10 Best Picture Nominees All Students Need to Watch

While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a solid reputation, sometimes it fails to keep up with the expectations of the wider audience. In the best picture category, several movies were just as worthy or even more deserving of the award than the winning ones.

In case you have overlooked some of those films because they did not win the best picture title, now is a good time to rectify that. But let’s be clear. These movies demand your complete attention.

So, you might want to get some academic paper writing help by WritePaper to forget about the looming deadlines and focus on the brilliant cinematic works. And with WritePaper, you can be sure to secure top grades regardless.

So, here are a few movies you can add to your watchlist.

Amour

This French movie was nominated for the 2012 Best Picture category, but as it goes, Ben Affleck’s Argo won the award that year. And this was much before Parasite opened the doors for foreign-language films to shine. The film revolves around an octogenarian couple who used to be music teachers.

Besides being a nominee for best picture, Amour was also given nominations in the categories of Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress for Emmanuelle Riva.

The Graduate

Well, if you haven’t seen this one already, you might want to organize a movie party and invite some of your college friends. Starring Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate portrays the life of a college student after graduation. It touches upon several notes, including relationships, anxiety, and the quest of youngsters to pursue a meaningful life.

Although the film did not win the Best Picture title in 1968, it won seven other Academic awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Director.

The Social Network

This one is, perhaps, one of the best motivational movies for students out there. After all, the rise of Mark Zuckerberg from his years at Harvard is nothing but inspirational. When The Social Network was nominated for the Best Picture category, Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech won the title that year.

However, the movie was widely acclaimed, both by critics and the audience. It also won awards from the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score segments.

Star Wars

When Star Wars was released in 1978, it was the first of its kind. In fact, its director George Lucas was nearly certain that the film would be a flop. However, the movie was a massive hit and went on to be considered one of the largest pop culture phenomenons.

However, Star Wars did not manage to impress the Academy that year. The movie lost to Annie Hall in the race to win the moniker for Best Picture.

Promising Young Woman

Coming to the 2021 Oscar nominations, Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman made a strong case. This movie is funny, fierce, and everything unexpected. The film follows Cassie, played by Cary Mulligan, and the events in her life. To not give any spoilers, let us say that this movie is highly relevant and should go on everyone’s must-watch list.

In 2021, Promising Young Woman was up for five awards. Emerald Fennell herself was nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay and won the latter.

Goodfellas

Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas continues to be deemed as one of the greatest films in the history of Hollywood. However, in the 63rd Academy Awards, the movie did not win against Dances With Wolves. That said, the film won the Best Film prizes at other notable events such as BAFTA, LAFCA, and NYFCC.

Based on the book Wiseguy, the story of this film portrays a young man who grows up in a mob and wants to advance himself through the ranks.

Saving Private Ryan

Released in 1998, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is a masterpiece of the war film genre. It leaves a mark in your mind for a while after you finish watching it. So, if you are up for a casual movie night, you might want to save this for another night.

The movie is both beautifully acted and amazingly shot, and it succeeds in translating the brutal realities of war. While searching for Ryan, each man in the team embarks upon their personal journey and discovers their own unique strength to triumph over uncertainties.

Black Panther

Black Panther made history as the first superhero movie to receive a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. The movie took many by surprise by becoming a huge box-office hit across the world, grossing $1 billion.

However, not so surprisingly, the controversial film Green Book won that year. Yet, Boseman’s performance in Black Panther was widely acclaimed.

It’s a Wonderful Life

You might know this movie as one of the best in terms of motivational, casual-viewing, and heart-warming ones. But when It’s a Wonderful Life was released, it was, in fact, a box-office flop. However, the critics were more lukewarm towards the movie, and it bagged five Academy Award nominations, including that of the Best Picture.

The movie that bagged the award that year was The Best Years of Our Lives, which is about World War II soldiers getting accustomed to life at home.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The movie is known as a classic, with Gregory Peck’s excellent performance standing out, with his unbending virtue in the face of opposition. While the book itself is a work of art, the adaptation did complete justice to it.

The times haven’t changed much even after decades, and if you are a student watching this movie now, you will still have plenty to take away from it. Although nominated in 1962, the film lost the Best Picture award to Lawrence of Arabia.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have our handpicked suggestions. Fortunately, you can easily find prints of these movies on the Internet. So, grab some popcorn and get your friends together for a movie night with the Best Picture nominees.