I think this is the first year ever that I’ve seen all the nominated films for Best Picture at the Oscars. This is down to the fact I have a membership at The Light cinema in Sheffield and am now going to see one or two films there a week.

There is an excellent selection of films this year. I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite but I think it might be A Complete Unknown. But most of them would be a deserving winner.

Anora

I really liked this film. It used a lot of improvisation and you can tell: it has such a ring of authenticity to it. The premise is similar to Pretty Woman – if it happened in the real world. The third act of the film becomes quite humourous in places, with a kind of hapless criminal Guy Ritchie style. It’s a great film and an amazing central performance by Mikey Madison. She might be a surprise best actress Oscar win.

8/10

The Brutalist

This is the most cinematic of the films on the list and probably the most obvious Oscar contender. A sweeping epic of a film about creativity, art, immigration, capitalism and the creation of modern America.

8/10

A Complete Unknown

For me, I think this is my favourite on the list. One of the best biopics I’ve ever seen. The period attention to detail is incredible and the performance by Timothee Chalamet is superb and virtuoso. It foregrounds the music brilliantly and doesn’t try to explain Dylan’s personality. Deserves to win a few awards.

9/10

Conclave

This is that rare beast of a film that actually enhances the book it is based on. It’s a cracking thriller and beautifully made. I would be very happy if this wins best picture.

8/10

Dune: Part Two

The Dune films are so stylish and the best modern example of a blockbuster that you can see. I loved this and again a great performance from Timothee Chalamet.

9/10

Emilia Pérez

This is the most controversial of the films on the list. It was a front runner until the racist and right wing tweets of the star were revealed. There was a song in it about having a ‘sex change’ which really grated with me and I know that it also wasn’t filmed in Mexico and uses a lot of stereotypes of that country (the director is French). Having said that, it is a genuinely creative modern musical with a good gangster storyline (a mafia boss goes through gender transition and then tries to help trafficked children). It won’t recover from the bad press though.

8/10

I’m Still Here

Amazingly, this film doesn’t declare at the beginning it is based on a true story. I didn’t read up much about it before seeing it and when I got to the end I was amazed that all the characters are real people. The film documents the life of a family in Rio de Janeiro during the military dictatorship in the 70s. A father of 5 is taken by the military, never to be seen again by his family. His wife Eunice’s reaction to this is the beating heart of the film. Some reviews I’ve read comment on how the film can feel flat and lacking emotion but I found that assessment rather patronising. It is more powerful because of the flat feeling you have, I imagine very true to what it feels like when a family member is ‘disappeared’. A fantastic central performance from Fernanda Torres – she would be a worthy winner of best actress.

8/10

Nickel Boys

This film deserves to be in the running for its unique filming style (a little like the camera work in the show Peep Show) from the point of view of the main character whose face you only see in reflection. This film is based on a real school for boys that abused all its charges for many years. You won’t see another film like it.

8/10

The Substance

Another controversial film, I hesitated to see it because of some of the reactions I heard about to certain scenes. The body horror in the film is grotesque and very much not for the faint hearted. But, it is a brilliant film and a fascinating commentary on beauty standards past and present.

8/10

Wicked

I liked the film adaptation more than the stage production which I’ve seen twice – being a film there is more room for character development. Watching Wicked is an assault on the senses, like bingeing on pick n mix sweets and it is great fun. It doesn’t deserve to be best picture but it is a lot better than one might expect.

8/10