The Academy Awards, or the Oscars, is an award show based in the United States that praises the crème de la crème of the movie industry. The Best Picture category is among the highest honors a movie can receive and is understandably strived for with most films. As such, it’s the best-known category at the awards show, but there are many more categories a movie can get a nomination for. These include categories like the Big Five-- Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay--and around 18 more Oscars a movie could win.

The Oscars have been around for nearly a century, with the first show happening in 1929. Over the years, trends in the movie industry have come and gone, and many of them impact the Academy in some way. It’s always interesting to see up-and-coming studios reach the Academy Awards, and around a decade ago, Netflix stepped into the arena when they started creating Netflix original movies. Originals make up more than half of Netflix’s library, but only a few have gotten the high honor of a Best Picture nomination.

9 Don’t Look Up Blends Satire with Important Commentary

Don’t Look Up follows Jennifer Lawrence’s character, Kate Dibiasky, an astronomy grad student, and the iconic Leonardo DiCaprio's character--Kate’s professor-- Dr. Randall Mindy, as they make a groundbreaking yet horrifying discovery. They find evidence of a planet-killer comet orbiting within the solar system on a direct collision course with Earth. They try to warn humankind, but no one really seems to care. So, to get through to humanity, Kate and Randall go on a media tour, starting with the indifferent President of the United States and her equally indifferent staff and making their way onto a morning show called The Daily Rip. But, of course, in a social media-obsessed public, getting people to look up and pay attention is far more difficult than intended.

Don’t Look Up’s best component is its star-studded cast, with more stars like Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett, and even Tyler Perry featured throughout the movie. They set the stage for a perfectly satirical take on the real-life climate change discussion. Audiences generally enjoyed the film, but critics felt it fell flat when delivering important messages.

8 Maestro is a Bradley Cooper Directorial Masterpiece

Maestro is a dramatic and romantic biopic centered around legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein. It looks into the man’s life and career. But the movie gives the bulk of the spotlight to his tumultuous relationship with Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein, which lasted for much of his life, starting in 1946 and lasting until she died in 1978. The 2023 Netflix flick has serious star power, as well. Not only does it feature Bradley Cooper in the starring role, but he’s also in the director’s chair and co-wrote the story, with names like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg attached as producers alongside him.

Where Don’t Look Up had positive audience and negative critics' reviews; Maestro has the opposite. Critics overwhelmingly praised the leading performances by Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, as did many audience reviews. It was nominated for several awards, but audiences agree that Maestro is slow-paced and doesn’t accurately represent Leonard Bernstein’s personality and legacy.

7 Mank Out-Nominated Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is one of the best-known titles in movie history and many would argue it’s among the best movies ever made. But Mank focuses on the man behind the iconic film, Herman J. Mankiewicz. The David Fincher film features Gary Oldman as the titular Mank, reevaluating the world of 1930s Hollywood while the witty screenwriter races to finish his masterpiece.

Mank is a black-and-white movie, giving it a visual advantage as it explores the complexities of Hollywood’s Golden Age, filming it as an old-time feature. Audiences and critics praised not only the visual beauty but also the acting. However, many agree that it doesn’t progress quickly enough to keep people interested, especially those unfamiliar with old Hollywood. Mank earned more Oscar nominations than Citizen Kane, though.

6 The Trial of the Chicago 7 Showcases America vs. Dissent

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is inspired by a true story centered around the infamous Chicago 7 trial of 1969. It tells the story of the seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy, crossing state lines with intentions of inciting riots, and similar charges arising from anti-war and countercultural protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The trial was a hot topic in the nation, sparking still-relevant conversations about state-sponsored brutality and the era of dissent that was notably prevalent in the 1960s across the United States. The movie follows the trial, which ended up with seven acquittals for conspiracy but five convictions on intention to incite interstate riots.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 perfectly captures the essence of a courtroom drama, with some critics comparing it to historically iconic features like To Kill a Mockingbird and 12 Angry Men. The narrative isn’t perfect, but the movie’s entertaining and serious enough to keep the story relevant.

5 The Power of the Dog Explored Toxic Masculinity

The Power of the Dog centers around a domineering rancher named Phil Burbank, who doesn’t take too kindly to his brother George, bringing home a woman named Rose and her son, Peter. It basically just centers around Phil’s constant cruelty and mind games toward his brother’s new family.

Critics praise The Power of the Dog’s director, Jane Campion, as one of her generation’s best filmmakers. That’s likely because her direction made The Power of the Dog stand far out from other Western films. Not only does Benedict Cumberbatch star as an American cowboy and nail it, but the movie also features toxic masculinity at its strongest, which is something Westerns rarely highlight.

4 Marriage Story is Gutwrenching but Brilliant

2019’s Marriage Story is a more dramatic take on the classic romance movie. But instead of focusing on a couple falling in love, it spotlights a married couple as their marriage falls apart. It centers on the Barber family, specifically Adam Driver’s character, Charlie, and Nicole Barber, played by Scarlett Johansson. The duo, a stage director and actor, respectively, hit the breaking point in their marriage, and the film provides a candid glimpse into a grueling divorce with a child stuck in the middle.

Marriage Story isn’t an easy watch, even with a brilliant story and memorable performances by Johansson and Driver. It’s full of emotion as the audience watches the tension build as the spouses realize love isn’t always enough. A family breaking apart, even when the couple tries to keep things amicable, is usually grueling and, unfortunately, relatable for audiences and critics alike.

3 The Irishman is a Martin Scorsese Masterpiece

Like several other Netflix original movies, The Irishman pulls inspiration from a true story. It’s Martin Scorsese’s movie adaptation of a true-crime biography called I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt, which follows the life of Frank Sheeran, a prolific hitman and right-hand man of one of the most infamous names in organized crime, Jimmy Hoffa. The movie is set in the 1950s and follows truck driver Frank Sheeran as he gets involved with Russel Bufalino and the Pennsylvania crime family and climbs the ranks as a top hitman, eventually making his way up to work under Jimmy Hoffa.

Scorsese is one of the most iconic directors of all time, and just about every movie with his name attached is a critical success, especially with a brilliant ensemble cast like the one present in The Irishman. It’s a beautifully haunting story of a man’s lifetime compressed into three hours. That said, most complaints about the movie stem from its long runtime, as many feel the story could’ve taken less time and had the same effect.

2 Alfonso Cuarón's Roma Won Many Awards

Roma centers around Cleo, one of two workers who help a couple named Antonio and Sofia take care of their four children in 1970s Mexico. Things get difficult for the family as Antonio runs away to be with his mistress and Cleo discovers she’s pregnant. The movie features Sofia inviting Cleo on a little vacation where she clears her head and bonds with the family. It also pulls from real life as it’s a tribute to director Alfonso Cuarón’s mother and childhood nanny.

Considering Roma’s inspiration, it’s unsurprising that it’s such a personal yet realistic glimpse into the social dynamics of 1970s Mexico. Even though it’s difficult for some viewers to get into the story, many agree that by the midway point, the characters become more nuanced and the story gets richer.

1 All Quiet on the Western Front Won the Most