Ranking the 2019 Best Picture Nominees
Tags: Parasite 2019, Movies, Oscars, Academy Awards, Film Reviews

Ranking the 2019 Best Picture Nominees

South Korea’s ‘Parasite’ made history, but will it be remembered?

South Korean filmmaker Bong John-ho amuses himself with two of the four Academy Awards his film “Parasite” won, including Best Picture and Best Director, at the 2020 Oscars ceremony. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

By Todd Hill

Remember when the movie business still made relative sense?

Think back, if you can, to Feb. 9, 2020, when the Academy Awards were handed out to scores of films that were, arguably, more deserving than they often are. The event had Hollywood’s movers and shakers gathering en masse to celebrate an industry that had more reason to be confident about the future than it usually does.

Weeks later, of course, the coronavirus arrived in the U.S., closing movie theaters nationwide and largely eliminating the film release schedule until further notice. As of the date of this article’s publication (June 24, 2020), many states have finally allowed exhibitors to reopen, although with studios pushing their titles back to the fall or later, it’s worth asking what theaters would find to show.

And with the coronavirus still very much with us — again, as of this writing — would movie fans confidently return to theaters for a unique crowd experience, or continue cozying up to the at-home conveniences afforded by streaming, the latest, gravest threat to face the film business? Would there even be another Oscars ceremony in 2021?

If not, at least the awards went out with a history-making bang in 2020. For the first time in Academy Awards history, the Oscar for Best Picture went to a foreign-language film, in ironically the same year when the name of the award was changed to Best International Feature Film. Until 2020, South Korea’s cinematic offerings had never garnered much, if any, notice from the Academy, but Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” changed all that (at least for 2020).

If we want to get technical about it, 2011’s “The Artist” was the first foreign film to win Best Picture as it was produced in France, but that wasn’t actually a foreign-language picture because it was silent — and silence, I guess, is a universal language.

And if it were up to me, 2018’s “Roma,” a product of the Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron and in Spanish, should have been the first foreign movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Were it up to me, “Parasite” would not have won 2019’s Best Picture prize, for reasons I’ll get into below. Rarely, however, does my choice for the best movie of any given year match up with the Academy’s verdict.

My rankings, based solely on personal preference, of the year’s nine Best Picture nominees follow. Clearly, as evidenced just from this list, it was a strong year for quality films, although not strong enough to merit the nominating of up to 10 titles for the top award. Is any year, really? I don’t think so. The first five movies on this list thoroughly deserve to be in the Best Picture discussion. The next four? Eh ….

From left, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan and Eliza Scanlen appear in the latest of several film adaptations of the Louisa May Alcott novel “Little Women,” directed by Greta Gerwig. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.

Little Women

When I first heard that Greta Gerwig was taking on “Little Women,” I didn’t see the point. Really, another one? I envisioned something like the 1994 Winona Ryder version, a totally solid film, but did I really have to sit through this story again? Of course, now I totally get it. This version feels entirely new and fresh, and yet still fully loyal to the source work. It’s a period film that’s of the moment we’re living now (but then again, aren’t they all?) It has a lot on its mind, about women’s choices, the creative impulse, the impossibility of love, that I don’t remember the earlier films focusing on this well (and yes, I’ve sat through them all).

Some specific points — I guess when you’re making the 500th version of a story you can indulge in non-linearity. I don’t think it was necessary, for most of the film I was finding the device problematic, although I was ultimately OK with it. The noisy and chaotic scenes early on, sure, I got it, but I was hoping the movie would settle down, and I was glad when it did. Of course, this is largely because Gerwig was more interested in these women as adults. Saoirse Ronan is wonderful, nothing less; I hope she finally gets an Oscar one of these years. I look forward to much more from Florence Pugh. And sorry, but I’m still not on the Timothee Chalamet bandwagon. His performance feels a touch too mannered — again. And finally, the production design is stunning. For Gerwig, this is a major step up from “Lady Bird,” her debut.

Oscar nominations, 6 — Best Picture, Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh), Adapted Screenplay (Greta Gerwig), Original Score, Costume Design. Oscar wins, 1 — Costume Design.

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star in Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” said to be inspired by the director’s marriage to and divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. Photo courtesy of Nexflix

Marriage Story

Writer/director Noah Baumbach has long leaned on a talent for showcasing hyper-articulate, annoying characters behaving badly who grow increasingly irritating as his films unspool. This trend has persisted even as his films have continued to improve. It’s therefore ironic that this effort, allegedly his most autobiographical, is arguably his softest, especially given the subject matter. There haven’t been many memorable movies made about divorce (there was 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer,” and ….), perhaps because the subject can be a real downer, but now we can confidently add a new title to this very short list.

Whatever you think about the tone of Baumbach’s films, there’s ample evidence that he routinely gets the most out of his actors. Beginning with pristine supporting turns from Alan Alda, Ray Liotta and Laura Dern, this picture builds to galvanic performances from Scarlett Johansson and especially Adam Driver, who has a couple moments here that took my breath away. No other movie among this slate of Best Picture nominees lingered with me as long as this one did.

Oscar nominations, 6 — Best Picture, Actor (Adam Driver), Actress (Scarlett Johansson), Supporting Actress (Laura Dern), Original Screenplay (Noah Baumbach), Original Score. Oscar wins, 1 — Supporting Actress.

Brad Pitt, left, won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” also starring Leonardo DiCaprio, right. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

This isn’t what happened, of course, with Sharon Tate and Charles Manson and all that wretched business in the late 1960’s, but tragedy reversal — what a concept. Think of all the movies that could be made retelling a story so it has a happy ending. Why, they could make a movie about the Titanic in which the ship doesn’t sink, so Jack and Rose can live happily ever after. Leonardo DiCaprio could even star again! Not a good idea? Maybe not, but it works here.

I’ve never been a huge Quentin Tarantino fan, but liked this film, essentially an homage to a time and place, so what does that tell you? I found QT’s trademark violence, when it inevitably came, to be cartoonish and fun, not gratuitous and soul-deadening. The picture is more pastiche than story, and the fetishizing of period signage is a bit much, but DiCaprio just goes for it, and Brad Pitt also makes a strong impression. I loved the scene at the Spohn Movie Ranch, and wish the whole movie had that energy.

Oscar nominations, 10 — Best Picture, Director (Quentin Tarantino), Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Brad Pitt), Original Screenplay (Tarantino), Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing. Oscar wins, 2 — Supporting Actor, Production Design.

George MacKay portrays a British soldier on a mission in Sam Mendes’ World War I drama “1917.” Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

1917

I didn’t drink the Kool-Aid, and that made all the difference. I was aware of the hype surrounding this film — one-shots! told in real time! — but never really paid attention to it. The worst thing about film hype is that it leaves me lurching too far in the other direction (“Really? That’s it?”). That’s probably what happened to me with fellow Best Picture nominee “Parasite,” for instance. But because I watched “1917” in a relatively hype-free environment, I came away rather impressed.

The production design is tremendous. The cinematography is incredible (Roger Deakins — duh). But because there isn’t much of a story here, the stakes are somewhat diminished. By the time the film ends, yes, I felt exhausted, but that’s basically all I felt. Still, from a technical perspective, this is a remarkable achievement.

Oscar nominations, 10 — Best Picture, Director (Sam Mendes), Original Screenplay (Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns), Cinematography, Production Design, Original Score, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects. Oscar wins, 3 — Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects.

Park So-jam and Choi Woo-shik, from left, portray crafty members of South Korea’s underclass in Bong Joon-ho’s Best Picture winner “Parasite.” Photo courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Parasite

This South Korean film’s Best Picture win represents a landmark in Oscars history. Wildly inventive and ambitious, abundantly entertaining, with a lot to say about one of the defining issues of our time — income inequality — Bong Joon-Ho’s movie achieved a degree of success on Oscars night that almost allowed us to forget that a year earlier the top prize went to something better left forgotten called “Green Book.” Could the Academy Awards finally be getting hip to the times? Don’t bet on it.

I’m not even convinced that “Parasite” should be remembered. I want to be clear that I’m not, in total, criticizing a motion picture that does so many things so well. But it’s definitely trying too hard, and its director is guilty of showing off. Perhaps it’s understandable when a filmmaker of such copious talent shows off. But ultimately, that is not what the best films do.

Oscar nominations, 6 — Best Picture, Director (Bong Joon-ho), Original Screenplay (Joon-ho and Han Jin-won), Film Editing, Production Design, International Feature Film. Oscar wins, 4 — Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, International Feature Film.

Joaquin Phoenix won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the comic-book character the Joker in Todd Phillips’ film of the same name. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Joker

For the record, the faux baggage weighing down this movie is boring, just like all the other faux outrage infecting the Internet concerning every aspect of the human condition today. Can’t we just let a movie exist?

Well, no, because this film may attempt to feed off all that, and if it does it falls flat in doing so. Fortunately, it does so much more. This isn’t a comic book movie, or barely that, which must upset the comic book people terribly, but that’s a recommendation in my book. In the main, “Joker,” the darkest and most disturbing non-horror film I’ve seen in years, is concerned with mental illness, bullying and abuse. Give a beaten-down man a gun and he feels powerful. Turn him into an agent of chaos and watch the fans line up. That alone is a legitimate message. It’s an insubstantial take on our Trumpian times, but show me that that’s what this picture is trying to be. I’m not fully convinced.

What makes “Joker” most noteworthy, however, is Joaquin Phoenix’s performance. It’s powerful. This character, of course, has long been catnip for actors, and part of me wants to reject this performance because Phoenix is such an oddball and I’m still put off by all the interviews I did with the guy back in the day when he was such a freaking psycho. But I have to admit it, he really delivers here.

Oscar nominations, 11 — Best Picture, Director (Todd Phillips), Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Adapted Screenplay (Todd Phillips, Scott Silver), Cinematography, Editing, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing. Oscar wins, 2 — Actor, Original Score.

Director Taika Waititi, center, stars as Adolf Hitler in his film “Jojo Rabbit,” also starring Roman Griffin Davis, right. Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

Jojo Rabbit

I’m not going to engage in whether Adolf Hitler is an appropriate source for comedy. Mel Brooks settled that debate 50 years ago. Director Taika Waititi’s Hitler character is immediately and consistently tiresome, but then I guess you could say the same of Hitler. I had stopped paying attention to Scarlett Johansson some time ago, but hey, she landed two great roles in 2019 — most especially in “Marriage Story,” but here as well. I’m not the first to make the comparison, but the movie feels like something Wes Anderson could make if he weren’t so obsessed with being twee all the time. The film is like a little puppy dog, it demands that you like it and so you do. I like it fine. But a Best Picture nomination?

Oscar nominations, 6 — Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johansson), Adapted Screenplay (Taika Waititi), Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design. Oscar wins, 1 — Best Adapted Screenplay.

From left, Matt Damon and Christian Bale star as real-life race car drivers Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, respectively, in the James Mangold film “Ford v Ferrari.” Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Ford v Ferrari

It’s not as if a sports movie is ever going to win the Oscar for Best Picture (“Rocky” was a fluke), so why even bother with going through the motions of giving one a nomination? Maybe because director James Mangold deserves our respect, even if he may never reach the heights of “Walk the Line” again. On multiple craft levels, this is an exceptionally well-made motion picture. Matt Damon and Christian Bale are predictably solid (with Bale, predictably, even better than that). As for the storyline, eh — what can you say, it’s a sports movie.

I’ve watched a handful of auto races in my time and was bored out of my skull every time. This movie is never boring, suggesting not just that racing is one of those sports that’s likely more enjoyable to participate in than to watch, but that everyone involved in this production accomplished something by rendering it at all watchable.

Oscar nominations, 4 — Best Picture, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing. Oscar wins, 2 — Film Editing, Sound Editing.

Robert De Niro, both de-aged and aged appropriately (here), portrays mob hitman Frank Sheeran in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” Photo courtesy of Netflix

The Irishman

Zero Oscar wins on 10 nominations? Ouch, but I think we can mostly attribute that to a Netflix effect. A sizable contingent of Academy voters still has problems with Netflix taking movies out of theaters, and when Hollywood royalty like Martin Scorsese crosses over to this dark side, there’s bound to be repercussions. This, however, was not my problem with the film.

I’m not trying for a hot take here, but yet another mob film from Scorsese? Wake me when it’s over, and you almost had to, as it took me about three weeks to get through this overly long slog (another effect of watching movies on Netflix). There’s nothing in “The Irishman” we haven’t seen before, including the same retinue of Scorese’s favorite actors portraying more or less the same characters they’ve played before. As for the de-aging technology employed here for the first time on this scale, I was unfavorably distracted by it throughout the entire film. Please, no more.

Oscar nominations, 10 — Best Picture, Director (Martin Scorsese), Supporting Actor (Al Pacino, Joe Pesci), Adapted Screenplay (Steve Zaillian), Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Visual Effects. Oscar wins, 0.

For further consideration

While most of the above nominated movies also found their way onto many critics’ best-of-the-year lists, with the exception of “Joker,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Ford v Ferrari,” there were also, in keeping with tradition, a handful of titles left out of the discussion for a Best Picture nomination that … well, at least they won’t be left out here.

Adam Sandler plays a New York City jeweler who’s deep into sports gambling in “Uncut Gems,” also starring Julia Fox. Photo courtesy of A24

Movies like “Uncut Gems” generally don’t get anywhere near the Oscars, and it almost feels as if as long as that’s the case then this small, select part of the world will still obey the laws of movie logic. Maybe that’s even comforting, because “Uncut Gems” certainly isn’t. The directing team of Josh and Benny Safdie aren’t known for making subtle films, and “Uncut Gems” is nothing if not manic. Their style finds suitable expression in the jewelry, betting and sports worlds of New York City, and it finds its personification in a strong starring performance by Adam Sandler. While Sandler works well here, I continue to find him an actor of limited means, and if he ever wins an Academy Award — for anything — I’ll eat my hat.

Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, from left, are two 19th-century New England lighthouse keepers with fragile grasps on their sanity in the Robert Eggers film “The Lighthouse.” Photo courtesy of A24

There’s an Oscar category for Best Production Design, although that hasn’t stopped voters in the past from lavishing Best Picture hardware on so-so movies because they were overwhelmed by their sumptuous production design. Fortunately, today’s Academy members aren’t so easily swayed, although I don’t think that’s why “The Lighthouse” was overlooked (it did receive a nomination for Best Cinematography). Notwithstanding how great Robert Eggers’ movie looks, it’s just too strange. The film explores a number of unusual themes via two crusty gents manning a lighthouse in 19th-century Maine. It’s a fascinating watch, and Eggers is a director to watch as well, but his films may need to become more accessible to get widely recognized.

Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir,” starring Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke, tells the story of a troubled relationship. Photo courtesy of A24

Just imagine if every coming-of-age film was as thoughtful and intimate as Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir.” Granted, the genre has gotten more interesting in recent years, but this British filmmaker’s autobiographical take on how an all-consuming, ultimately destructive relationship can alter one’s trajectory is surprisingly satisfying. And it looks like we can expect more from Hogg, who has said this film is the first in something of a trilogy. If so, this filmmaker’s name is likely to become more familiar to cinephiles everywhere.

About this project

Some people vow to visit every continent on the planet, others to read everything Shakespeare (allegedly) wrote. I’ve never had much interest in doing either, but I am committed to seeing every motion picture ever nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, back to the very first ones in 1927–28 (specifically, I’m talking about films nominated for Outstanding Picture, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Motion Picture and Best Picture; I’m not sure why the Academy has seen fit to change the name of the award so frequently).

I don’t for one moment presume to operate under the assumption that the Best Picture nominees over time consistently represent the best American filmmakers have had to offer, which is why with each slate of nominees I also briefly consider the consensus critical picks for the best movies of that year(s). Yes, there’s a lot of overlap, but not as much as there should be.

So, why am I taking the time to watch and then write about so many (563 following the 2020 Academy Awards) often sub-par movies? As anyone with just a passing knowledge of the Oscars knows, the voters often get it wrong, which isn’t so much fascinating as it is frustrating. The Oscars, however, have always mattered to the film industry, and matter still (the annual awards telecast, not so much). Each year’s Best Picture nominees help to paint a picture of how Hollywood saw itself at that time, they provide us with glimpses at trends in movie history that could be gone for good.

Most of all, they supply context. Think this year’s slate of nominees was the best ever? The worst? I can virtually guarantee you that’s not the case. No, really. You’d be surprised.

Todd Hill is a former journalist with 30 years of experience, much of it in film criticism, who misses neither journalism nor the film beat.