With the annual Academy Awards taking place on March 10th, 2024, I made it my goal over the last few weeks to watch all 10 films nominated for best picture. While each of the 10 movies left something for audiences to desire, these were my top 5 picks.
5. Past Lives
Celine Song’s directorial debut, Past Lives, explores the story of childhood friends Nora and Hae Sung. The pair’s friendship fades after Nora’s family moves from South Korea to Canada. Years later, with the help of memories and Facebook, the two rekindled, but the relationship was unable to sustain the difference of being across the world from one another. Twenty-four years after the two last saw each other as children, they finally reunited to discuss childhood, adult life, and everything that could have been for them.
Starting, I was very excited that A24 produced this film. The production company always does a great job of adding depth to stories through the film’s atmosphere. The emotional movie poses the question, what if? As the characters navigate their feelings towards one another during their brief reunion, they are forced to ask themselves how their life might be different if Nora had never moved. I loved the overall message of this film. It plays into themes of nostalgia and existentialism that many people will be able to see parts of themselves in.
4. Anatomy of a Fall
Directed by Justine Triet and starring Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall follows Sandra Voyter as she is accused of murdering her husband after he is found dead under suspicious circumstances at the family’s isolated home in the French Alps. To complicate the case further, the only person home at the time of the incident was the couple’s young, blind son.
The film is gripping and tense as the audience tries to map out the sequence of events alongside the investigators. With the film’s dialogue being both in English and French, the sudden shifts in language further add to the narrative that so much of the accused crime is based on miscommunications between the couple. Much of the evidence presented to the audience is done through texts and voice recordings played in a trial sequence. I enjoyed this format because it keeps the viewers in constant question throughout the film’s entirety of what occurred.
While Hüller delivers a masterful monologue, the film’s real star is Messi, the border collie, who plays the family’s dog Snoop. While they unfortunately don’t have a “Best Performance by an Animal” category at the Oscars, Messi has been awarded the “Palm Dog” award by the Cannes Festival for his captivating performance.
3. Poor Things
Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, tells the story of Bella Baxter, a Frankenstein-esque woman brought back to life by a scientist using her unborn baby’s brain. From the summary alone, the movie may sound satirical. I will admit, it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea; in fact, my mom was ready to turn it off after thirty minutes, but through the use of incredible acting, wacky dialogue, and whimsical atmosphere, the actual themes of self-exploration and adventure are uniquely bright to light.
Out of all ten of the nominated movies, Poor Things was the film I was most excited and curious to see. I had a deep appreciation for the risk that this film and its actors were taking. It took an unconventional and obscure idea about an adult toddler hybrid and made it gorgeous and thought-provoking. Bella Baxter has a unique and untampered view of life and societal norms, thanks to her childlike naivety and wonder. Having never left the confines of her house, she has not yet been burdened with how society expects a woman to act. Once finally out in the world, she is exposed to new ideas of philosophy, sex, and feminist culture.
This film was stunning visually. Mixing surrealism and retro-futurism, the world of Poor Things is brought to life with a cotton candy-colored sky, flying trams, and Victorian-inspired architecture. With a career-defining performance, Emma Stone skillfully brought a unique character to life, taking Bella from an off-balance toddler to a refreshingly authentic adult.
2. The Holdovers
Directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers tells the story of a disgruntled history teacher at an all-boys, New England prep school. Mr. Hunman is forced to stay on campus over winter break to chaperone a group of students who won’t return home for Christmas. As the film unfolds, wayward student Angus forms an unlikely bond with his teacher and the school’s cook as the group lets down their guards and makes the most of their holiday.
The Holdovers transports viewers into the 1970s with its warm tones, knit sweater vests, and cinematography style. Fans of The Dead Poets Society and the “reluctant adult gets stuck with a kid” trope will sincerely enjoy this movie. The film portrays closeness and intimacy in a heartwarming way as the main characters learn to find solace in each other while overcoming their struggles that they never imagined sharing. Although it was a hidden gem this year, I can see it becoming a Christmas classic.
1. Barbie
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, has been nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. If you haven’t seen it by some chance, the film follows Barbie as she leaves the comfort of her pink Barbieland and ventures into the harsh realities of “The Real World.” Through adventure and introspection, Barbie slowly becomes more aware of herself and the impact she wants to have on the people around her.
Not only is Barbie one of the most fun experiences you will have while watching a movie, but thanks to its extravagant costumes, abundant use of pink paint, and hysterical dialogue, you will also leave the film feeling profoundly nostalgic and thoughtful. What is so impressive about this movie is how it sheds light on important topics about femininity and motherhood while remaining fun. The film explores what many women, unfortunately, find to be universal experiences of girlhood, like dealing with overbearing men, a lack of authority at work, and an overall lack of acknowledgment. The film brought people together in such unexpected ways. Whether you dressed up in all pink to go to the movie theater or reminisced about the days you played with your own Barbies, the movie has a profound and unexpected emotional impact, cementing itself as one of the most influential films of the year.