Oscars: 10 MCU movies that should have been nominated for Best Picture

Avengers: Infinity War over Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

Bohemian Rhapsody is no better or worse than a dozen similar musical biopics, and almost all of them do not get nominated for Best Picture. Elvis is another rare example, which stands out for its flashier filmmaking, while other recent biographical movies based on musicians – like Get on Up, Love and Mercy, Straight Outta Compton, Rocketman, and I Wanna Dance with Somebody – are within a similar caliber as Bohemian Rhapsody and failed to earn significant Oscar recognition.

Compared to Bohemian Rhapsody, Avengers: Infinity War is unlike anything ever seen in its respective genre. The villain’s quest is the focal point of the plot and with Josh Brolin conveying a determined willfulness and subtle anguish, he manipulates fans into embracing someone who is literally killing beloved heroes. Along the way, Infinity War juggles characters from even more franchises than the initial Avenger epics, with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man joining in on the massive threat to humanity. And Thanos’ ultimate devastation brought down on the Avengers, and half of life in the universe, is utterly unforgettable.

Lets not forget that 2018 was the year that Black Panther became the first superhero movie to ever receive a Best Picture nomination. Ryan Coogler’s movie belonged in the same company as The Favourite and A Star is Born, and its inclusion made it exceedingly less likely that a second Marvel movie would join the list in the same year. But when movies like Bohemian Rhapsody and Vice are rewarded with Best Picture nods, Avengers: Infinity War definitely should have been recognized for more major awards.

Thor: Ragnarok over Darkest Hour (2017)

Here is another case of a movie that was almost universally adored versus one that is praised for a few particular highlights; Darkest Hour’s strengths are its perspective on historical accounts and its principal actor. Too often, movies are brought into the Best Picture discussion almost solely after the spotlight identifies a soaring performance. Gary Oldman surely earned the nomination, and it is hard to argue against his eventual win in that category, but Darkest Hour’s inclusion in the Best Picture race took votes away from less standard, great offerings, like Logan and the MCU’s Thor: Ragnarok.

Taika Waititi constructs what is easily the best Thor movie and one of the best MCU films to date. His mix of action, humor, and weightier material is practically unmatched in 2017; Ragnarok’s tonal mastery is in a similar class as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and Lady Bird. Oscar voters watch hundreds of movies a year, so when they spot a distinct vision like a neo-noir-esque love story between a fishman and a mute woman (The Shape of Water), they take notice.  

Just the same, Thor: Ragnarok is also one of the most unique and enchanting experiences of its year, especially with its majestic slow-motion sequences combined with the use of Led Zeppelin’s "Immigrant Song". Hulk has one of the most memorable movie entrances and Cate Blanchett is astoundingly alluring in Hela’s Goddess of Death attire. The dialogue between Thor and Loki is top-notch and the hero’s journey is deftly arranged; Thor loses his father, his hammer, and his eye, all leading to an almost bombastic ending with the catastrophic destruction of his home world, and he somehow perseveres.