Best Picture 2022

In which I discuss this year's Oscar contenders...


It's become something of a tradition for me to write about the year's Best Picture nominees. Usually what happens is that I see about 80% of the nominees and one of the films I hasn't seen goes on to win the award. I'm pleased to say that's not the case this year as I've seen all ten nominees! As usual I'm going to give a brief rundown of each film and it's chances of winning. 

Belfast

This is a story about growing up in Belfast in the 60s and 70s inspired by director Kenneth Branagh's own childhood. It touches on the Troubles as nine-year old Buddy doesn't really understand the conflict and his Pa is pressurised to join the Protestant action. It's also just a lovely story about childhood taking in everything from a first crush to the popular culture of the time. It's not totally dissimilar to Roma which won the award a few years back and personally I loved the film and it's my top choice to win.

CODA

CODA stands for 'child of deaf adults' and so this is a coming-of-age story about Ruby, a girl whose parents and brother are deaf but she can hear. In some ways it's a pretty predictable coming-of-age story featuring a teenage love story, the question of what to do next in life and struggling with the relationship with parents but it certainly looks at these things from an unusual angle. It perhaps edges a bit too close to generic to win the award but it's still a cracking film nonetheless.

Don't Look Up

Adam McKay's satire is about two scientists, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, attempting to warn the government about a comet which is headed towards Earth and will wipe out humanity, a not-so-subtle allegory for climate change. I really liked the idea of the film but didn't actually like it very much and the fact that many critics felt the same way perhaps suggests this is an unlikely winner. It was better regarded by the general public though so it does have an outside chance.

Drive My Car

A bit of a surprise nominee this one. It's a three-hour long Japanese film where not much happens. It feels like it's incredibly unlikely this will win given that only one non-English language film has won (Parasite) and this is nowhere near as accessible. I quite liked the film which is an interesting character study with a particularly focus on grief and self-acceptance that seems to be inspired by the work of Chekhov. I'll be astounded if this ends up winning though.

Dune

I would argue that Dune is the best sci-fi film ever made. It's a superb adaptation of the first half of Frank Herbert's novel by superb director Denis Villeneuve which looks utterly stunning and the Cold War allegory from the book still feels hugely relevant now in terms of the USA competing with China. Sci-fi isn't really favoured by the academy but this is intellectual sci-fi which uses it genre to explore real issues. I'm not convinced it will win but it's a film I thought was fantastic and is my number two choice for the category. 

King Richard

This is the story of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, as he works hard to push his daughters into becoming tennis superstars. It often feels like a generic sports movie and it does feel like it suggests the Williams sisters are incidental in their own success with feels unfair. An enjoyable film but in my ranking of the ten nominees this comes tenth so it really shouldn't win.

Licorice Pizza

This is similar in some ways to Belfast in the way it is a story based on the director's upbringing. This time it's Paul Thomas Anderson in LA and sees fifteen-year old Gary attempt to form a romantic relationship with twenty-five year old Alana (played brilliantly by Alana Haim). I really loved this film and of all of this year's nominees it's the one I would happily watch over and over again. It's narrowly my third choice and I'd be pretty happy if it won.

Nightmare Alley

Director Guillermo del Toro took a step away from his usual sci-fi and fantasy films with this noir starring Bradley Cooper. Stanton spends time working in a carnival and learns to be a mentalist, essentially learning how to con people into believing he can read their minds. When he sets off on his own the cons get ever more elaborate and a downfall is inevitable. At nearly three hours long it's way longer than it really needs to be and it's not the most palatable film for academy voters- it leaves you feeling kind of disgusted by human nature.

The Power of the Dog

Narrowly the favourite for this year due to the success it's already had in the awards season, this film by acclaimed director Jane Campion is set in the Old West and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a surly cowboy who is repressing his sexuality. I didn't love it, it's one of those films that is undeniably 'good' but I struggled to get a great deal out of it. Cumberbatch gives the best performance of his career so far, which is saying something, and it would not be a surprise if this ends up taking the award.

West Side Story

Stephen Spielberg's remake of the classic musical is wonderful with many critics saying it actually supersedes the already acclaimed original film (which won this award in 1962). Spielberg is able to focus in on the racial tension of the story and add some real grit to the film, whilst still giving us some incredible musical performances by talented Broadway stars. Musicals aren't really my thing so I was surprised that I absolutely loved this film and I'd be happy if this won the award too. 


If I was a betting man I'd put my money on The Power of the Dog to win as it seems to have become the favourtie in recent weeks but personally I'd choose Belfast. I'd be pretty pleased to see Dune, Licorice Pizza or West Side Story take the award and I don't think either King Richard or Nightmare Alley deserve to win. I'm fascinated to see what the academy will go with. For a bit of fun and because I'm a nerd I've done predictions for most of the awards on this page. 

Thanks for reading and I'll be back with more usual nonsense soon.

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