Rank 'Em: The 2020 Best Picture Nominees

This was a tough post to write, mostly because it was an excellent year at the movies, and because how much I liked certain films didn't match up with how good I thought they were. I mostly erred on the side of my personal tastes, because this is my list, dammit, and I shouldn't be discounting my own preferences and point of view. So, here we go. From best to least best, here are the Best Picture nominees of 2020, ranked.

Little Women - It was a close fight between this and "Parasite" for the top spot. I'm giving it to "Little Women" for so thoroughly upending my expectations. I expected a period piece from Greta Gerwig to be much more formal and restrained. Instead, there's such a vitality to the story, which has been taken apart and rebuilt to highlight different themes, updated ideas, and Gerwig's own, more expansive sensibilities. The result is the best screen version of "Little Women" to date, and the best film of 2019.

Parasite - As far as social allegories about class and privilege go, it's hard to top this one. It's such a beautifully conceived film, full of little twists and surprises that blur genres and traditions. There are just the right amounts of Bong Joon-ho's usual grotesquerie and black humor. There are just enough relatable human foibles. And after years of Korean cinema being all but ignored by the Academy, I love that something has finally broken through and may very well win the whole shebang.

Marriage Story - A remarkably empathetic film about a broken relationship, essentially a love story that ends with separation instead of a union. It's been so rewarding to see Noah Baumbach arrive at this point artistically and emotionally. If he'd made this film ten years ago, it would have been far more bitter and unpalatable. Instead, he's given Adam Driver and Scarlett Johanssen the chance to do some of their best, most affecting work yet, and everyone a reason to revisit Sondheim's back catalog.

Jojo Rabbit - This is probably higher in the rankings than it should be, but "Jojo" is one of my favorite films of the year in spite of its clear weaknesses. What ameliorates a lot of my misgivings is that I see the film as being directed toward the young and impressionable, and I love the way that Taika Waititi finds all these ways to connect the WWII experience with modern culture and get viewers into the same head space as the young leads. The film also surprised me multiple times - and that's always a plus.

The Irishman - I wish I liked this movie more. I admire Martin Scorsese and his collaborators so much for committing to this big, difficult gangster elegy. I don't mind the limits of the de-aging technology, and I don't mind the three hour running time. The performances are fantastic all around, with special kudos to Joe Pesci, who I hope enjoys a late career resurrection. Unfortunately, as with many of Scorsese's other gangster pictures, I didn't find the material compelling. So into the middle of the pack it goes.

1917 - The technical aspects of this film are absolutely impeccable, and I wouldn't be at all surprised it it ended up winning all the major awards. That said, it's hard to get away from the fact that the film is built on a gimmick, and the characters are very thinly drawn. I'm very happy to see it doing so well at the box office, and showing that a good original film can be as effective an action spectacular as any superhero franchise film. I'm just not convinced that it deserves to take home the prize this year.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… - Even if I set aside the ending as a matter of taste, I still can't summon up much enthusiasm for Quentin Tarantino's vision of '60s Hollywood. I'm impressed by how lovingly he recreated the parties and the street life, and his takes on the TV and movie production of the times is a lot of fun. However, there's so much self-indulgence here that it grates, and the characters aren't particularly compelling. I wish there were more substance under all the references and glitz.

Joker - And here's the most nominated film of the year, which seems to position it as the frontrunner, but the backlash has been pretty overwhelming. I don't think it's getting anything but Joaquin's Best Actor trophy. I think "Joker" is a perfectly good film overall, a middling Scorsese homage (certainly better than something like "American Hustle"), and a poor "Batman" story. It gets a few extra points for audacity, but it's not remotely as effective of any of the films it takes its influences from.

Ford v Ferrari - It's a solid, well-made sports movie that has both Matt Damon and Christian Bale doing good work. The story is interesting and I like that the conflict is more about the behind-the-scenes clashes than anything going on at Le Mans - though it's Le Mans that delivers all of the big, exciting race sequences. There's just not enough here to really make the film exceptional. I don't think it deserved a nomination, not in a year like this with so many better choices.
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