20 Worst Best Picture Film Nominees Since 2010

Here we go again.

In most years, there's at least one by-the-numbers period drama message movie that deals with serious issues in a safe, PG-13 manner and offers little to truly get excited about other than some great acting. This year, it's King Richard.

This movie does bless us with an absolutely fantastic performance from Will Smith and the rest of the cast does a smashing job too - especially Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams, who arguably deserved a Best Supporting Actress nod more than Aunjanue Ellis, who plays her mother, did - but in what other ways does King Richard really stand out? Answer: it doesn't.

On a technical level the film is solid but not outstanding and the writing doesn't work very well. In spite of Smith's fabulous lead turn the titular character is often unlikeable (in one scene he almost abandons his children in the middle of a dangerous neighbourhood just because they were bragging too much!) and his arc throughout the film feels unfocussed.

Due to how scattershot and predictable the film's storytelling really is, it honestly feels like this was a movie that was made because the people involved wanted to win awards, not because they actually cared that much about the story.

Therefore, this is easily the weakest Best Picture nominee of this year.