Best 2020 Oscar-nominated movies, according to critics

- Director: Joachim Rønning
- Metascore: 43
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 119 min
- Nominations: 1

After retelling the story of “Sleeping Beauty” from the perspective of villainess Maleficent, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” tells the next chapter of her story. Angelina Jolie returns as the eponymous character, who protects the Moors and its ruler Aurora (Elle Fanning); Maleficent finds that her relationships and alliances are becoming increasingly complicated with new dark forces coming into play. While the film was criticized by critics for its dense plot and intense CGI visuals, Jolie herself was still considered convincing as the villain, with the help of the Oscar-nominated makeup and hairstyling of the film.

- Director: Roxann Dawson
- Metascore: 46
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Runtime: 116 min
- Nominations: 1

Like other Christian drama films, faith was naturally the theme of the film “Breakthrough.” Depicting the real-life story of a teenager who slipped through an icy lake and was submerged for 15 minutes, the film was regarded as inspirational and well-acted, while also considered clichéd and predictable. Star Chrissy Metz sang an original song written by Diane Warren called “I’m Standing With You,” which received the film’s one Oscar nomination (Best Original Song).

- Director: J.J. Abrams
- Metascore: 54
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Runtime: 142 min
- Nominations: 3

The final installment of the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy and the saga as a whole featured the return of “The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams, who ended the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in “The Rise of Skywalker.” Fans were critical of how this ninth “Star Wars” episode rolled back on story developments from previous “The Last Jedi,” but the visual effects and the score from John Williams received praise, as all “Star Wars” films have garnered. As such, “The Rise of Skywalker” was consistent with its predecessors in garnering nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Original Score.

- Director: Jon Favreau
- Metascore: 55
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 118 min
- Nominations: 1

Disney has made a habit of making live-action remakes of some of its classic animated films, but “The Lion King” took a different approach and reimagined the original film with photorealistic CGI animals. Many of the songs were retained but with new voice performers, although fans of the original film criticized the new one for sacrificing the liveliness of the animation for the focus toward realism. Still, the technology behind the film’s visuals was praised, which led to the film’s lone Oscar nomination in the category of Best Visual Effects.

- Director: Taika Waititi
- Metascore: 57
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 108 min
- Nominations: 6

Fan-favorite filmmaker Taika Waititi turned in a provocative film in 2019 that featured himself, a Polynesian Jewish man, playing Adolf Hitler. "Jojo Rabbit" followed a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) in the Hitler Youth struggling with his personal views, and is badgered by his imaginary friend, a comical version of Hitler. Even with a subversive premise, critics had much praise for the "anti-hate" satire, especially for the acting; Scarlett Johansson as the boy's mother received a Best Supporting Actress nomination, with Waititi receiving nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. "Jojo Rabbit" is also in the running for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Editing.

- Director: Todd Phillips
- Metascore: 59
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Runtime: 122 min
- Nominations: 11

Joaquin Phoenix is known for his intense acting performances, and some critics believe his work as comic book villain Joker may be his best. A 1980s period piece that imagines the origin story of the Batman nemesis, “Joker” resembles Martin Scorsese films “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy” thematically and visually, although the film was highly controversial upon release for its use of violence, grim tone, and depiction of mental health. Regardless of criticisms, “Joker” leads the Academy Awards field with the most nominations, 11, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Phoenix), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

- Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
- Metascore: 64
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 103 min
- Nominations: 1

The first “Frozen” film from Disney proved to be a popular culture phenomenon, and the direct sequel attempted to recapture some of that magic. Elsa (Idina Menzel), her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), and friends go off on a journey beyond their kingdom of Arendelle to discover the origins of Elsa’s frost powers, with the song “Into the Unknown” as the showstopper of the soundtrack in the way “Let it Go” represented the first film. With another powerhouse vocal performance from Menzel and music and lyrics from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, “Frozen II” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

- Directors: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martínez López
- Metascore: 64
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Runtime: 96 min
- Nominations: 1

The animated film “Klaus” may not be as well recognized as Disney animated films, but the Spanish film still features some Disney pedigree with Disney Animation and Illumination veteran Sergio Pablos as the main director. “Klaus,” the first original animated feature film for Netflix, tells the origin story of Santa Claus, historically known as Saint Nicholas but named Klaus in this film. Critics appreciated the traditional animation and the heartwarming story, which tracks for the film’s nomination for Best Animated Feature.

- Director: Jay Roach
- Metascore: 65
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 109 min
- Nominations: 3

Depicting recent events in the cable news industry was the film “Bombshell,” which told the story of women working for Fox News who expose CEO Roger Ailes (played by John Lithgow in the film) as a sexual harasser. Charlize Theron visually transformed into Megyn Kelly, with Nicole Kidman playing Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie as a composite character. The film was criticized for its screenplay and some inaccuracies while praised for the acting, with Theron and Robbie both receiving acting nominations and the film as a whole getting a Best Makeup and Hairstyling nomination.

- Director: Kasi Lemmons
- Metascore: 66
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Runtime: 125 min
- Nominations: 2

The famous life story of slave-turned-abolitionist Harriet Tubman became a feature film in 2019, with singer, actress, and rising film star Cynthia Erivo portraying Tubman. Film critics thought the movie to be a bit derivative and formulaic but had high praise for Erivo regardless. For this, Erivo received her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress in this role, with "Harriet" also gaining a nomination for Best Original Song ("Stand Up").

- Director: Rupert Goold
- Metascore: 66
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 118 min
- Nominations: 2

The biopic “Judy” is based on the Broadway play “End of the Rainbow,” with both pieces following actress Judy Garland in the final months of her life. Renee Zellweger inhabits the role, turning in a performance that critics thought was one of the best of the year. The Academy appeared to agree, giving Zellweger a nomination for Best Actress and also nominating her transformation into Garland through the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category.

- Director: Chris Butler
- Metascore: 68
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 93 min
- Nominations: 1

Laika, the animation studio behind “Coraline” and “Kubo and the Two Strings” had a new critical hit with “Missing Link.” This stop-motion film told the story of a Sasquatch (Zach Galifianakis) who enlists the help of an English explorer (Hugh Jackman) to travel through the Himalayas to meet his cousins. The film unexpectedly beat out its Disney competitors at the Golden Globes for the Best Animated Feature category, and “Missing Link” is once again in the mix at the Oscars in the same category.

- Director: Jan Komasa
- Metascore: 68
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 115 min
- Nominations: 1

The Polish entry for Best International Feature Film is “Corpus Christi,” which follows a young criminal released from jail who accidentally becomes a priest at a small parish. The former prisoner had a spiritual reawakening in jail, and upon his release is not allowed to officially become a priest; he falls into the role after becoming mistaken for one. The film has already earned recognition from a number of film festivals around the globe, making it a contender at this year’s Oscars.

- Director: Dexter Fletcher
- Metascore: 69
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 121 min
- Nominations: 1

Although “Rocketman” could be classified as a biopic, this film based on the life of pop star Elton John is more of a fantasy musical. Taron Egerton plays John, from his start as Reginald Dwight to his progression into a glamour star, while also dealing with his sexuality, his use of drugs, and an abusive manager. While the film was well liked by critics, it fell short of nominations in almost all Oscars categories, although a new original Elton John song from Elton and his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin (played by Jamie Bell in the film), called “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” earned a nomination for Best Original Song.

- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Metascore: 69
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 131 min
- Nominations: 1

Clint Eastwood's latest is "Richard Jewell," the real-life story of the eponymous figure who was a major subject in the news after the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing. Jewell, played by Paul Walter Hauser, was initially praised as a hero during the ordeal for finding the bomb, but then accused of having placed the bomb himself, leading to a stressful media blitz. While some certain depictions garnered criticism, the performances themselves were praised, namely Kathy Bates' Best Supporting Actress-nominated performance as Jewell's mother.

- Director: Dean DeBlois
- Metascore: 71
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 104 min
- Nominations: 1

The third film of the popular Dreamworks Animation series, “How to Train Your Dragon,” sees protagonist Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) acting as the chief of his Viking village, dealing with overcrowding on his island and a ruthless dragon hunter on his trail. “The Hidden World” wraps up a trilogy and sees all of the characters reach maturity, with critics enjoying the character development that accompanied the stellar animation. Like the first two films, “The Hidden World” grabbed a nomination for Best Animated Feature.

- Director: Fernando Meirelles
- Metascore: 75
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 125 min
- Nominations: 3

Jonathan Pryce portrayed then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who would become Pope Francis, while Anthony Hopkins portrays his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, transitioning out of his role. With the former soon to succeed the latter, the two Catholic figures discuss their differing views and philosophies on the future of the Church. Along with a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, the film also grabbed acting nominations for both Pryce and Hopkins.

- Director: Ladj Ly
- Metascore: 78
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 102 min
- Nominations: 1

While it may share the same name as the Victor Hugo novel, “Les Misérables” is director Ladj Ly’s expansion of his short film of the same name, which tells a more contemporary story. Inspired by the 2005 Paris riots, this 2019 film follows members of an Anti-Crime Brigade who find themselves absorbed in a deeper civilian underworld. The film thrilled critics, and it represents France in the category of Best International Feature Film.

- Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
- Metascore: 78
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Runtime: 181 min
- Nominations: 1

Wrapping up “The Infinity Saga” that began with “Iron Man” in 2008, “Avengers: Endgame” represented the end of an era for Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are reeling from a cataclysmic loss in “Avengers: Infinity War” and make a desperate play to restore their losses, with many events and characters from previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films being revisited. Although “Endgame” became the highest-grossing film of all time, the Academy only recognized the film’s visuals with a Best Visual Effects nomination.

- Director: Sam Mendes
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 8.7
- Runtime: 119 min
- Nominations: 10

Shot to have the appearance of one long take, "1917" is an epic World War I film from director Sam Mendes. George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman play two young British soldiers who must race against time and warn troops of an impending surprise attack by the Germans. The film was considered by critics to be tense and realistic, earning nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, and the many deafening noises of war garnered nominations for Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

- Director: Marielle Heller
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 109 min
- Nominations: 1

Beloved American actor Tom Hanks portrayed the even-more beloved television figure Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” which followed a jaded Esquire journalist (Matthew Rhys) profiling the extremely optimistic and hopeful television personality. The film was praised as graceful and heartfelt, with Hanks’ performance at the center. Hanks then received his first acting nomination in about 20 years, in the category of Best Supporting Actor.

- Director: Petra Costa
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 121 min
- Nominations: 1

Brazilian documentary “The Edge of Democracy” centered around an intense political era of which many international audiences may have been ignorant. The personal film followed director Petra Costa’s perspective on the tumultuous changes in the Brazilian government, from the first mandate of President Lula to the impeachment of his successor, President Dilma Rousseff. The intense and intimate documentary ultimately received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

- Director: Jérémy Clapin
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Runtime: 81 min
- Nominations: 1

One of the quirkier films in the Best Animated Feature category is a French fantasy film called “I Lost My Body,” with the premise as literal as the title suggests. The film follows a young lovestruck piano player, while also following a severed hand in search of the rest of its body. Critics appreciated its beautiful animation and unique tone.

- Director: James Mangold
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Runtime: 152 min
- Nominations: 4

In an underdog racing film, Christian Bale and Matt Damon portray a pair who lead a 1960s team commissioned by Henry Ford II to build a new car to compete with, and beat, the Ferrari team in France. With so much Oscar-nominated power behind the film, “Ford v Ferrari” received the coveted Best Picture nomination. The film’s technical prowess was also lauded—especially for the racing sequences—earning the film nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Runtime: 161 min
- Nominations: 10

In Quentin Tarantino's ode to the Golden Age of Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a fictional fading actor named Rick Dalton, who just happens to be neighbors with Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) in 1969. Brad Pitt portrays Cliff Booth, Dalton's loyal stunt double, and the film contains numerous references to 1960s television shows and films. The acting highlighted the film, along with Tarantino's directing and screenplay, with DiCaprio, Pitt, and Tarantino receiving nominations (Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay), and additional nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

- Director: Robert Eggers
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 109 min
- Nominations: 1

“The Witch” director Robert Eggers re-teamed with studio A24 to bring yet another unsettling piece of cinema, this time starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in scenery-chewing fashion. Pattinson plays the new wickie for a lighthouse on an isolated New England island, which is supervised by Dafoe’s ornery character. The film explores their loss of sanity during a storm, and the black-and-white photography landed the film a Best Cinematography nomination.

- Director: Josh Cooley
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 100 min
- Nominations: 2

Although “Toy Story 3” was seen as a perfect ending to the classic Pixar series, critics were won over again by “Toy Story 4,” which featured Woody (Tom Hanks) reuniting with lost toy Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and questioning his role with his new kid Bonnie. Alongside Hanks and Potts were returning voice performers Tim Allen and Joan Cusack and a number of new characters contributing to a heartfelt plot that provided closure to Woody’s story. Like the previous “Toy Story” films, a Randy Newman song gained a nomination (“I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away”), while the film itself is up for Best Animated Feature.

- Director: Feras Fayyad
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Runtime: 107 min
- Nominations: 1

This Syrian-Danish documentary film from director Feras Fayyad shed light on a particular angle in the ongoing Syrian Civil War. “The Cave” follows Amani Ballour, a female doctor who uses a cave as a makeshift hospital during the increasingly violent conflict. Fayyad created the film to showcase the innocent victims of the war, and critics responded favorably, with the film garnering an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

- Directors: Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
- Metascore: 86
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Runtime: 115 min
- Nominations: 1

Barack and Michelle Obama’s film production company produced “American Factory,” a documentary that followed an Ohio factory owned by a Chinese manufacturing company. The plant was previously owned by General Motors, and the directors filmed the factory from 2015 to 2017 in a fly-on-the-wall manner to show the dynamics in this globalized work environment. The film was considered thoughtful and compelling, eventually receiving a nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

- Directors: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov
- Metascore: 86
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Runtime: 86 min
- Nominations: 2

The documentary film "Honeyland" is representing North Macedonia at the Oscars through the Best International Feature Film Category. It tells the story of a beekeeper in a remote village and condenses 400 hours of footage into an 87-minute documentary about her life and relationships, especially with her 85-year-old mother and a neighbor. Even taking place in a quaint little area didn't stop the film from resonating heavily with critics and viewers.

- Director: Pedro Almodóvar
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 113 min
- Nominations: 2

Spanish drama “Pain and Glory” became an acting showcase for Antonio Banderas, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance. Banderas portrays a declining film director who is left to contemplate his life decisions, with the film following a number of reunions as he revisits his past. The film was universally acclaimed by critics, and also received a nomination for Best International Feature Film.

- Directors: Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts
- Metascore: 89
- IMDb user rating: 8.7
- Runtime: 100 min
- Nominations: 1

“For Sama” covers five years of the Syrian Civil War from the perspective of a mother raising her young child. During these five years, she falls in love with someone and later gives birth to young Sama, and she and her doctor husband must make an urgent decision whether to leave amidst the larger fighting or stay to help the victims. The heartbreaking film is one of the films nominated in the competitive Best Documentary Feature category.

- Director: Greta Gerwig
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Runtime: 135 min
- Nominations: 6

The Louisa May Alcott book has been adapted multiple times for film, and the latest is a highly acclaimed version from “Lady Bird” writer-director Greta Gerwig. Like other iterations of the story, “Little Women” centers around four sisters (Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen) at various points in their lives, attempting to live on their own terms. Ronan and Pugh received Oscar nominations for their acting, as did Gerwig for Best Adapted Screenplay; the film also has nods for Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design.

- Director: Noah Baumbach
- Metascore: 93
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Runtime: 137 min
- Nominations: 6

Writer-director Noah Baumbach took inspiration from his real-life divorce, and those of friends, to make “Marriage Story,” which streamed on Netflix and stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as a divorcing couple with a young son. The film’s events take them between New York City and Los Angeles, and what begins as an amicable process becomes increasingly bitter when lawyers (including one played by Laura Dern) become involved. As critics who applauded the film predicted, “Marriage Story” scored nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, acting nominations for Driver, Johansson, and Dern, and Best Original Score (Randy Newman).

- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Metascore: 94
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Runtime: 209 min
- Nominations: 10

A film that was years in the making, Martin Scorsese finally told the story of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) in the Netflix film "The Irishman." Also bringing Joe Pesci out of retirement, the film took place over several decades and featured de-aging technology to depict De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci through different stages of their characters' lives. The effects were impressive enough to garner a Best Visual Effects nomination, with Scorsese receiving Best Picture (with De Niro, also a producer) and Best Director nominations, Pesci and Pacino receiving acting nods, and additional nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.

- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Metascore: 96
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Runtime: 132 min
- Nominations: 6

A harrowing satire and thriller from Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho (“Snowpiercer”), “Parasite” is a tale of class dynamics. After scamming his way into a tutoring job for a rich family, a young man in a financially desperate family brings his sister and both of their parents in on the scheme, slowly infiltrating the richer family’s lives and luxurious home. Critics and audiences unanimously praised the film, the acting, the dark humor, and the film’s overall energy, justifying its several nominations that consist of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, and Best Film Editing.

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