u/EricTweener

A while ago, I made a post about Best Picture firsts, inspired by the Wikipedia article for U.S. presidential firsts. Since then, I've noticed some mistakes and more things I could have mentioned, and the post became a bit dated with the advent of another winner, so I decided to update it. I don't have Wings here since its firsts mostly speak for itself, but I did find out it was indeed the first winner to receive a novelization. I also don't include Sunrise as it's not officially a Best Picture winner, but I mention when a later winner's first is something Sunrise achieved prior. By ATL (above the line) I mean categories for Picture, directing, writing, and acting, and BTL (below the line) is everything else. If I get something wrong or you know of additional interesting firsts, feel free to comment.

The Broadway Melody (1928/29)

First musical winner.
First sound winner.
First winner of the standard Best Picture award.
First winner to be nominated for another ATL award (unless Sunrise is counted).
First winner to be nominated for Best Director.
First winner to have a film remake.
First winner to have a sequel released.
First winner to not be nominated for any BTL awards.
First winner to win no other awards.
First winner whose win was broadcast on radio.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1929/30)

First winner based on a preexisting work.
First winner directed by a director of a previous Best Picture nominee.
First winner to win another ATL award (unless Sunrise is counted).
First winner to win Best Director.
First winner to be nominated for Best Cinematography (unless Sunrise is counted).
First winner to be nominated for writing.

Cimarron (1930/31)

First movie to be nominated for multiple acting awards.
First movie to be nominated in every eligible category.
First Western winner.
First winner to be nominated for Best Actor.
First winner to be set before the 20th century.
First winner to win Best Production Design.
First winner to win for writing.

Grand Hotel (1931/32)

First (and only) winner to not receive any other nominations.
First winner based on a play.
First winner to be shown at Venice International Film Festival.

It Happened One Night (1934)

First comedy winner.
First movie to win two acting awards.
First winner of the Big Five awards.
First winner to win an acting award (unless Sunrise is counted).

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

First movie to be nominated for more than one acting award in the same category.
First movie to be nominated for three acting awards.
First (and only) movie to be nominated for three acting awards in a lead category.
First winner to be nominated for Best Film Editing.
First winner to be nominated for a music category.

The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

First biopic winner.
First three-hour-long winner.
First (and only) winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Dance Direction.
First winner to be nominated for Best Story.

The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

First movie to receive double-digit nominations.
First winner to be nominated in a supporting acting category.
First winner to be nominated in two writing categories.
First (and only) winner to be nominated for Best Assistant Director.
First winner to be nominated for Best Sound Mixing.

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

First winner directed by a director of a previous winner.
First winner to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

First color winner.
First winner based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book.
First winner to receive an Honorary Award.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Cinematography, Color.
First winner to be nominated for Best Special Effects.
First winner to win a cinematography category (unless Sunrise is counted).
First winner to win Best Film Editing.
First winner to win Best Supporting Actress.
First winner to win multiple BTL awards.

Rebecca (1940)

First winner not produced by a major film studio.
First winner produced by a producer of the prior winner.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.
First winner to be nominated for Best Production Design, Black-and-White.

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

First winner to be nominated in both supporting acting categories.
First winner to win Best Production Design, Black-and-White.

Mrs. Miniver (1942)

First movie to be nominated for five acting awards.
First winner based on newspaper articles.
First winner directed by someone born in the 20th century.
First winner to have a sequel with story connections released.
First winner to receive nominations in all four acting categories.
First World War II movie to win.

Casablanca (1943)

First winner to premiere the year prior to its year of eligibility.

Going My Way (1944)

First (and only) movie to receive two acting nominations for the same performance.
First movie to win six ATL awards.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Original Song.
First winner to receive a soundtrack album.
First winner to win a music category.
First winner to win Best Story.
First winner to win a picture award at the Golden Globes.

The Lost Weekend (1945)

First winner to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
First winner to win the Palme d'Or.

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

First (and only) movie to receive a competitive and Honorary Award for the same acting performance.
First movie to win the BAFTA Award for Best Film.
First winner to win Best Original Score.

Hamlet (1948)

First non-American production to win Best Picture.
First winner to be nominated (and win) for its costumes.
First winner starring the director.

All the King's Men (1949)

First movie to win two acting awards without a Best Director win.

All About Eve (1950)

First movie to receive four acting nominations for the same gender, and the only one to do so for women.
First movie to receive multiple acting nominations in more than one category.
First winner to win Best Sound Mixing.

An American in Paris (1951)

First jukebox musical winner.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Costume Design, Color.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Original Screenplay.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Production Design, Color.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Scoring of a Musical Picture (this category has had several different names and slightly different rules but it's too convoluted to address every single time. I will note that My Fair Lady, Oliver and The Sting each won slightly different iterations of this category as well).

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

First time the director of a movie won Best Picture.
First winner whose win was broadcast on television.

From Here to Eternity (1953)

First winner to win both supporting acting categories.

On the Waterfront (1954)

First movie to receive four male acting nominations.
First movie to receive three nominations for Best Supporting Actor.
First winner presented in widescreen.

Marty (1955)

First (and only) winner based on a teleplay.
First winner to be the credited director's debut movie.
First (and only) winner to not surpass 90 minutes in length.

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

First winner filmed in 70 mm.

Gigi (1958)

First winner to be nominated for (and win) multiple music categories.
First winner to be nominated for (and win) a Grammy Award.

Ben-Hur (1959)

First (and only) winner to win Best Special Effects.
First movie to receive double-digit wins.
First (and only) winner directed by a director of two previous winners.

The Apartment (1960)

First winner to reference another winner.
First winner to spawn a stage musical adaptation.

West Side Story (1961)

First winner based on a Tony nominee for Best Musical.
First winner directed by a credited directing team.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

First (and only) winner with no speaking roles for women.

Tom Jones (1963)

First (and only) movie to receive three nominations for Best Supporting Actress.
First (and only) winner to lose five acting nominations.

My Fair Lady (1964)

First winner based on a Tony winner for Best Musical.

The Sound of Music (1965)

First winner to be released on VHS, along with Patton.

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

First winner based on a Tony nominee (and winner) for Best Play.

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

First winner to be nominated for Best Sound Editing.
First winner to be nominated for both sound categories.

Oliver! (1968)

First (and only) movie to receive an Honorary Award for choreography.
First winner to receive a rating from the MPA, and the only one to be rated G, upon release.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

First (and only) winner to receive an X-rating from the MPA.
First winner to be shown at Berlin International Film Festival.

Patton (1970)

First winner to be nominated for Best Visual Effects.
First winner to be released on VHS, along with The Sound of Music.
First winner to receive a PG-rating from the MPA upon release.

The French Connection (1971)

First winner to receive an R-rating from the MPA upon release.

The Godfather (1972)

First winner to have a nomination rescinded.

The Sting (1973)

First winner produced by a woman.

The Godfather Part II (1974)

First sequel to win.
First winner based on the same material as a previous winner.

Rocky (1976)

First sports movie to win.
First winner to receive a video game adaptation (debatable, since the 1987 game in question is based on the franchise as a whole, albeit with elements from the first movie).

Annie Hall (1977)

First winner to have its worldwide premiere at a film festival.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

First (and only) winner to be broadcast on television prior to its theatrical release.

Gandhi (1982)

First winner to be nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Amadeus (1984)

First winner to win Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Platoon (1986)

First winner to receive a direct video game adaptation.

The Last Emperor (1987)

First winner to receive a PG-13-rating from the MPA upon release.

Rain Man (1988)

First winner to win the Golden Bear.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

First horror winner.

Unforgiven (1992)

First winner to be released on DVD.

Forrest Gump (1994)

First winner to win Best Visual Effects.

Braveheart (1995)

First (and only) winner to not receive any Screen Actors Guild nominations.
First winner to win Best Sound Editing.

Titanic (1997)

First movie to receive double-digit non-ATL nominations.
First winner to receive a 3D release.
First winner to receive a rerelease in IMAX.
First winner to win both sound awards.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

First winner to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

First fantasy winner.
First winner to have a subtitle.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

First winner set in the 21st century.

Crash (2005)

First winner to be released on Blu-ray.
First (and only) winner to have the same writer as the previous winner.
First (and only) winner to premiere prior to the release of the previous winner.

The Departed (2006)

First winner based on another movie.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

First (and only) winner to be nominated in Best Original Song more than once.

The Hurt Locker (2009)

First winner not directed by a man.

The Artist (2011)

First winner to largely not be an American or British production.

Argo (2012)

First winner to be released on 4K Blu-ray.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

First winner not directed by a white person.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

First winner to be shot predominantly digitally.

Moonlight (2016)

First (and only) winner with no credited white actors.

The Shape of Water (2017)

First sci-fi winner.
First winner to win the Golden Lion.

Parasite (2019)

First (and only) winner to be nominated for (and win) Best International Feature Film.
First (and only) winner to be produced entirely outside the United States or Britain.
First (and only) winner to not be predominantly in English.

Nomadland (2020/21)

First (and only) winner directed by someone neither male nor white.
First winner to be released on a streaming service during its theatrical release.
First winner to be screened in IMAX theaters upon initial release.

CODA (2021)

First (and only) winner distributed by a streaming service.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

First (and only) winner to win more than two acting awards.

Oppenheimer (2023)

First winner to be nominated for the combined Best Sound category.
First (and only) winner to be shot with IMAX cameras.

One Battle After Another (2025)

First (and only) winner to be nominated for (and win) Best Casting.

Better late than never, I guess. Unlike the past two years, I actually managed to watch all the nominees before the ceremony (where on Earth is Magic Candies anyway), but I didn't quite catch up on finishing the post. I decided to split the nominees into brackets based on the score out of ten I give them, so I don't have to keep using the same adjectives to describe my feelings upfront.

Jurassic World: Rebirth – The Jurassic series has a remarkably big gap in quality between the first movie and anything that came after. I don't particularly like any of the sequels, although at least III is just silly schlock that doesn't run for two long. Rebirth is a slight improvement over the past two in my eyes but still nothing exciting. It has the same problem of having no interesting characters, not much in the way of shaking up the formula and just feeling overall uninspired. The changing of the director and writers from the other World movies is appreciated and I wouldn't call it a bad movie, since it is overall competent in its execution and I feel its Visual Effects nomination is quite well-deserved, but similar to Edwards' other work I've seen, Jurassic World: Rebirth's solid craft on display doesn't do much for its unimpressive script.

Elio – I'm not sure why Disney thought this was a good idea coming relatively quickly after Lightyear and Strange World, but I think I like it a bit more than those. It's lacking in freshness and interesting characters and concepts, which is unfortunately not unusual for Pixar these days. I haven't thought any of their movies were better than just decent since Turning Red. I do however think Elio does have enough merit for me to consider it alright. It's not boring despite not being especially engaging, I like Glordon's design a lot, and >!the reveal of Elio's mom's suspicions of his double!<was actually quite funny. There's little I found particularly good in Elio but nothing I found especially bad, other than that godawful Ambassador Helix. One of the absolute worst character voices I've ever heard.

The Singers – It looks nice, albeit a bit too dark, it has a nice atmosphere and overall good filmmaking, but where's the journey? I'm not one of those people who think every movie should have a clear basic structure and filled with events, because I feel stories can work in many ways. However, The Singers just felt a bit empty by the end. If it was supposed to stir me emotionally, it didn't. If it was supposed to get me invested in the setting and characters and what would happen, >!too bad since it just ends without anything else. !<I think a short like this could work for me, but beyond looking and sounding pretty (which were enough for me to give it a 6), it's not really my thing.

Perfectly a Strangeness – I admit that when I first saw this short I assumed it was in the running for Live Action Short, so I was quite surprised to learn it was actually nominated for Documentary Short. I guess it's doing a Ron Fricke thing so I won't object even though I'm not sure what it's really documenting. I had pretty mixed thoughts while watching. The animals being in that setting is novel and the shots and composition can be nice, but this honestly feels a bit low-effort for something that was Oscar-nominated. It's a bit like an artsier episode of How It's Made in parts and it has some weird moments like the cat that backs away from the cameraperson. I'm still giving it an above average grade since I feel it went on for just the right amount of time for it to be somewhat enjoyable. Not what I'd consider Oscar material but not bad.

Frankenstein – Already talking about a Best Picture nominee. I would say I'm in the camp of this being not really for me, which I found a bit surprising. I'm not a massive fan of Guillermo del Toro but I tend to really like his stuff, including the three movies before this one. But Frankenstein unfortunately fell short for me for various reasons. Despite really liking the novel, the way it translated here just wasn't engaging. It dragged the entire way through and I did not care for most of the character stuff. The style of filmmaking was not to my taste either. It's full of fake-looking CGI with the locations and animals and other things, and the cinematography is flat and unappealing. That's not to say I dislike the movie, as it's pretty watchable despite its flaws and has some standout elements like the music. It does however feel like a bigger letdown than most films I've seen in recent years, and the fact I have trouble finding things to praise when thinking back is telling.

The Lost Bus – It's enjoyable enough but a very solid 6. It does enough to be mildly engaging and not boring but doesn't succeed in other areas for me. I was surprised at how uninvested I was in the situation and characters. McConaughey's character's turmoil at the start feels a bit too heavy and I didn't feel it affecting that much of the rest of the movie. Ferrera was also pretty bland and I wish the kids felt like a bigger part of the narrative than merely being part of the situation. I can appreciate the spectacle but some of the CGI looks straight out of a video game. Still, like I said, it's definitely watchable and has solid craft on display.

Viva Verdi – Probably one of the biggest boosts a movie has ever gotten from an Oscar nominations, although not necessarily toward its target audience. It's an alright watch, with some interesting stories being told as well as having quite a nice style. It's not the most riveting, especially as opera is not something I have much interest in. However, for what it is, it's far from bad.

Two People Exchanging Saliva – I wish I liked this more but I didn't get that much out of it. It's well-made and has pretty great pacing for a short, but the story and characters felt very thin to me and the "absurd" aspects were not something that appealed to me. I liked the way information was revealed and the presentation of ideas but the ideas themselves fell flat.

F1 – I didn't think I'd be watching this one but the Best Picture nom pushed me to order it on eBay and it was honestly a bit better than I expected. It's not a movie where I got especially invested in the characters, but I thought the racing scenes were nicely varied with some solid filmmaking. The CGI did look a lot like CGI at times but mostly it wasn't distracting. I can't say I'm a fan of the original songs but I think they were used decently. It doesn't scream Best Picture material to me but I like it more than Frankenstein, at least.

Jane Austen's Period Drama – Light and enjoyable, but not quite my taste. I like that the plot and wacky character names feel like an accurately exaggerated Restoration comedy, but I kind of wish the jokes were a little more funny. As it is, it feels somewhat like a high-end YouTube video skit, but not at all bad.

Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud – It's well-made but I feel more could have been done with this subject. As it is, it felt a bit disjointed to me, coming across almost like a compilation of remarkable moments than a compelling narrative. Not to say it's bad, as both the archival footage and the modern-day segments are effectively used, but I think it had the potential to be better considering the subject.

Butcher's Stain – It's decent but feels a little uncommitted. Its point is interesting at first but >!the subplot with the son feels completely superfluous and the whole thing feels a bit unsatisfying by the end.!< Still, the parts I like I definitely do like, and the filmmaking is quite solid.

Song Sung Blue – Overall likable. Both main characters were pretty well-developed and as someone who barely knows anything about Neil Diamond, that didn't impede my enjoyment. I felt it did lose a bit of steam around halfway through, >!even with the car accident adding another layer to the story,!< but it remains decently entertaining throughout.

Train Dreams – I wanted to like it more than I did and it's probably worth a rewatch but I didn't get much of an emotional reaction. It looks great and has a nice overall mood, but I did not feel much of a connection to the story. The narration also bothered me as it felt overly explanatory when it wasn't needed and I think the movie would have been better without it. Maybe I'll get it better if I give it another shot but it's far from one of my favorites of the year despite a lot of great craft.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin – Just barely squeaking past the 6 threshold, I wasn't as invested in the film as I hoped I'd be, as it does at times feel a little one-note and the subject person is not very compelling on screen. However, I did really like >!the depiction of Talankin's relationship with his students and how it gradually shifts.!< I'm always impressed when documentaries can feel naturalistic with those kinds of developments and it helps make this one emotionally engaging. I'm not particularly shocked at the revelation that the Russian government is crappy, but the movie does a good job at making the personal stuff a major point.

Diane Warren: Relentless – Yes, I gave this movie a relatively high rating. I'm neither a particular fan nor hater of Warren's work but I found the documentary to be genuinely well-constructed and edited and pretty entertaining. I was a bit surprised just how good of a subject Warren was, being very lively and occasionally funny. I also liked that the movie was so direct with the criticisms that have been thrown at her (barring her awful pro-Israel statements), and delivers a biography that feels honest but also very appreciative of her work.

Blue Moon – It's entertaining and its script has a lot of color. The stagey feel helps it be more intimate, and I like its use of music. However, I don't think it had the emotional effect on me that it was supposed to have, and it was a bit annoying when it felt the need to insert things like >!Hart inspiring Stuart Little and meeting George Roy Hill.!< I also wasn't a big fan of the visual style. I know Linklater isn't the most "pretty"-focused director and I did like the framing, but the color grading is really dull. Regardless, I liked the movie enough that those problems were not enough to distract me too much.

The Smashing Machine – I found it pretty engaging, even if it's not necessarily the richest biography out there. I liked the documentary style of the movie interesting with its long takes and well-done visuals, and the somewhat lowkey dialogue scenes contrasted well with the fight scenes. I was really impressed by the makeup too, especially as I found the character somehow looked less like Johnson after shaving his head. Not the most riveting drama, but I liked it well enough.

KPop Demon Hunters – It overcomes a pretty simple plot with its charm and appealing visual style. I think I would probably enjoy it more if I was more into K-pop, as the songs in the movie didn't do much for me, but I think it does a lot with its premise and the passion shows through.

The Three Sisters – Not too elaborate and without much impressive animation, but enjoyable and funny enough for what it is. I enjoyed the non-verbal storytelling that managed to convey everything clearly, even if the story itself wasn't the most inspiring.

The Ugly Stepsister – I liked it more than I expected to. It's a really visually impressive movie with a nicely darkly comedic tone and some enjoyably gross moments. I actually skipped this movie in theaters because I thought the gore might be too much for me from what I heard, but I liked how it always serves the story and it never went overboard for me. It is a pretty fresh spin on the Cinderella story that stuck closer to it than I imagined before watching it.

Forevergreen – Definitely enjoyable, although perhaps too standard in its writing to excel in my eyes. It's not until the last act that the story really came together into something effective to me, but considering how short it is, that's not really a problem. The animation is really fantastic, being simultaneously organic and cinematic.

Kokuho – Very impressive techs, especially the cinematography, and a good story. I did have a bit of an issue with how slow the pacing was at times while also leaving the women characters grossly underdeveloped, >!especially considering the emotional climax of the film.!< I think there is a bit of problem with character focus in the screenplay but I still definitely liked the movie.

Retirement Plan – Very short and not the most varied necessarily, but I think it works quite well. It's entertaining, funny, and emotional in a short space of time even without overt character development. The animation is somewhere between overly simple and charmingly minimalist, but probably intentionally, as it reminded me of old webtoons, which is somewhat fitting.

The Secret Agent – Probably due for a rewatch, but I liked it enough on the first watch. It has a great sense of immersion, where I felt very connected to the setting from the directing and writing. However, I did feel a prominent disconnect from the story since, frankly, a lot of it was too subtle for me. I have rarely been as confused by what is happening in a movie as I was here, which is probably more to do with myself than the film, but explains why I found it harder to connect with the plot and thus, the movie as a whole. I greatly respect the craft, such as how great the movie looks, but I wouldn't say the film struck me as it did a lot of other people.

Children No More: Were and Are Gone – Pretty effective with its small scope. It's not a documentary with significant character development, but I think it does a good job illustrating the backlash the protests face and how it's justified, which is really chilling. Also, I really liked the music, which is not something that often stands out to me in short documentaries.

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You – It's good, but not really exemplary in any way to me. The story was mostly engaging if not completely satisfactory to me. I do tend to like effectively "frustrating" movies, and this is no exception, as I think the movie makes it easy to empathize with the main character. The claustrophobic and enigmatic style also helped. However, and this is probably unfair, I kept getting reminded of We Need to Talk About Kevin, and how much better that movie is at engaging me in the story. But on its own, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is a very capable movie and I'm interested in what Bronstein will do next.

Little Amelie or the Character of Rain – I liked it, it has a nice mood and very appealing animation, but I wasn't as emotionally invested as I had hoped. It didn't feel particularly deep in any aspect and was mostly held up by its charm.

Avatar: Fire and Ash – I don't know if I'd consider myself an Avatar fan but I'm pretty fond of the franchise. They're very good sensory experiences even if my investment in the story and characters may vary, and I think a lot of it is down to Cameron's directing. The newest instalment continues the things that I like about the movies, but suffers from not offering enough new. The new clans bring some very nice new designs, and I do like the character drama, but it still feels derivative, especially of The Way of Water. The third act especially feels way too similar, and makes me wish more new things would be brought to the table. But even if it's not as good as the previous movies, there was a lot I enjoyed about it, and I'm looking forward to rewatching it at home.

Cutting Through Rocks – Well-presented and with a good structure. It does a good job explaining the political situation concisely and makes the story engaging, as well as offering impactful moments with the people featured. It helps that Shahverdi is a good subject who carries the movie well.

Come See Me in the Good Light – A good and effectively emotional biography. It's held up well by the subjects and a good presentation.

All the Empty Rooms – Pretty good and effective. I think it says what it needs to within its runtime but I wouldn't have minded if it was longer.

The Perfect Neighbor – I have several documentaries in similar spots since these ones are around the same level of "good but not great" to me. They're sometimes a bit hard for me to assess at times, since I think they work on similar levels and don't think they have any particular flaws beyond not being the type of movie I typically love. I liked the matter-of-fact presentation of The Perfect Neighbor, previously seen in the nominated short Incident. By design, the techs are quite subdued, but it does present a good and thorough narrative.

The Devil Is Busy – My favorite of the nominated documentary shorts, although they're generally pretty close. It has an understated tone that I like, and it does cover a good amount about what abortion clinics do and what they face.

The Alabama Solution – I liked this the most of the documentary features this year. The story is presented in a very engaging way that does a good job at making the setting and its inhabitants feel fleshed out. My main problem, however, was the music. It sounds like generic royalty-free tracks that don't enhance the atmosphere as much as distract from it. Still, that's a minor nitpick that didn't impact my appreciation for this movie.

Weapons – As someone who is not much into American horror (Zach Cregger's own Barbarian being an example of one that did not appeal to me), this is one of the highlights of the genre in recent years. I like that so much of it is presented as a drama/mystery that gradually turns up the horror elements, and its restraint in that aspect makes the overtly horror-y moments more effective, even if it's not what I'd call the scariest movie in the world. The humor is also well-executed and doesn't take away from the atmosphere. The writing overall is very solid in both its story and characters, although it did personally become a bit less engaging for me toward the end, which may have been because >!I found the reveal that the villain was a creepy old woman a bit disappointing. Not that I disliked her character or that I thought it wasn't appropriate for the story, but rather that I feel it's a bit of an overdone archetype.!< It's something I do want to give another watch, however, and maybe I'll appreciate it more then.

Hamnet – I know I use the word "effective" a lot, but that also applies to this one. The mood of the film is something I liked a lot, feeling tranquil a lot of the time but gut-punching at the right moments, which I think complemented the story very well. Things which would usually bother me, like the "reveal" that Agnes' husband is Shakespeare (wonder how many didn't know that prior to watching it) or the moment he quotes Hamlet didn't feel out of place to me. I found the movie engaging and moving, even if I wouldn't say it affected me as much as it did many other people.

Bugonia – I decided to watch the original Save the Green Planet! before watching the remake, and I thought it was pretty good. It's a very interesting mix of really wacky and genuinely disturbing scenes. While I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of Lanthimos, as my enjoyment scale has gradually been sliding down with each of his recent films, I was interested in how it would be interpreted. I was certainly not disappointed, as while it's not among his best in my eyes, I liked it more than Kinds of Kindness. I found the story changes to be justified, and an example of how to make a fresh adaptation of something from the same medium. I was a bit surprised that he scaled down the more cringeworthy stuff from the original, but I'm not complaining. The cinematography is great and the music punctuates the action well. I don't necessarily like it more than the original, but it's a worthy remake.

Sirāt – The story and style appealed to me quite a bit. >!I did not have a problem with the tone shift, or the relentlessly bleak third act, or the ending that doesn't really wrap up anything established at the beginning, as I found it more impactful that way. I saw it as a movie that emphasized the importance of human connection and why life should be enjoyed for those moments, since hardship is inevitable. It communicates that in quite a bold way, and I can understand if people feel the deaths to be a bit excessive and trying too hard for shock factor, but I appreciated that the movie was willing to go that far. The break in traditional story structure felt meaningful to me, and I don't know if any movie has made me feel the same.!< The fun cast of characters and great cinematography also contribute to why I liked it. I think it's one of the most interesting movies in recent years, and I'm interested in Laxe's other work.

Butterfly – Beautifully animated with a good story. It manages to feel full and substantial in just around ten minutes, with very interesting storytelling to boot. I don't know if I can compare the animation style to anything I've seen before, since it has very appealing designs and its fluidity works perfectly with the writing.

Sinners – This one is definitely due a rewatch, since it's almost a full year since I saw it. The filmmaking is really impressive, and in conjunction with the use of music, creates a great sensory experience at several points, the highlight being the "I Lied to You" scene. The writing, however, was where the film lost me a bit. I like the premise, but I wasn't very invested in the actual plot as it went on. It sets its characters up well but they couldn't really carry the whole thing by the end. Also, I found the attempts at humor really unfunny and distracting. Still, I did quite enjoy the movie and I'm sure I'll find more to appreciate upon a rewatch.

Zootopia 2 – I'm not the biggest fan of Walt Disney Animation Studios' recent efforts, as while I really liked Encanto, Strange World, Wish, and Moana 2 allt felt quite lackluster and signaled a lack of creative juice in the studio. It didn't give me a lot of confidence in the sequel to Zootopia, a movie I'm really fond of. I am however glad that the sequel turned out worthy, if not as good as the first. It's really well-paced, funny, beautiful-looking, and builds upon the original in a meaningful way while simultaneously feeling fresh. There are many good character moments, both between Judy and Nick and with the fun new characters. It's really an example of a sequel done right that could have easily been too much of a rehash.

A Friend of Dorothy – I was surprised I liked this as much as I did, but it really does hit the right notes for a short and sweet story. The runtime feels perfect for the small scale while allowing for proper character development of the two main characters. It's very entertaining and by far my favorite of the live action shorts this year.

Arco – Honestly exceeded my expectations. I found the story very engaging and I wasn't expecting it to hit as hard as it did emotionally. The relationship between the main characters was well-developed, >!and I found the robot's role very moving. I know some people have issues with the three brothers' role, but I liked that they added appropriate levity while moving the plot forward. I liked the bittersweet ending a lot, although in-universe, I feel like the time difference could easily be resolved by sending Arco to the correct time period after his family's retrieval.!< I liked the depiction of different levels of the future very cool, and the animation, while not what I'd consider the most stunning, fit the tone very well. I didn't find the plot quite tight enough for me to consider it great, but it's definitely one of my highlights from 2025.

It Was Just an Accident – Very impressive directing with a rich script. >!I found the gradual revealing of information very well done. I thought the middle dragged a bit, but the way moral dilemmas were confronted was very effective. The ending is probably the most striking of all movies I've seen from 2025 and pretty much the perfect conclusion to the narrative.!< The remarkable long takes helped the action feel organic, and I think I'll always be bummed that Panahi didn't make any significant lineups for Best Director, and the movie's gradual downfall during award season was perhaps my biggest disappointment. It's not quite at an 8/10 for now but it's still one of my favorite showings from the year.

Marty Supreme – I wasn't surprised I liked this one as much as I did. It works much on the same levels as Good Time and Uncut Gems, where it's a really well-constructed series of everything turning to disaster for an unlikable main character, which is really fun and simultaneously stressful to watch. >!Granted, this one ends with Marty seemingly getting away with everything and running off into the sunset, but it didn't come across as a copout to me.!< Marty's situations are entertaining throughout and the supporting cast of characters is really great and bounces off of him in fun ways. The movie also looks really great as well, and the period-inappropriate needle drops create a unique mood that fits the world.

The Girl Who Cried Pearls – A really nice and moving story along with some insanely impressive animation. It's incredibly smooth and has really great designs as well. I'm not sure I can express why I liked this short so much, but it's just a really good display of how to make a story-driven short while being very nicely stylized. >!I know the twist ending bothers some, but I did like the moral ambiguity it presents, especially since the story had been morally ambiguous in a different way before that point.!<

The Voice of Hind Rajab – Really good at capturing the urgency, frustration, and horror of the situation. It's really a testament to a great script and direction that a movie set in a single location can feel so dynamic. I have only seen Four Daughters out of Ben Hania's other work, but the two are more than enough to convince me to check more out.

Sentimental Value – Great on every level. I love how it depicts the complicated family relationships, and all four main cast members are so fleshed-out. Elle Fanning's character serves the narrative so well when I feel like it would have been easy to not give her enough depth. The movie looks really great and has very neat stylistic choices. I like this and The Worst Person in the World so much that I'm way past due seeing Trier's other movies.

One Battle After Another – Could swap with Sentimental Value but both are easily at the top for me of the nominated movies, and just movies of 2025 in general. Like that one, One Battle After Another delivers a great and engaging story with a cast of characters to match. Everything is so full of personality, and each of the main cast has such a great presence and watchability. The tone is incredibly well-handled as well. It's both really funny in an off-beat way at times while always feeling like there are stakes. Probably my favorite movie of the year that I've seen so far.

Didn't make the cut

Autokar – I really liked this. A very appealing animation style and engaging storytelling as well. I guess it's a tradition that there's at least one short on the Animated Short shortlist that I think is really great but doesn't make the cut, as happened with A Kind of Testament and A Crab in the Pool.

Wicked: For Good – It's hard to not feel bad for this movie's Oscars showing. Eight shortlist mentions without a single nomination, plus what should have been an easy mention in Costume Design? It really feels like some branches went out of their way to not nominate this. Regardless, it's easy to understand the lack of passion for this one. I talked about the first part last year, and while I haven't rewatched it, I remember it being a pretty good watch that exceeded my expectations in how well-made and put together it was, and I was hoping for similar things from the conclusion. I was aware of the original musical's second act being considered a notable downgrade, but maybe the film adaptation would improve it and bring it close to the first film's level. Evidently, that did not happen. I think For Good is an alright movie, but just doesn't fully work. The story feels a little wonky, and it does that Solo: A Star Wars Story thing I really don't like where we're supposed to believe that everything in The Wizard of Oz was a result of various events that took place within a very short space of time. I know Wicked isn't an actual prequel to any iteration of The Wizard of Oz >!so I wish people would stop treating it as one!< but I don't think these connections serve the story in any narrative sense. It comes across as a desperate way to include something familiar for the audience. I feel like the story would come across better if it was more comfortable being independent of the pre-existing lore. The integration of the familiar Oz aspects itself was pretty weird too, where it kind of just expects the audience to fill in the blanks of what isn't shown in this film. The movie isn't boring but it lacks truly engaging story hooks and the characters are less interesting this time around. The filmmaking is on a similar level to the first movie. I did not have any issues with the audio in theaters, unlike with the first movie. However, it did look more drab than I remember Part One. I thought that one had a pretty appealing color palette in my eyes, but I did not feel that way this time around. The two new songs were boring and just dragged the story out. However, I did like how the soundtrack sounded overall, and I think the musical sequences were one of the best aspects of the film. I found Wicked: For Good very watchable but definitely a downgrade from the first part and, on its own, not the most structurally sound in terms of writing.

Best Picture winner firsts (2026 update)