Oscars: Every Best Picture Nominee Of The 2010s - Ranked Worst To Best

3. Boyhood

Boyhood Linklater
IFC Films

One of the biggest Best Picture injustices of the decade - hell, let's say all time for that matter - is Birdman triumphing over Boyhood.

Why? Well, there's its unique style; the film shot in chunks over the course of 12 years. The great performances. The naturalistic camerawork and authentic dialogue. It's a technical marvel, but it's so much more than that too. Richard Linklater is a storyteller few can match, and in Boyhood, he tells us one of his best stories yet. It's one we can all relate to, invest in, and find something to take from.

Boyhood is and isn't about boyhood. It's about growing up. It's about growing together and growing apart. It's that the big moments are special, but it's the little moments in between that make them so. It's first kisses. First romances. First dates. It's about love, and life, and the intertwining of the two.

It's struggle; it's hope. It's ugliness and it's beauty. It's the only movie besides, er, Stick It to feature blink-182's Anthem Part II on its soundtrack. It's what cinema is made for.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.