13 Awesome 2018 Movies That Deserve Best Picture (But Won't Get Nominated)
2. The Tale
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99% (9.0/10)
Why It Deserves Best Picture: Jennifer Fox's emotionally devastating dramatisation of her own experiences of childhood sexual abuse is not for the faint of stomach, but it is one of 2018's most impactful and unforgettable cinematic experiences.
Laura Dern gives an awards-worthy performance as an adult Fox recounting her upbringing and coming to terms with how it informs her present-day relationships. Jason Ritter also gives a sublimely unsettling turn as her primary abuser, in what's unquestionably the finest work of his career.
If there can ever be such a thing, The Tale is surely the "definitive" movie on the subject.
Why It Won't Get Nominated: In fairness, The Tale not scoring any Oscar love actually makes sense, even if it's still extremely frustrating.
After its barnstorming Sundance premiere, the film was sold to HBO, who decided to air it exclusively on their TV network rather than give it a brief theatrical release in order to make it eligible for the Oscars.
It's as simple as that, sadly, and though the film scored two Emmy nods and three Independent Spirit nominations, it deserves so, so much more.