in this year’s slate, predicting the Best Picture Oscar may be more difficult than ever.
The Academy Awards is an event like no other. It is a night of glitz and glamour, where the most talented, hardworking, and creative people in the world come together to celebrate the best of the best in the film industry. It is a night of joy, excitement, and pride, as the world watches in awe as the most talented actors, directors, writers, and producers are honored for their work. We love the Oscars for the drama, the dresses, and the sheer unpredictability — like the Moonlight and La La Land debacle and the infamous slap heard ’round the world. So before you pop that popcorn, be sure to study up on this year’s Best Picture nominations. Here is the list of the movies nominated for Best Picture 2023 and everything you need to know.
All Quiet on the Western Front
Read More »Check out the All Quiet On The Western Front (2022) trailer.
Avatar: The Way of Water
One of this year’s big-budget entries, Avatar: The Way of Water is also one of two sequels that were nominated for an Academy Award (see also Top Gun: Maverick). Directed by James Cameron, the film follows Jake and Neytiri, now happily married for over a decade, living a peaceful life in the forest with their four children — Neteyam, Lo’ak, Tuk, and their adopted daughter Kiri. They were content in their serene environment, with their children often playing with Spider, an orphaned human child who was too small to return to Earth. However, their idyllic existence was shattered when the Sky People, led by the vengeful Colonel Miles Quaritch, return. Knowing that they had to leave in order to survive, the Sullys embarked on a treacherous journey across the oceans of Pandora. A triumph of modern cinema, Avatar: The Way of Water is best experienced on the big screen.
Check out the Avatar: Way Of Water trailer.
The Banshees of Inisherin
Writer-directory (and playwright) Martin McDonagh — who may be better known for his critically-acclaimed movies like In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri — returns to the silver screen with The Banshees of Inisherin. This darkly comedic film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (who also collaborated with McDonagh on In Bruges) as two former friends whose relationship suddenly and painfully unravels. The Banshees of Inisherin is a heartbreakingly funny exploration of the fragility of friendship, set against the backdrop of a small Irish island. Though at times hilarious, the movie is also deeply sad and thought-provoking, leaving viewers with a lingering feeling of confusion and loss.
Check out the Banshees Of Inerishin trailer.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
A frontrunner to bring home the trophy, Academy Award-nominated Everything Everywhere All At Once follows Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh) and Waymond Wang (Ke Huy Quan) — both of whom have been nominated for Oscars — in this emotionally-charged movie. This parallel universe reflects the real life of the movie’s central family, and the family drama is achingly relatable. At its heart, this movie is a beautiful exploration of the Asian American immigrant family. We are welcomed into their home with a circular mirror that reflects their joyous karaoke singing, and then we are invited to take a closer look at the lives of Evelyn, Waymond, and their daughter Joy. Through their struggles and triumphs, we are given a glimpse into the unique and complex experiences of the Asian American immigrant family.
Check out the Everything Everywhere All At Once trailer.
The Fabelmans
Directed and co-written by Stephen Spielberg and based on his childhood, The Fabelmans follows Sammy Fabelman as a young boy growing up in post-World War II Arizona. Sammy’s life was forever changed when he uncovered a devastating family secret at the same time that he started tinkering with an 8mm film camera and making movies. From the age of seven to eighteen, Sammy explored the power of movies to reveal truths about himself and those around him. Through this journey, he discovered how movies can help us to understand and accept the complexities of life.
Check out The Fabelmans trailer.
Elvis
Eccentric director Baz Luhrmann takes a deep dive into the life of Elvis Presley in an incredibly unique way. Elvis Presley’s meteoric rise to fame is explored in this fast-moving and modernized biopic. Starring Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, the man many claim to have destroyed the King, and Austin Butler as the King himself, the movie follows the passionate, soulful singer on his journey to stardom. As he is propelled to fame, his life is forever changed by the man who wanted to make him a star. But with fame comes a price, and the story follows the tragic downfall of a beloved icon. For fans of music that love to take a peak behind the curtain into the business of music and the music industry as a whole, this is a must-see.
Check out the Elvis trailer.
Tar
In Todd Field’s deep dive into the world of a great symphony conductor, Cate Blanchet plays Lydia Tar, an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winner whose passion for music composition is palpable. Tar leads the way in the male-dominated classical music industry and is ready to take on her biggest challenge yet: a live recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. But as she prepares for the release of her memoir and juggles work and family, life gets in the way. Unforeseen forces begin to chip away at her carefully constructed facade, exposing her secrets and the insidious power of her position. Evocative and gripping, Tar may be a long shot to win the Oscar this year, but it is definitely a favorite among critics.
Check out the Tar trailer.
Triangle of Sadness
Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winning film is a darkly humorous exploration of the twisted connection between power and beauty. When celebrity model couple Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are invited to a luxurious cruise for the wealthy, they are unaware of the impending disaster that awaits them. Led by an unbalanced captain (Woody Harrelson), the journey soon spirals out of control, leaving the survivors stranded on a deserted island and struggling to stay alive.
Check out the Triangle of Sadness trailer.
Women Talking
In a powerful and thought-provoking take on the novel of the same name, director Sarah Polley follows a group of women from an isolated religious colony that was forced to live out a nightmare. For years, the men had been drugging them and then taking advantage of them in the most horrific way imaginable. But finally, the truth was revealed and the women were able to speak out about their ordeal. They were filled with a mix of emotions — fear, anger, sadness, and determination — to take back control of their lives. They knew that the only way to move forward was to confront the issue and make sure it never happened again.
Check out the Women Talking trailer.
Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise is back in the roll-coaster ride of an Oscar-nominated movie, Top Gun: Maverick. The second film on this list that is a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick reintroduces us to the film’s title character Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell who has spent the better part of the past three decades of his life living on the edge, fearlessly pushing the boundaries as a daring test pilot and refusing to be held back by the promotion that would keep him grounded. Now, he’s been tasked with training a group of elite Top Gun graduates for a mission unlike anything the world has ever seen. In the midst of it all, Maverick is reunited with Lt. Bradley Bradshaw, the son of his late friend Goose. As Maverick confronts his own inner demons, he must ultimately make the sacrifice to complete the mission at all costs.
Check out the Top Gun: Maverick trailer.
Get Up to Speed with Oscar Nominations 2023 Today
From big-budget blockbusters to thought-provoking, intense dramas, the Academy Award-nominated films for Best Picture are all worthy of seeing. From those highly anticipated releases like Top Gun: Maverick and The Fabelmans to lesser-known gems like Tar and Triangle of Sadness, this year’s list of Best Picture nominees is sure to provide an incredible selection of films. So make sure you check out each one before tuning into the 2023 Oscars.
