Oscars 2024: 82% of Best Picture nominees are “emotional”, “fun”, “powerful” or “tense”

Nielsen's Gracenote's analysis reports that films with certain characteristics tend to get nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The company analyzed the high-level moods of the movies nominated for Best Picture over the past 15 years.

The most critical moods of 82% of the 136 movies nominated for Best Picture since 2010 include those classified under just four of the possible 17, "emotional," "fun," "powerful," or "tense." In 2024, 9 of the ten nominees' most important moods come from within one of these four groups. The sole exception is "Poor Things," whose primary mood is "wondrous," classified under "fantastic." "American Fiction," "Barbie," and "The Holdovers" are this year's "fun" nominees, with all three being either 'satirical,' 'hilarious' or both, according to Gracenote.

"Powerful" movies have been the most popular nominees for Best Picture over the past 15 years. The 'epic,' 'gripping' "Oppenheimer," the 'compelling' "Killers of the Flower Moon," and the 'uplifting' "Past Lives" are all "powerful" nominees this year. "Past Lives" also has a 'romantic' mood and is, therefore, the only one of this year's nominees with one of the eight calmer moods amongst its primary descriptions. Only 26% of nominees for Best Picture in the last ten years have had one of these eight calmer moods amongst their most important features, "heartwarming," "thoughtful," "introspective," "mysterious," "upbeat," "romantic," "serious" or "dark" according to Gracenote's analysis. From 2005 to 2014, 42% of Best Picture nominees had one of these primary moods.

The 'moving' "Maestro" and 'somber' "The Zone of Interest" both have "emotional" moods. "The Zone of Interest," like "Killers of the Flower Moon," also has a "frightening" mood among its most important. The "tense" "Anatomy of a Fall" completes this year's Best Picture nominees.

"Frightening" moods are unusual amongst Best Picture nominees. Since 2010, the only "frightening" Best Picture nominees before this year's pair were the 'terrifying' "Get Out" (2017) and the 'brutal' "127 Hours" (2011).