With the Oscars only hours away, I feel like ranking the Best Picture nominees as I see them. The only one I haven't watched yet is Avatar 2, so this will only be 9 of the 10.
1. Everything Everywhere All at Once - 8.5/10
I was a fan of Swiss Army Man with its quirky and off-the-wall delivery of thoughtfully-crafted themes, but the Daniels took it to the next level with EEAAO by keeping that formula while adding polish and greater accessibility for wider appeal. The thematic side of the narrative was joined with a fun plot and structure. Some strong performances, tight editing, excellent production value with great visuals and sound design... I'm not sure what's missing for those who don't think it's worth all the acclaim.
2. The Fabelmans - 8.5/10
Spielberg will continue being increasingly dismissed by younger (or just more cynical) audiences for excessive sentimentality and pandering, but I think he just understands the value of storytelling that's anchored to the heart. And in terms of craft, The Fabelmans proves he's still every bit the master of blocking, framing, pacing, and general visual storytelling. His coming of age story was compelling, and the demonstration of his love for cinema was inspiring. And that brilliantly playful last shot was just perfect; couldn't help but smile. Would've been a great final shot of his brilliant career, but I'm glad he's not done.
3. Top Gun: Maverick - 8.5/10
Phenomenally entertaining. Sure, it plays safe chords and plucks nostalgia strings, but when it's done this well, it deserves heaps of praise. The straightforwardness of the themes, the mirroring of old story beats, the great (and underrated) cinematography maintaining the sun-soaked signature "Top Gun" aesthetic, and the fully-committed performance from Cruise (and everyone else) combine to make for a popcorn blockbuster more satisfying than any in years - and a way better movie than the original.
4. Tar - 8.5/10
This film does a lot of things well, but it's Cate Blanchett's performance that makes the overall filmmaking seem better than I think it would've appeared with a lesser performance. The themes of megalomania and abuse of power have been handled more adeptly from a screenplay standpoint, but Blanchett is good enough to make it seem as though that isn't true because of how real she makes it all feel. Even cinematography and directing are elevated by her performance because her presence is commanding and magnetic in just about every frame.
5. The Banshees of Inisherin - 8/10
I can't recall a better-acted film where an ensemble of four actors all give what could easily be considered career-best performances. Kerry Condon was the most impressive to me, but that had a lot to do with her role standing out from the other three more aloof characters. The allegory of the splintered friendship aligning with the real-life Irish civil war was clever and well done. There's also plenty of witty dialogue sprinkled throughout. A worthwhile viewing experience, and with the benefit of some amazing scenery, but not one I'll want to revisit much.
6. Triangle of Sadness - 7.5/10
The approach here avoids any attempt at subtlety (which is fine; plenty of laughs come by way of the bluntness), but that means that cleverness needs to exist in either the narrative structure, the plot twists, or via sharp/witty dialogue - and it doesn't really do a stellar (or original) job on any of those fronts, IMO. The strength of the film is the stylishness of its presentation, and that's actually where there's some nuance to be found. Not gonna lie, though, the pooping and puking scenes had me laughing more than any other movie all year. But I'm easy that way.
7. All Quiet on the Western Front - 7.5/10
Outstanding technical merit, but it doesn't offer anything as a war movie that hasn't already been done better before. The "war is hell" theme provides nowhere near the impact of a Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, or plenty of others. Yes, war sucks and ego-driven power ambitions result in barking orders from a comfy ivory tower while innocent soldiers die. Been there cinematically, done that plenty of times. Heck, even where it excels (the technical aspects), it doesn't do anything much better than 1917 did just three years earlier, but minus the long-take gimmick which at least made 1917 more superficially interesting to watch.
8. Elvis - 6.5/10
Austin Butler is great, and the production design and costumes are outstanding in making the various eras seem faithfully represented, but this is a sanitized biopic that glosses over the more controversial (and interesting) aspects of Elvis Presley's life. It plays as nothing more than a reenactment of his greatest career highlights. So, I'd rather just watch the real deal in actual concert footage (and plenty of available backstage footage that has been around for decades for added personality). Also, Tom Hanks gives a laughably cartoonish portrayal of Colonel Parker - which I'm assuming was deliberate, but it's truly ridiculous.
9. Women Talking - 5.5/10
The only way this movie's title could've been more accurate in describing what to expect would be if it had been called, "Audience Sleeping." The visual storytelling is minimal, as almost everything conveyed is via dialogue. There's virtually no dramatic tension. The ultimate decision/resolution ends up being anticlimactic. It almost seems like this book adaptation would play better as a stage play (or just skip the pretense altogether and turn it into a formal lecture to preach from a podium). The points here are mostly for the performances which I thought were all solid enough.
