Film fans rejoice… the Oscars are almost upon us once again. Soon it will be time for the world’s best actors, actresses, and directors to go head-to-head at the Dolby Theatre in California. But before then, officials had to decide on the nominees for each category.
all of these films have captivated audiences over the past 12 months
Those nominees have just been announced, and the Best Picture category provides a plethora of awe-inspiring cinematography. From the pink-laden satire of Barbie to the explosive drama of Oppenheimer, all of these films have captivated audiences over the past 12 months.
As we look forward to the big night on March 11, there is still time to place some bets on who might take the top spot. Sportsbooks have now had their say regarding the Best Picture category, and VegasSlotsOnline News has found the latest odds so you don’t have to.
Oppenheimer
-1000
IMDB Rating: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
As the name might suggest, Oppenheimer follows the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer as he evolves from college student to one of the most important theoretical physicists in human history. He is faced with the ultimate moral dilemma as his creation, the atomic bomb, is used with devastating results at the end of the Second World War.
Cillian Murphy sets the screen alight, almost literally, in Oppenheimer. The Peaky Blinders star has already won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and is nominated for the same category at the Oscars thanks to his brooding interpretation of Oppenheimer. The 47-year-old underwent a dramatic transformation for the role, including losing significant weight.
Christopher Nolan has once again proved why he is the master
As for the direction, Christopher Nolan has once again proved why he is the master, adding to his acclaimed catalogue of films that includes Inception, Interstellar, and Dark Knight. Like these movies, Oppenheimer is also propelled by a highly-acclaimed orchestral soundtrack, this time from Ludwig G?ransson.
Oppenheimer has already won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice, which are typically a good marker for Oscars success. Sportsbooks clearly agree, having given the film odds of -1000 to take the win in March.
Poor Things
+900
IMDB Rating: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
From the weird mind of director Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things is definitely the most off-center nominee for this year’s Best Picture. It is a science fiction black comedy in which Emma Stone plays Bella, a Frankenstein-esque creation who is learning what it means to be a human woman in Victorian English society.
Greek filmmaker Lanthimos has a history of making bizarre films that receive some of the highest plaudits. Although Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Killing of the Sacred Deer, and The Favorite all earned their fair share of trophies, the latter bagging Olivia Coleman a Best Leading Actress Oscar, the Best Picture prize has so far alluded Lanthimos at the Academy Awards.
already won Best Picture Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes
That said, with the star power of Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe fueling his latest venture, it could be his year. The film has already won Best Picture Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, a ceremony in which Emma Stone secured Best Actress.
As a result, sportsbooks have Poor Things as second-favorite for Best Picture at +900.
The Holdovers
+1000
IMDB Rating: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
Although The Holdovers isn’t the favorite to win Best Picture this year, its Rotten Tomatoes Rating of 96% (the best of these films) indicates that it is much-loved. The film follows the story of a cranky history teacher at a prep school who is forced to stay behind over the Christmas holidays to spend it with a troubled student who has no home to go to.
Paul Giamatti leads the way in The Holdovers as teacher Paul Hunham, and he has already secured a Golden Globe for Best Actor Musical or Comedy as well as beating Cillian Murphy to secure the Critics’ Choice for Best Actor. Similarly, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa have also earned awards for their supporting roles.
The film comes from the mind of Alexander Payne who is no stranger to award ceremonies. About Schmidt, Sideways, and The Descendants all earned their fair share of accolades, the last two securing the Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
Sportsbooks have The Holdovers at odds of +1000 to take the top spot in March.
Killers of the Flower Moon
+1400
IMDB Rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
Any film with the name Martin Scorsese attached to it has a chance of getting the top spot. The 81-year-old director has 14 Oscars on his shelf already and will be hoping to add another this year. Add to his star power that of Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro and it might seem that Killers of the Flower Moon is a sure thing.
murdering them off one-by-one to secure their oil money
The film follows Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) as he finds himself on Osage Nation land in Oklahoma in the 1920s, just after the indigenous group discover oil and become rich. White people begin marrying into the tribe and murdering them off one-by-one to secure their oil money and Burkhart is urged by his powerful uncle William Hale (De Niro) to do just that.
While DiCaprio gives a convincing performance, it is his on-screen spouse who has earned a lot of the praise. Playing Mollie Burkhart, Lily Gladstone is undeniably brilliant as she tries to stop her people being murdered while her own health gradually fades. She secured the Best Drama Actress Golden Globe, the first native American to do so.
Despite its positive reception, Killers of the Flower Moon has perhaps been overshadowed by other films this year. Its chances of securing the Best Picture are slim to say the least. Nevertheless, you could get +1400 odds for the Scorsese drama.
Barbie
+1400
IMDB Rating: 6.9
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
Our final nominee needs little introduction, but we will give it a go anyway. Barbie tells the tale of the Barbie doll as her serene life in Barbie Land is upended and she is forced to travel to the human world with Ken. There, she learns that the “perfect” world she imagined is actually a patriarchy where misogyny is rife.
Generating $1.38bn worldwide, Barbie was the highest grossing film of 2023, and it’s easy to see why. Director Greta Gerwig blended the worlds of childhood nostalgia with satire to create a film that is as funny as it is thought-provoking.
‘I’m Just Ken’ even claimed the Best Original Song award at the Critics’ Choice
Margot Robbie has rightfully received plenty of praise for her role as Barbie, demonstrating that she has the range to take the lead in a comedy film. Similarly, Ryan Gosling is perfect as her partner-cum-nemesis Ken, and his ballad ‘I’m Just Ken’ even claimed the Best Original Song award at the Critics’ Choice this year, much to his apparent surprise.
Although Barbie might seem an unusual fit for an Oscars Best Picture nomination, its strong performance in the build up has cemented its place. In particular, Barbie dominated at the Critics’ Choice, picking up Best Comedy, Best Original Screenplay, and the aforementioned Best Original Song.
If you fancy betting it all on pink, Barbie is at odds of +1400 with sportsbooks.