After nominating eight of ten possible Best Picture contenders in 2019, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences returned this year to a nine-film Best Picture lineup, the same total as 2018. The 2020 nominees span auteur-driven dramas, taut thrillers, comic-book adaptations and sharp satires, producing a strong, diverse field that even includes an International Feature nominee — only the sixth time that has happened. Controversy around the Oscars remains, but the Best Picture race this year is unusually open and competitive.
In this edition of Ranked, the nine films nominated for Best Picture are ordered from ninth to first. The only criteria used here are the artistic quality of each film and the impact that art has had on cinema as a whole.
Have an opinion? Let us know in the comments at the end of this article or tweet us!
9. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood Review
Quentin Tarantino is indisputably a master of cinematic construction, and Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood showcases his vivid imagination, wit and eye for period detail. Yet this entry often feels uneven: editing choices create jarring transitions between sequences, and the film runs longer than necessary, lingering on moments that serve the director’s indulgence more than the story.
Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio elevate the material with standout performances, and Tarantino’s decision to focus closely on the two leads — rather than a sprawling ensemble — brings fresh energy to his screenwriting. The script contains flashes of his trademark brilliance, but the film is weighed down by excessive downtime and frequent self-references that give it an air of self-satisfaction the occasional thrills can’t fully conceal.
Visually the movie often evokes the grand studio films of the 1960s, a nostalgic nod to an era the subject matter celebrates. Still, in a year that produced several career-best works and contenders that felt decade-defining, this Tarantino piece seems comparatively safe and, at times, sloppy — placing it at number nine on this list.
Recommended for you: Quentin Tarantino Movies Ranked
8. Jojo Rabbit
Jojo Rabbit Review
Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit is a daring Nazi satire about a young boy whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler. Like some other nominees, it mixes tonal shifts that occasionally clash, but Waititi’s innate warmth and comic sensibility steer the film toward empathy rather than mere provocation.
When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox there was speculation about whether such a sharp satire would fit comfortably within a major studio’s slate. Regardless of studio politics, Jojo Rabbit manages to balance humor and heartbreak, tackling dark historical themes while producing genuine emotional payoffs. The cast delivers strong performances, many from actors who were not household names before the film, which enhances the movie’s charm and sincerity.
Jojo Rabbit excels in its heartfelt moments and clear emotional center, though some craft elements — cinematography and production design among them — are solid but not exceptional. Its strengths make it more affecting than some contemporaries, and its emotional honesty earns it a higher place than others on the list.
7. Ford v Ferrari
Ford v Ferrari Review
Ford v Ferrari (also released as Le Mans ’66) was one of the more surprising Best Picture nominations this year. It clearly fits the classic Oscar-friendly template: a true story of competition and triumph, an accomplished cast and high production values. Yet in an awards season leaning toward more daring or unconventional films, its inclusion felt unexpected.
Christian Bale and Matt Damon deliver strong, committed performances, and director James Mangold crafts a polished, emotionally engaging sports drama. The film’s technical achievements — particularly in sound and editing — rank among the year’s best, even if it lacks the boundary-pushing ambition of other nominees.
Ford v Ferrari is a very good example of studio filmmaking at its finest. Its presence in the Best Picture lineup is deserved, even if the film ultimately sits lower in this ranking because several other nominees pushed further artistically.
Recommended for you: What ‘Le Mans 66’ Gets Right That Other Motorsport Films Did Not
6. Joker
Joker Review
Joker divided critics and audiences: some hailed it as a powerful, character-driven thriller in the vein of Taxi Driver, while others criticized it as derivative or potentially irresponsible. Placed in the middle of the ballot seems most appropriate; it is neither the year’s best nor its worst contender.
As a comic-book adaptation, Joker transformed the genre into a grim, psychological study and introduced mainstream audiences to a darker, more intimate approach to a familiar character. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is one of the year’s most intense and committed, and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score is haunting and effective.
But the film’s themes can feel overt and its political stance ambiguous in ways that sometimes suggest oversight rather than deliberate provocation. Joker changed expectations for what mainstream comic-book cinema can attempt, and that boundary-pushing quality ensures its long-term relevance, even if it doesn’t qualify as the definitive film of the year.
Recommended for you: ‘Joker’ Vs ‘Us’: Their Significance, Similarities – And Why Is One Missing From The Oscar Nominations?
5. Marriage Story
Marriage Story Review
Noah Baumbach has long been admired for his incisive, character-focused films, and Marriage Story marks his first Best Picture nomination. Partnering with Netflix gave the film a wider platform during awards season, but to reduce the movie to “Oscar bait” would be to undercut its emotional intelligence.
The film’s power lies in Baumbach’s writing and the empathetic performances from the leads. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver bring complex, human truth to a divorce story that avoids easy judgment. The production favors intimacy over spectacle, yet it offers a mature, layered drama that resonates emotionally and intellectually.
Marriage Story is a writer-and-actor-driven film that exemplifies the kind of intimate, character-led cinema that can have lasting impact without relying on grand visual flourishes. Its placement in the middle of this ranking signals the shift toward some of the year’s most accomplished films.
4. Little Women
Little Women Review
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women reveals a filmmaker who understands both the novel’s heart and how to make a period story feel immediate and contemporary. Gerwig writes and directs with care, highlighting timeless aspects of sisterhood, ambition and womanhood while giving each character their own emotional weight.
Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh deliver impressive performances, supported by a strong ensemble that includes seasoned talents such as Laura Dern, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper. The production balances intimacy and period detail effectively, producing a warm, relatable, and deeply human film.
Had it not been for several extraordinary, career-defining films in this year’s field, Little Women could well have been the frontrunner. Instead, it stands as a beautifully crafted adaptation that confirms Gerwig’s place among contemporary filmmakers to watch.
Recommended for you: Greta Gerwig – The Essential Collection
3. The Irishman
The Irishman Review
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman feels like a deeply personal statement and arguably one of his finest works. Too often discussion fixated on the film’s run time and the hotly debated de-aging technology, overshadowing the movie’s meditations on aging, regret and mortality.
Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci deliver career-level performances, and Al Pacino gives one of his strongest turns in years. Scorsese and screenwriter Steven Zaillian adapt Charles Brandt’s non-fiction material into a layered exploration of gangster life, politics, capitalism and time — while still telling an engrossing, human story.
The Irishman reads like a culmination of Scorsese’s career themes and techniques, and in many other years would be the clear Best Picture frontrunner. Its scale, ambition and emotional depth make it one of the most significant films of the year.
2. 1917
1917 Review
Sam Mendes’ World War I epic 1917 is a technical and emotional tour de force, and among the finest war films in modern cinema. Its immersive presentation — crafted to feel as if shot in one continuous take — combines breathtaking cinematography with precise production, sound and costume design.
By centering on relatively unknown leads, Mendes underscores the universal experience of soldiers in war. The film balances moments of brutal realism with unexpected beauty, producing a poetic rhythm that elevates it beyond a traditional war movie. Even when the single-shot device is recognized as a constructed effect, the result feels timeless and powerful.
1917 stands as one of the most impressive releases of recent years, a film people will return to for its technical bravura and emotional resonance.
Recommended for you: 1917 Is Not Nationalistic
1. Parasite
Parasite Review
Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite is an exhilarating reinvention of the thriller that feels as fresh and commanding as discovering a new Hitchcock. Only the sixth foreign-language film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, Parasite bridges cultural and linguistic divides with razor-sharp storytelling and immense emotional and thematic power.
The film interrogates class and capitalism with wit, horror and empathy, sliding effortlessly between black comedy and chilling suspense. Every element is precisely calibrated — performances, pacing, visual composition and score — yet Bong never lets technique overshadow human stakes. Parasite’s artistic ambition reshapes genre expectations and stakes a claim as one of the defining films of the decade.
In a year of outstanding cinema, Parasite still stands above its competition for its originality, precision and cultural resonance. It not only merits recognition as the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture but also deserves to be remembered as an instant classic and a pivotal moment for international cinema.
Recommended for you: From ‘Foreign Language’ To ‘International Feature’: Why A Change In Name Isn’t Enough
The Academy and the Oscars attract plenty of criticism, especially in the age of social media where institutional biases and processes are quickly scrutinized. Still, the awards carry significant influence within the industry and with audiences. Many films depend on the exposure and financial boost that come with Oscar nominations, and the inclusion of titles such as Parasite helps expand the cultural reach of subtitled cinema. Whether or not you agree with every choice, the Oscars shape what audiences watch and what studios support. One of these nine films will make history on awards night and join the ranks of instantly recognizable cinematic milestones. Which of these Best Picture nominees is your favorite? Tell us in the comments.