9. Dune: Part Two

Look, I have no idea what galaxies need to be conquered, worm juice needs to be ingested, or prophecies need to be fulfilled for Oscar voters to properly respect the masterclass in world building director Denis Villeneuve delivers here, but as of now, they do not. Dune: Part Two is one of the most beautifully shot films of this decade, especially the monochromatic gladiatorial battle featuring a bloodthirsty and bald Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler) looking to show his dominance. The film about Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ingratiating himself with the Fremen before fully stepping into his title as Lisan al Gaib puts human struggles with love, familial succession, and destiny on an intergalactic scale without cheapening the authenticity.

It’s just going to be really hard for a movie to snag Best Picture when Oscar voters didn’t even think the filmmaker who helmed it had earned a Best Director nod. It’s true that CODA achieved this feat only a handful of years ago, so there is still hope. But unless a storm of votes comes riding in on the back of Shai-Hulud, the sequel will suffer the same fate as its predecessor which went home without a Best Picture win.