40. Napoleon (Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design)

There are large parts of Napoleon that are exquisite in their juxtaposition of comedy, historical importance, and grandeur. Ridley Scott – working off a script from David Scarpa – chose the perfect avenue to subvert the typical expectations for a biopic of this nature, and its Oscar-nominated crafts are as worthy as any. But, in its currently neutered form, Napoleon feels too half-baked to realize its full potential. Perhaps when Scott’s rumored 4-hour director’s cut is released, we’ll be singing a different tune and see the film for what it is, but there’s too much material missing, too many shortcuts visible, to call it a great film.

39. The After (Best Live-Action Short)

If nothing else, The After should remind everyone that David Oyelowo is a wonderful actor. The film itself is fine enough, featuring a devastating twist that I legitimately did not see coming, but it’s mostly a vehicle for Oyelowo’s performance. I imagine that the film will resonate mostly with people who have lost a loved one unexpectedly, and I appreciate first-time director/co-writer Misan Harriman’s unwillingness to get in and get out without overstuffing narrative.

38. Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Best Documentary Feature)

Anyone can make a documentary these days, and it’s part of what gives Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó its charm. Director Sean Wang showcases his grandmothers, who live together, and their daily routines. The subjects are delightfully charismatic, and are open enough to talk about their impending deaths and loneliness. There isn’t much depth to the film, and it likely won’t stick around in my memory for long, but if Wang simply meant to make something to remember the personalities of his grandmothers after they’re gone, Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó is a success.

37. Our Uniform (Best Animated Short)

I absolutely loved the style of animation throughout Our Uniform, a perfect melding of style and substance. I wish the film was longer than its 7 minute runtime, but director Yegane Moghaddam makes a profound statement about femininity and individualism in just a short amount of time. Using clothing not only as subject matter but as the literal fabric of your story is an ingenious melding of storytelling. I applaud Moghaddam for not stretching the film past its breaking point, but I left Our Uniform mostly just wanting more of it.

36. The Eternal Memory (Best Documentary Feature)

A fly-on-the-wall documentary about one of Chile’s foremost journalists as he slowly loses his memory is an engaging premise for a film. I just wish that The Eternal Memory felt more urgent or profound about its statement. The romance at the heart of it, between married couple Augusto Góngora and Paulina Urrutia, is sweet and takes the film a long way, but I don’t know if there’s much more worth remembering about the film after this awards season.

35. To Kill a Tiger (Best Documentary Feature)

Sometimes a documentary can be both informative and rage-inducing, and such is the case with To Kill a Tiger. The film looks at one man in rural India and his fight for justice after his underage daughter is gang-raped. What should be a fairly straightforward case is all the more complicated because of India’s traditions and cultural values, especially with how its village hierarchy is set up. It’s not my personal favorite documentary, but it’s hard to argue with something that evokes so many emotions in so many ways.

34. The Last Repair Shop (Best Documentary Short)

The Last Repair Shop looks at the only shop in Los Angeles that’s tasked with fixing the musical instruments provided to the county’s students. Over the course of its 40 minutes, we meet not only some of the people running the shop, but the kids whose lives have been affected by their unlikely access to music. It’s an easily accessible film that doesn’t overstay its welcome and features a number of engaging interviews.

33. Flamin’ Hot (Best Original Song)

Hey, at least Diane Warren’s rubber-stamp nomination this year came from a film that actually exists and isn’t terrible! Flamin’ Hot came out amid the strangely omnipresent onslaught of corporate biopics in 2023 and was quickly lost among the shuffle, but at least first-time director Eva Longoria injected some energy and style into the proceedings. There isn’t much to make the film memorable nor is there much to object to. Just like most of Diane Warren’s recent nominations, it just is.

32. Elemental (Best Animated Feature)

Consider me a moderate defender of Elemental, in spite of its many flaws. Are there massive gaps in logic that reveal themselves after the slightest prodding? Does the film juggle too many ideas to nail any of its larger themes? Yes, and yes. But it’s a cute romance story with some dynamite visual effects, a solid voice cast, and decent humor. I don’t blame director Peter Sohn for trying with Elemental, but it’s another mediocre effort from Pixar.

31. Perfect Days (Best International Feature)

My first Win Wenders film was a bit of a mixed bag, but that won’t stop me from coming back for more. Perfect Days doesn’t have much, narratively speaking, but its positives outweigh the negatives. Koji Yokusho delivers a wonderful performance as a man who always looks on the bright side of life, and I appreciate Wenders’ aversion to storytelling tropes. I just can’t help but wish that the film was more propulsive and had more ideas on its mind.