Oscars 2025: 5 Best Picture Nominees Most Favored by Fans & Critics

Oscar nominations are finally in, and the harsh reality is actually far from what many expected from movie experts. Big contenders like Angelina Jolie and Margaret Qualley didn’t even make it to the lists of nominees, while others were lucky enough to be praised for their performances, despite the audience's complete disagreement.

Out of all 10 Best Picture potential winners, these 5 have moved way forward, becoming potential winners after securing some major achievements at previous awards ceremonies.

Emilia Pérez

Jacques Audiard’s musical drama never stopped receiving backlash ever since it was released in theatres, yet it also never stopped the movie from scoring off all other contenders at other big cinematic events.

Starring Karla Sofía Gascón as a Mexican drug lord who finally makes his biggest dream come true by transitioning into a woman, Emilia Pérez has been long labeled as a slap in the face of Mexican people who have also been long sick and tired of their country’s stereotypical representation on big screens.

Yet, Emilia Pérez is a weird, but still entertaining mixture of musical and drama thriller which, by winning a whole collection of Golden Globes earlier this month, might have secured itself another big win at the Oscars too.

The Brutalist

Brady Corbet’s epic period drama is another potential triumphant, mostly due to the fact that, among all the action-packed and bright-coloured nominees, The Brutalist is a rare lyrical gem that intertwines historical climaxes with personal drama.

The movie stars Adrien Brody as architect László Tóth who, alongside his family, is forced to leave post-war Europe and move to the United States. The Academy’s members might not have been impressed by The Brutalist’s lengthy run of more than 200 minutes, but the cast’s outstanding performance is still likely to bring the film the Best Picture statuette.

Dune: Part Two

Josh Brolin was probably right, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two even managed to outperform the first movie, bringing the sci-fi genre to a completely new level.

Though at some point the sequel might in fact lack the same level of acting performance that the first movie can be proud of (except for Javier Bardem and Rebecca Ferguson who single-handedly stole the show), Dune: Part Two is still an exceptional cinematic experience that deserves a nod from the Academy.

Anora

Sean Baker’s modern take on Pretty Woman-like storyline came as a harsh reality check for the latter’s fans proving that nothing like this would ever happen in real life.

Anora stuns its viewer with a sudden pace change, moving on from a romantic drama to an action-driven movie, and the truly spectacular performances from Mikey Madison, Mark Eidelstein and Yura Borisov. Also filled with powerful social messages, Anora is probably one of the brightest cinematic releases of the last year.

The Substance

A gripping and gut-wrenching body horror, The Substance isn’t just an entertaining watch powered by stunning performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, but also Coralie Fargeat’s bold statement about the modern world’s morality shift.

The movie came as yet another great example of how masterfully genres of sci-fi and horror can be blended, which makes The Substance both an outstanding cinematic piece and a powerful social message.