TAGGED AS: Academy Awards, Film, movies, Oscars

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The 2021 Best Picture Oscar Nominees Ranked

For 2021’s Oscar edition, the Academy selected eight stand-out films released over the past year, with Mank leading the way atop 10 nominations. Nomadland and Promising Young Woman also had their helmers nominated for Best Director, the first time more than one woman has been recognized in the category for a single year. Minari and Sound of Metal also made a strong showing with their number of noms. You can see the full list of the 2021 Oscar nominations, print out our handy ballot for your Oscar pool, cast your vote in our online Oscar Ballot Poll, and read on to see the Best Picture nominees ranked by Tomatometer. —Alex Vo

Mank (2020)

83%

Critics Consensus: Sharply written and brilliantly performed, Mank peers behind the scenes of Citizen Kane to tell an old Hollywood story that could end up being a classic in its own right.

Synopsis: 1930s Hollywood is reevaluated through the eyes of scathing wit and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish "Citizen Kane."

Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, Tom Burke

Directed By: David Fincher

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

89%

Critics Consensus: An actors' showcase enlivened by its topical fact-based story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 plays squarely -- and compellingly -- to Aaron Sorkin's strengths.

Synopsis: In 1969, seven people were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in...

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharp, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong

Directed By: Aaron Sorkin

Promising Young Woman (2020)

90%

Critics Consensus: A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell -- and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan.

Synopsis: Nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham, Clancy Brown

Directed By: Emerald Fennell

Nomadland (2020)

93%

Critics Consensus: A poetic character study on the forgotten and downtrodden, Nomadland beautifully captures the restlessness left in the wake of the Great Recession.

Synopsis: A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad after losing everything in the Great... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie

Directed By: Chloé Zhao

Sound of Metal (2019)

97%

Critics Consensus: An evocative look at the experiences of the deaf community, Sound of Metal is brought to life by Riz Ahmed's passionate performance.

Synopsis: During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Mathieu Amalric

Directed By: Darius Marder

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

96%

Critics Consensus: An electrifying dramatization of historical events, Judas and the Black Messiah is a forceful condemnation of racial injustice -- and a major triumph for its director and stars.

Synopsis: FBI informant William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A career... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback

Directed By: Shaka King

Minari (2020)

98%

Critics Consensus: Led by arresting performances from Steven Yeun and Yeri Han, Minari offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America.

Synopsis: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton

Directed By: Lee Isaac Chung

The Father (2020)

98%

Critics Consensus: Led by stellar performances and artfully helmed by writer-director Florian Zeller, The Father presents a devastatingly empathetic portrayal of dementia.

Synopsis: Anthony (Academy Award Winner, Anthony Hopkins) is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne (Academy Award and Golden Globe... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots

Directed By: Florian Zeller