Oscars 2021: 10 Best Picture Movie Contenders

Frances McDormand, right from the beginning of her career, has delivered performance after performance worthy of accolades, from small supporting parts to main roles. A double Oscar winner, she is one of those actors that just never does a poor job, regardless of the project. She continues this streak with her powerhouse portrayal of Fern: a woman who loses her job during the recession and embarks on a journey around the American West.

Written and directed by Chloe Zhao, Nomadland is a masterclass in subdued and realistic film making. The film is undoubtedly and unashamedly rooted in the real world, and that is its greatest attribute. It honestly details the struggles and emotional destruction caused by the economic crisis in a way that is totally stripped of any Hollywood glamour or fantasy, and presents one of the realest accounts of the human condition ever put to film.

The movie is quiet and contemplative, yet wholly impactful and is one of the most universally praised and revered of the year, thanks in large part to McDormand's central performance and Chloe Zhao's poetic direction.

Nomadland is a profound and beautiful character study and a powerful snapshot of the Great Recession and its effects, and it is sure to sweep nominations for many categories, including Best Picture.