In anticipation of the upcoming Oscars, this article highlights Oscar-nominated films that are unlikely to win but are deserving of recognition. Justin Chang reviews "Nickel Boys," highlighting it as possibly the best American film of 2024 despite its lack of award prospects. Other films discussed include "I'm Still Here" and the politically relevant "The Seed of the Sacred Fig." The piece emphasizes the subjective nature of taste in cinema, underscoring that excellent storytelling exists beyond the awards race.
This year's nail-biter of a Best Picture race is a death match between "Anora" and "Conclave," though I have colleagues who haven't counted out "The Brutalist," "A Complete Unknown," and even "Wicked."
Oscar or no Oscar, RaMell Ross's adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2019 novel remains a tender, shimmering tour de force. It's already streaming, but try to catch it in a theatre.
In the weeks since controversy tanked the campaign of "Emilia Pérez," once a front-runner for Best International Feature Film, many have speculated that that prize will now go to "I'm Still Here."
But "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," from the Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, is a more politically charged narrative that merits attention amidst the awards buzz.
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