Oscars 2015: 10 Movies That Should Be Nominated For Best Picture

2. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The one film on this list that may actually get the Academy's stamp of approval, The Grand Budapest Hotel is like a wonderful confection of cinematic candy. In a bit of a departure for director Wes Anderson's normally contemporary set films, The Grand Budapest Hotel takes place between the First and Second World Wars in the fictional European country of Zubrowska. Starring Ralph Fiennes as hotel concierge Gustav H. and newcomer Tony Revolori as his in-training sidekick Zero, the film is a comedy/adventure flick that is part cartoon and part classic Hollywood cinema. What makes The Grand Budapest Hotel such an interesting entry in Anderson's oeuvre is that it marks a certain growth in the director's abilities. While still unmistakably a Wes Anderson film, the movie exhibits qualities that have only been hinted at in the director's previous work. One of the flat-out funniest films Anderson has made, at times The Grand Budapest Hotel almost has the feel of a Monty Python film, while at other times its fun, high stakes adventure sequences are reminiscent of the Indiana Jones series. Of course Anderson devotees need not worry, all the trademark quirkiness that the director has become known for are still present; meticulous production design, an outstanding ensemble of actors performing at the top of their game, and a dead pan sense of ironic humor are all accounted for. Most importantly though, Anderson's heartfelt sense of love for cinema, for his characters and for days gone by that can never be found again, shine through just as much as ever.