The Oscars as an event is bound to create controversy, as artistic opinions are subjective. This year’s nominations are not excluded from that controversy.
The rise in contention surrounding the 2025 Oscar nominations centers largely around “Emilia Pérez”, which received 13 nominations. Only three films in history have received 14 nominations, making the 13 “Emilia Pérez” earned that much more significant.
Portraying sensitive and important topics through media, such as movies, is crucial for societal progress. With that said, a movie being honored for overall cinematic craftsmanship largely because it addresses these topics discredits other films.
The film follows a Mexican cartel boss looking to leave the position and transition into a woman by enlisting the assistance of a lawyer named Rita. Following the transitional surgery to become Emilia Peréz, the cartel boss seeks redemption as she reunites herself with her children and starts a nonprofit for victims of Mexican cartel violence.
The film is ambitious in tackling such a swath of topics as transgender identities, illegal immigration and cartel violence all while being a musical.
In my opinion, the film struggled. I acknowledge the difficulties in producing film musicals, nonetheless, the musical elements of this film feel out of place, unengaging and overall bad.
I do not mean to say the film is bad because it is a musical, rather it does a bad job at being a musical. Musical sequences are meant to help the audience better understand the characters psychologically, but “Emilia Pérez” simply did not deliver.
The musical sequences appeared when the film finally found its footing and disrupted the story as a whole through what I perceived as an intentional lack of rhythm, poor writing, poor choreography, and overall bad musical shots.
How the film garnered 13 Oscar nominations is unclear. Many assume it is because of the inclusionary aspects of the film. If the goal of critics is to promote movies that properly discuss important topics, I don’t think “Emilia Pérez” is applicable.
“Emilia Pérez” uses gender identity as a clean slate to clear all the actions of a murderous cartel boss. I think the representation is not properly conveyed as it paints being trans as choosing a completely new identity and abandoning your old life, whilst also being rid of all the moral wrong done before transitioning. This is not representative of the trans experience of many individuals.
Although the Oscars seem to be spiraling away from their intent to honor the craftsmanship and art of cinema, I do think some wonderful films are being honored.
The Best Picture contender with the most chance of surpassing “Emilia Pérez” and having received ten nominations is “The Brutalist.” The Brutalist is a lengthy drama that follows a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrates to the United States as he strives for the American Dream. Many critics have begun to compare this film to old Hollywood classics in terms of score, cinematography, and acting.
Another film that received ten nominations for this year’s Oscars is “Wicked.” This movie was a perfect movie musical. From the set and costume design, the choreography, the score, the acting, the editing and overall cinematography, this film brought Broadway to people’s screens.
Other Best Picture nominees include “Anora” which follows the story of a sex worker who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch, “A Complete Unknown”, a film that traces Bob Dylan’s musical career from his arrival in New York, “Conclave”, the tale of Cardinal Lawrence as he is tasked with selecting the new Pope, and “The Substance” which follows a declining celebrity who takes a drug with the promise of an enhanced version of herself.
Other Best Picture nominees include “Nickel Boys” which presents two black teens in the 1960s planning to go to college who are sentenced to reform school in the Jim Crow South, “I’m Still Here” which traces a Brazilian mother and her family’s struggle after the disappearance of her husband in a military coup, and “Dune: Part Two” that presents Paul Atredies as he reunites with the Fremen on a path for revenge.
The only film missing from the Oscars 2025 nominations was “Challengers” directed by Luca Guadagnino. The film introduces three professional tennis players and their complicated relationships with one another throughout their lives.
I did not expect this film to be nominated for Best Picture, however, the editing, score and overall cinematography were so captivating that it earned a Golden Globe for Best Original Score and two Critics’ Choice awards for Best Editing and Best Score. Many movie watchers are still perplexed as to why the film was left out of the Oscars.
Overall, the Oscars will be good but the nominating committee’s declining emphasis on craftsmanship will continue to produce questions over the prestigious award’s accuracy and authority.
