2024 Part 1 - Spectacle, Secrets, and Shocks: Breaking Down the First Half of the Best Picture Race

In this episode, our hosts Rob, Dylan, and Glenys dive into the first half of the 2025 Academy Awards Best Picture nominees, breaking down the biggest stories behind 2024’s most talked-about films.

Was Wicked’s dazzling adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical the cultural moment everyone anticipated — or did it fall short of expectations? Did The Substance, with its provocative body horror and Demi Moore’s fearless performance, push genre filmmaking into new territory? The Brutalist challenged audiences with its stark portrayal of architectural ambition and human isolation — but did its cold precision and length cost it emotional resonance? Meanwhile, Conclave offered a taut, suspenseful look inside the Vatican’s secretive corridors of power — but was it gripping enough to contend for Best Picture glory?

Join us as we explore the performances, direction, and cultural impact of these nominees, and debate whether the Academy might have overlooked deeper, riskier achievements in favor of crowd-pleasers.

Best Picture Nominees

Anora - winner
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked