The works of seven men and three women are in the running for Best Film at the Oscars this year. These are the films nominated in the top category.
The ten Oscar contenders for 2024 in the most important category “Best Film”.
“Oppenheimer”
Christopher Nolan’s drama is the favorite in the Oscar race with 13 nominations. The historical epic about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the beginning of the nuclear weapons era won many of the season’s relevant awards. “Oppenheimer” is a long, convoluted drama. Cillian Murphy plays a physicist who is fascinated by the possibilities of science and realizes too late that the atomic bomb he and his team developed has limitless destructive potential. Critics praise the film’s profound script, impressive visuals and strong cast. Lead actor Murphy and supporting actor Robert Downey Jr. are among the hot candidates for trophies.
“Poor Things”
Hollywood star Emma Stone plays a role in Giorgos Lanthimos’ film that has perhaps never been seen in the cinema: a woman who has had a baby’s brain inserted into her body. Under the supervision of a professor, she gets to know the world in a new way – and begins to keep aggressive men at bay. The fantasy comedy is nominated for eleven Oscars and, in addition to great actors, impresses with a very special, experimental look.
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
Martin Scorsese’s historical thriller “Killers of the Flower Moon” about the indigenous Osage people is one of this year’s favorites with ten nominations. After oil was discovered on their land in 1920s Oklahoma, members of the tribe were systematically murdered by white Americans. In the three-hour-plus Apple production, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the husband of Osage woman Mollie (Lily Gladstone), who is incited to commit crimes by his devious uncle (Robert De Niro). Director Scorsese is nominated, as is De Niro for supporting actor. But above all, Gladstone stands out for her powerful playing. The Golden Globe winner is considered an Oscar winner in Hollywood. She would be the first indigenous leading actress to win an Oscar.
“Barbie”
Greta Gerwig’s lurid satire – with humor, depth and a feminist edge – follows the iconic doll Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) and friend Ken (Ryan Gosling), who escape from their home of Barbieland into the real world. Suddenly the carefree life in the pink dream villa is over when, out of nowhere, Barbie talks about death and her feet are suddenly flat on the ground. “Barbie,” the biggest box office hit of 2023, enters the Oscar race with eight nominations, including for two songs and supporting actors Gosling and America Ferrera. Lead actress Robbie and director Gerwig came away empty-handed, which also caused criticism in the industry and among fans.
“Maestro”
Bradley Cooper stages great emotional cinema in the biopic about the composer Leonard Bernstein. He is the director and also plays the lead role. The seven-time nominated drama tells of the life of the US star composer and is a heartfelt homage to his person and music. But the focus is on the complicated love story for his wife, which is masterfully embodied by Carey Mulligan.
“American Fiction”
The biting satire about an African-American writer who denounces stereotypes against blacks in the literary industry is the acclaimed directorial debut of American Cord Jefferson. Oscar-nominated leading actor Jeffrey Wright shines as a frustrated author who, for fun, writes a book under a pseudonym that contains all the clichés of portraying black people. But the work, intended as a parody, becomes a sensational success on the book market and the surprised author has to continue the charade. Supporting actor Sterling K. Brown is also nominated for his first Oscar. “American Fiction” has a total of five chances to win.
“Anatomy of a Case”
Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Justine Triet’s cleverly constructed drama has become a critical darling. The focus of the five-time nominated film is the German actress Sandra Hülser. She plays a writer who has to stand trial on suspicion of murdering her husband. Hülser plays a self-confident, opaque woman who allows no certainties. For this she is also in the running for Best Actress.
“The Holdovers”
US director Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) has created a small film with big feelings with “The Holdovers”. Paul Giamatti plays a grumpy boarding school teacher who is assigned to take in a handful of students over the Christmas holidays in the 1970s. In the end he is stuck with the grumpy teenager Angus (Dominic Sessa) and the African-American cook Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is considered cranky. The three of them become closer as people. The five-time nominated tragicomedy could bring Giamatti a lead actor Oscar. Randolph (37), previously known more as a singer and musical actress, should definitely have an acceptance speech ready. She has already won all the major trophies for best supporting actress in the current awards season.
“The Zone of Interest”
Two Germans, Sandra Hülser and Christian Friedel, play the leading roles in this five-time nominated drama. Jonathan Glazer’s film follows the everyday life of the family of concentration camp commander Rudolf Höß, who lives right next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Glazer has chosen an unusual way to tell the story of the Holocaust. What happens in the extermination camp is not shown, but only hinted at – for example through screaming or smoke from crematoriums. The Höß family lives next door, whose luxurious everyday life is shown in great detail. The horror in the concentration camp is made clear by the stark contrast to this idyllic life.
“Past Lives”
The romantic drama “Past Lives” is the acclaimed directorial debut of South Korean-Canadian writer and director Celine Song. Inspired by her own experiences as an immigrant, Song tells of a sandbox love in South Korea that leads to a reunion in New York decades later. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo play the adults who are still familiar with each other after a long silence and completely different life experiences. In addition to being nominated for Best Film, Song also has a chance of winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
