Best Picture Rankings
With the Oscars just a week and a half away, here’s the ZEJ team’s rankings by rating for the Best Picture nominees:
#1 Dune: Part Two
ZEJ Rating = 9.58
The ZEJ team didn’t begin writing reviews officially until after this movie came out, so nothing to link to on this one, but Dune: Part Two surpassed all of our wildest expectations for the sequel to the beloved Dune: Part One. While Part One had some heavy lifting to do as the setup, Part Two didn’t suffer from such shackles, and is truly a masterpiece. Futhermore, Austin Butler’s shocking performance opened our eyes to his range. Lisan al-Giab!
#2 Anora
ZEJ Rating = 9.25
Hairless men - so hot right now. A surprisingly fun film with unbelievably good performances from Mikey Madison and the unsung hero Yuriy Borisov. Jord has this as his vote for best picture, as this was a tie with Dune: Part Two at a 9.25/10. The ZEJ team would be delighted if this sneaks in as the Best Picture winner.
#3 Conclave
ZEJ Rating = 8.92
Bald men - so hot right now. Conclave is certainly the dark horse of the nominees, as the whole ZEJ team was shocked at how good it was. E’s 2nd highest rated movie this year - and her personal favorite of the group. The storytelling and dark political mechanizations of the Vatican are so compelling, as is Ralph Fiennes, per usual. This shares the same score as the Brutalist, but is edged out 2 to 3 in votes among the ZEJ team.
#4 The Brutalist
ZEJ Rating = 8.92
This year’s marathon watch, The Brutalist, was kind enough to give us an intermission and honestly that earned it a quarter point. It was an extremely ambitious, and unique film. Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce are incredible.
#5 The Substance
ZEJ Rating = 8.83
The most creative and stylish movie we saw this year, and also the most surprising to be nominated - The Substance, a brutal body-horror film. It’s only fault is it’s very nature, the difficulty to watch it, and maybe a bit too metaphorical at times. Demi Moore is must watch in her performance here, if you can stomach it.
#6 Wicked
ZEJ Rating = 8.75
Looking at our individual ratings, I’m shocked Jord didn’t go higher on Wicked (J = 9/10), as obsessed with it as he was. E and I were reluctant to love the cultural phenomenon, but it’s undeniably good, and while it gets a little drawn out in the final act, they largely nailed bringing the musical to the big screen.
#7 Nickel Boys
ZEJ Rating = 8.67
Based on the historic Dozier School, a highly abusive reform school in Florida, Nickel Boys depicts a few of the atrocities there, but through an extremely unique first-person perspective. You, the viewer, are literally in their shoes, and it makes for an uncomfortable and powerful watch.
#8 I’m Still Here
ZEJ Rating = 8.42
Also an International Film nominee, I’m Still Here is also the true story of Eunice Paive and her family, who is ripped apart by the Brazilian dictatorship in 1971. Also a tough watch, but powerful depiction of family, and motherhood. Fernanda Torres delivers an exceptional performance.
#9 Emilia Pérez
ZEJ Rating = 7.58
And at #9, according to the ZEJ team, this is where we get into why was this nominated territory. And sadly, Emilia Pérez was the most nominated film of the year. The best that can be said about it is its unique take on the musical genre. The worst, well that’s a long list. But E and Z’s main gripe is the third act, which was one of the worst of any movie this year. At this point, the only reason to watch this, is out of morbid curiosity. But don’t say we didn’t warn you at how spectacularly it falls apart.
#10 A Complete Unknown
ZEJ Rating = 7.25
And finally, much to Big Brett’s dismay, A Complete Unknown. According to ZEJ, there were 50 movies better than this in 2024 that were not nominated for Best Picture. Clearly the Bob Dylan nostalgia blinders are real. Such a boring, safe movie, that as Jord puts it, teaches us virtually nothing about one of the most unique musical artists of the 20th century. Super skippable lest your a Bob Dylan truther, then I guess enjoy it for the Timothée Chalamet concert.
