8 Oscar contenders from years gone by – ranked

It’s almost Oscar weekend. Whether you’re watching the ceremony or not, it’s a great time to catch up on some of the award-winning films you may have missed the first time round. From touching drug rehabilitation dramas to epic World War adventures, there’s bound to be something for everyone in this ranked list of Oscar contenders.

1. Parasite (2019)

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho has a vivid imagination that has led to such gems as The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja and now Parasite. Tending towards science fiction, dark comedy and political commentary, his cinematic world-building shows the mind of a true creative. Parasite saw Joon-ho shed the fantasy element for a grounded story about class as a poor family integrate themselves into their wealthy employer’s home.

Starting as a slick and laugh-out-loud funny comedy, Parasite morphs into a suspenseful thriller as revelations threaten to topple the Kim family’s house of cards. Strong performances, inspired direction, sharp dialogue, smart writing and timely themes keep this film entertaining and appealing. The winner of four Oscars, including Best Picture, this is a dexterous film that has it all.

2. 1917 (2019)

Sam Mendes won an Oscar for directing American Beauty, receiving more recognition from the Academy Awards with a slew of nominations for 1917. Together with the brilliant cinematographer Roger Deakins, he composes a sprawling simulated one-shot World War I adventure drama about two British soldiers who are tasked with delivering an urgent message in enemy territory.

Starring George McKay, this meticulous masterpiece earned three Oscars in creating a free-flowing stream of consciousness to transport you to war-ravaged France in 1917. Immersing audiences in trench warfare but serving as a cross-country war adventure, it’s a gutsy, gritty and epic film that takes a page or two from Dunkirk and Birdman.

3. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino has a special place in his heart for spaghetti westerns and war comic books as expressed in his gripping and ultra-violent war actioner, Inglourious Basterds. Following the exploits of a band of Jewish-American soldiers, the brutal and relentless “Basterds” dispatch Nazi scum with a series of scalpings across the Third Reich.

Taking some of Valkyrie’s comic lashings, the war action adventure is also a tension-soaked ensemble drama, covering the story from the perspective of Nazi officers and The Basterds. While Brad Pitt is the heavy-hitter, it’s Christoph Waltz who steals scenes as the cool, calm and psychotic Landa in a breakthrough Oscar-winning performance. Sharp dialogue, solid performances, wild characters and sinister comedy – it more than deserves its eight Academy Award nominations.

4. Promising Young Woman (2020)

Carey Mulligan is one of those actors who sinks into her characters to the point you forget she’s acting. Having been nominated for an Oscar for a breakthrough performance in An Education, she’s been a quiet yet strong presence ever since. Going blonde (or unicorn) in Promising Young Woman over a decade later, she makes a big entrance together with writer-director Emerald Fennell.

A dark crime drama mystery thriller with a wicked sense of humour, Promising Young Woman is a tale of vengeance. From lighthearted romance to femme fatale street justice, this bold and multi-faceted thriller balances entertainment value and timely messaging with kitsch styling. The winner of Best Original Screenplay, it was a dark horse in the race for Best Picture, garnering a long-awaited second nomination for Mulligan.

5. The Father (2020)

Anthony Hopkins is famous for bringing Hannibal Lecter to life in one of the shortest lead roles ever awarded an Oscar. One of his most intimate performances is in The Father, a psychological thriller and drama that journeys with an elderly man who begins to question his loved ones and reality. Now well into his 80s, the Hollywood legend brings some of his own experiences into a heartfelt and yet another Oscar-winning performance.

Adapted from a stage play, The Father comes across like a blend of Amour and Tully. In an elegant apartment that comes to reflect his state of mind and lucidity, Hopkins plays off Olivia Colman under Florian Zeller’s direction. With his deeply powerful and heartbreaking performance, the film speaks to ageing, dementia and coping with a condition that’s becoming far too commonplace.

6. First Man (2018)

Damien Chazelle made waves with the intense music drama Whiplash, and then followed it up with Hollywood musical La La Land. He returns along with Ryan Gosling for the exciting biographical historical drama First Man, based on the life of Neil Armstrong. He stars opposite Claire Foy and Jason Clarke in this space expedition action drama that unpacks just how much went wrong in the build-up to Armstrong’s famous words.

Generating in-the-moment suspense, Chazelle’s deft direction transports us back to the space race with the Russians where mankind was pushing the limits of science. Gosling is stoic, cool and steely-eyed as Armstrong with Chazelle creating a heightened intimacy by closing in on his cast. A technical marvel, First Man landed four Oscar nominations ultimately winning Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

7. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Tom Ford’s award-winning A Single Man was straightforward compared with the dark, surreal and unsettling world of Nocturnal Animals. Haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a wealthy yet alienated art gallery owner reflects on her failed relationship and messy divorce.

This stellar drama features the talents of Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal and the considerable presence of Michael Shannon, who was nominated for an Oscar. Their vivid performances anchor this provocative mystery drama thriller and compel Ford’s visual poetry. Nocturnal Animals is a mesmerising film as if inspired by David Lynch, curating an eerie atmosphere and chilling mood to fuel suspense. Coupled with an experimental slant and edgy violence, the film’s traces-of-a-dream spirit keep one transfixed.

8. Four Good Days (2019)

Glenn Close and Stephen Root were incredible in Hillbilly Elegy and combine their immense acting talents once again in the heartrending drama, Four Good Days. This time they rally alongside Mila Kunis, a Hollywood star who delivers one of her best performances, shedding glam for a much grittier turn as a heroin addict trying to get clean.

Centring on an estranged mother-daughter relationship, this insightful portrait focusses on Kunis and Close. While they’re not the first mother-daughter pairing you’d expect to see, the duo’s chemistry coaxes some of their best work in this small, intimate and emotional coming-of-age drama. Close is in full command as a doting mom, unlucky not to have been nominated in addition to the film’s nod for Best Original Song.