The 95th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday 12th March.

There are a whopping 10 movies up for the top honour of Best Picture. But how many have you seen? Not gonna lie, I have only seen ONE.

We picked 5 of the strongest contenders in our opinion.

Everything, Everywhere All At Once

Leading the nominations this year, this sci-fi flick is up for 11 awards this year.

It is directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as “Daniels.” The movie stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis in the lead roles.

The plot revolves around a woman named Dr. Wang who discovers that she has the ability to access parallel universes. As she travels through different dimensions, she finds herself encountering alternate versions of herself and the people she knows. Along the way, she uncovers a sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of reality.

The film explores complex themes such as the nature of existence, identity, and the interconnectedness of all things. It also combines elements of science fiction, action, comedy, and drama, making it an entertaining and thought-provoking watch.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022 and received critical acclaim for its innovative storytelling, stunning visuals, and standout performances.

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh is tipped to bag the Oscar for Best Actress too.

All Quiet On The Western Front

The 2022 epic psychological anti-war film, All Quiet on the Western Front, is based on Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel of the same name. Directed by Edward Berger, the film features a talented cast including Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl, Sebastian Hülk, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic, and Devid Striesow.

The story takes place during World War I and follows the journey of a young German soldier, Paul Bäumer, who enlists in the army with his friends. As he confronts the brutal realities of war, Bäumer’s dreams of becoming a hero are shattered, and his only goal is to survive. In addition to the book’s narrative, the film also portrays the armistice negotiations to end the war.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022, the film was subsequently released on Netflix on October 28. Critics praised the movie’s tone and faithfulness to the source material’s anti-war message. All Quiet on the Western Front was nominated for 14 awards at the 76th British Academy Film Awards, winning seven, including Best Film. It also received nine nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best International Feature.

The Banshees of Insherin

Martin McDonagh’s 2022 black tragicomedy film, The Banshees of Inisherin, is a masterpiece that he directed, wrote, and co-produced. The movie’s setting is a remote island off the coast of western Ireland, and it stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two lifelong friends whose relationship hits a roadblock when one ends their friendship abruptly, leading to dire consequences for both men. Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan also feature in the movie. Farrell and Gleeson had previously acted together in McDonagh’s directorial debut, In Bruges (2008).

The film premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2022, where Farrell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, and McDonagh received the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay. It was released by Searchlight Pictures on October 21, 2022, in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The movie has earned critical acclaim for McDonagh’s direction and screenplay, the superb performances by the main cast, and the excellent score by Carter Burwell. It has grossed $46.6 million worldwide, surpassing its estimated $20 million budget.

Women Talking

Based on the novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, Women Talking is a 2022 American drama film written and directed by Sarah Polley. The story is inspired by real-life events that took place in the Manitoba Colony, a secluded Mennonite community in Bolivia. The film boasts an ensemble cast, featuring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand, who also served as a producer.

The film follows the story of women and girls living in an unnamed, isolated Mennonite colony who discover that the men of their community have been drugging and raping them with cow tranquilizers. The attackers are arrested and imprisoned in a nearby city, leaving the women to decide how they will proceed. In a plebiscite held over two days, they decide whether to do nothing, fight back, or leave the community altogether.

Women Talking premiered at the 49th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2022, and was released in select US theaters on December 23, 2022, before a wide release on January 27, 2023, by United Artists Releasing. The film was praised by critics for Polley’s screenplay and direction, the performances of the cast (especially Foy, Buckley, and Whishaw), and the score. It received numerous accolades, including being named one of the top ten films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. The film won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 28th Critics’ Choice Awards and 75th Writers Guild of America Awards and received nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards.

Tar

Tár is a psychological drama film released in 2022, written and directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár, a renowned conductor accused of sexual abuse. The film features a supporting cast including Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Allan Corduner, and Mark Strong. Tár premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022, where Blanchett received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. It was released in the United States on October 7, 2022, with a limited theatrical run before a wider release on October 28, distributed by Focus Features.

Tár has received critical acclaim, winning Best Film of the Year by the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, London Film Critics’ Circle, and the National Society of Film Critics, making it one of only four films in history to receive this honor from the world’s top critics’ groups. The film has been named the year’s best by more critics than any other film released in 2022. At the 80th Golden Globe Awards, Tár was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Screenplay, with Blanchett winning Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. At the 28th Critics Choice Awards, Blanchett won Best Actress and Guðnadóttir won Best Score. The film received six nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress (for Blanchett), Best Cinematography and Best Editing. At the 76th British Academy Film Awards, Tár was nominated for five awards, with Blanchett winning Best Actress.

The other movies nominated are:

Top Gun: Maverick

Avatar: The Way of the Water

Elvis

The Triangle of Sadness

The Fabelmans

How many of these Best Picture contenders have you seen?