The 4 Films That Should Have Been the Nominees for Best Picture at the Oscars

TLDRRichard Brody, a film critic at The New Yorker, shares his picks for the films that should have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. The four films are All Dirt Roads, Taste of Salt, Passages, and Earth Mama. Each film explores themes of love, sacrifice, liberation, and motherhood in unique and powerful ways. These films offer a fresh perspective and deserve recognition for their exceptional storytelling.

Key insights

💔All Dirt Roads is a powerful melodrama that centers on the love and sacrifice of a woman named McKenzie in the Mississippi Delta Region.

🌍Passages is an international film that explores love and happiness as equal parts of a full life through the story of a German film director named Tomas.

👩‍👧‍👦Earth Mama is a thought-provoking film that examines the bureaucratic system and its impact on black women, while also portraying the power of motherly love and family.

🚗Ferrari is an action-packed film that delves into the themes of grief and style. It follows Enzo, who mourns his friends' deaths in auto races and confronts death with elegance and purpose.

Q&A

What are the four films that should have been nominated for Best Picture?

—The four films are All Dirt Roads, Taste of Salt, Passages, and Earth Mama.

What themes do these films explore?

—These films explore themes of love, sacrifice, liberation, and motherhood.

What makes All Dirt Roads a powerful melodrama?

—All Dirt Roads centers on the love and sacrifice of McKenzie in the Mississippi Delta Region, creating a deeply moving narrative.

Why is Earth Mama thought-provoking?

—Earth Mama examines the impact of the bureaucratic system on black women and portrays the power of motherly love and family.

What is the main theme of Ferrari?

—The main themes of Ferrari are grief and style. The film follows Enzo, who mourns his friends' deaths in auto races and confronts death with elegance and purpose.

Timestamped Summary

00:08Richard Brody discusses the four films that he believes should have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

00:12He starts with All Dirt Roads, a powerful melodrama set in the Mississippi Delta Region.

00:21Passages, an international film, explores love and happiness as equal parts of a full life.

01:39Earth Mama examines the bureaucratic system's impact on black women and highlights the power of motherly love and family.

02:34Ferrari is an action-packed film that delves into the themes of grief and style.

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