Scott Tady: Reasons to root for (and against) this year's Best Picture nominees

Scott Tady, Beaver County Times
·5 min read

Ten movies compete for Best Picture honors March 12 at the 95th annual Academy Awards.

I don't do predictions ― those are boring ― but I do offer reasons why you should and shouldn't root for all 10 of the nominated films.

I've ranked those 10 highly praised films ― all available now to rent or stream ― based on what I'd argue is their worthiness:

1. "Top Gun: Maverick"

Stars: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer.

Plot in six words: Navy aviator spearheads students' dangerous mission.

The film reminds us: Boomers and Millennials can succeed together.

Root for it to win: Because this was the 2022 cinematic spectacle we didn't realize we so desperately needed. There's breathtaking action, characters we care about, and a simple but smart story that didn't get too cutesy or tearful. Academy Awards officials need a reminder these are the kinds of films that pull people into theaters, and that such blockbusters don't need to be dumbed down (or have comic book superheroes).

Or root against it: Because you'll have Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" stuck in your head for weeks. And just because this movie soared doesn't mean sequel-obsessed Hollywood will get it right with future '80s reboots.

"Top Gun: Maverick" is one of 10 Best Picture nominees in this year's Academy Awards.
"Top Gun: Maverick" is one of 10 Best Picture nominees in this year's Academy Awards.

2. "The Fabelmans"

Stars: Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen

Plot in six words: Young Steven Spielberg finds career inspiration.

The film reminds us: Films can shine light on uncomfortable truths and transport us to happier places.

Root for it to win: Because it's a fascinating look at what turned Spielberg into a masterful moviemaker. The 1950s and '60s settings are fun. And that ending is marvelous.

Or root for it to lose: Because the 151-minute run time needed snipping. That length is a big ask in today's world of short attention spans.

"The Fabelmans," inspired by Steven Spielberg's upbringing, is a Best Picture nominee at this year's Academy Awards.
"The Fabelmans," inspired by Steven Spielberg's upbringing, is a Best Picture nominee at this year's Academy Awards.

3. "Women Talking"

Stars:  Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand.

Plot in six words: Mistreated Mennonite women consider their future.

Reminds us: There's strength in numbers, and great value in honest, open debate.

Root for it to win: Because the actresses shine in this powerful, thought-provoking look at faith, self-preservation and gender equality.

Or root for it to lose because: It has the slowest-moving escape scene ever.

"Women Talking" is a Best Picture nominee.
"Women Talking" is a Best Picture nominee.

4. "Elvis"

Stars: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge.

Plot in six words: Elvis's revolutionary rise and tragic fall.

Reminds us: How a Mississippi-Memphis raised man, inspired by Black music, changed the world.

Root for it to win:  Butler is a hips-swiveling delight, and director Baz Luhrmann finds creative ways to move along the early action.

Or root for it to lose because: The last half is a downer, and Hanks' performance as Col. Tom Parker is jarring.

"Elvis" is a Best Picture nominee in this year's Academy Awards.
"Elvis" is a Best Picture nominee in this year's Academy Awards.

5. "Avatar: The Way of Water"

Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet.

Plot in six words: Exiled family finds help combating enemies.

Root for it to win because: Center Township native Joe Letteri, and his WETA FX team did a phenomenal job pushing special effects to a new level. They'd better win the Best Visual Effects Oscar. The storyline is superior to the original "Avatar."

Joe Letteri, a Center High graduate, is visual effects supervisor on "Avatar: The Way of Water."
Joe Letteri, a Center High graduate, is visual effects supervisor on "Avatar: The Way of Water."

Or root for it to lose: Again, that's a lot of sitting still (3 hours, 12 minutes) for a movie with guaranteed sequels. You could almost watch three-and-a-half "Yellowstone" episodes for that length of time.

"Avatar: The Way of Water" is playing now in a theater near you.
"Avatar: The Way of Water" is playing now in a theater near you.

6. "All Quiet on The Western Front"

Stars: A bunch of German actors you've never seen before.

Plot in six words: Trench warfare soldiers face insurmountable odds.

Reminds us: World War I was ghastly, and war hawks' motivations should be questioned.

Root for this film to win: Because it's thought-stirring and the cinematography is stunning.

Or root for it to lose: Because we just saw a similar WWI movie three years ago ("1917") and eight years before that ("War Horse"), besides the acclaimed 1930 original.

"All Quiet on The Western Front" is a Best Picture nominee.
"All Quiet on The Western Front" is a Best Picture nominee.

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7. "Everything Everywhere All at Once"

Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu

Plot in six words: Alternate universes spark kung fu fighting.

Root for it to win because: Yeoh is wonderful (give her the Best Actress Oscar), and there are touching ruminations on family dynamics.

Root for it to lose because: The film underachieves as a comedy (too smug and silly), fails as a parallel universe sci-fi flick (utterly confusing), and even the martial arts scenes get tedious, which I wouldn't have thought was possible.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" is a Best Picture nominee.
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" is a Best Picture nominee.

8. "The Banshees of Inisherin"

Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan

Plot in six words: Irish composer desires solitude; friend resists.

Reminds us: Stubbornness has no boundaries.

Root for it to win because: The scene where shy Dominic (Best Supporting Actor nominee Keoghan) confesses his love for a fellow islander is heartachingly beautiful.

Or root for it to lose because: The film's repeated stunt, done for shock value, is ridiculous and stupid.

"The Banshees of Inisherin" is a Best Picture nominee.
"The Banshees of Inisherin" is a Best Picture nominee.

9. "Triangle of Sadness"

Stars: Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean and Woody Harrelson.

Plot in six words: Entitled yacht passengers crash and clash.

Reminds us: Class entitlement breeds resentment with consequences; and Instagram influencing takes liberties with the truth.

Root for it to win: The satirical dark comedy scores points with its social commentary.

Root for it to lose: The direction and acting lack punch and pizzaz. It's easy to lose interest by the time the somewhat surprise ending arrives,

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10. "Tár"

Stars: Cate Blanchett.

Plot in six words: Corrupted by power, orchestra conductor self-destructs.

Reminds us: Actions have consequences in a litigious world, heightened in the era of cancel culture.

Root for it to win because: You'll learn a lot about classical music, and as always, Blanchett gives a commanding performance.

Root for it to lose: Relentlessly dark and distanced, there's little entertainment value.

Side note: I'd have ranked Hanks' "A Man Called Otto" at No. 6 if the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences had bothered to nominate it.)

Cate Blanchett in "Tar," one of 10 films nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.
Cate Blanchett in "Tar," one of 10 films nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.

Which film do you hope wins the Oscar? Let entertainment columnist Scott Tady know at stady@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Reasons to root for (and against) this year's Best Picture nominees