Bronze - A Complete Unknown

Oscar Tidbit: The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown earned an impressive eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Costume Design. Despite the recognition, it didn’t take home a single Oscar. While it was a strong film, in my opinion, none of the nominations quite rose to winner status.

 A Complete Unknown received eight nominations at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025, including Best Picture, Best Director (James Mangold), Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet), Best Supporting Actor (Edward Norton), Best Supporting Actress (Monica Barbaro), Best Adapted Screenplay (James Mangold and Jay Cocks), Best Sound, and Best Costume Design.

Another movie that completely surprised me. My first thought was, “Oh no, not another predictable music biopic,” and to be honest, Bob Dylan has never exactly struck a chord with me (pun intended). But this film stands out—and one of its greatest strengths is how much it leans on actual performances to drive the story instead of the usual overcooked flashbacks and dramatic voiceovers.

The story revolves around Dylan’s relationships with the people closest to him. It opens with him visiting his musical hero, Woody Guthrie, who’s hospitalized in New Jersey. There, he meets Pete Seeger—played by the always-wonderful Edward Norton. This is also the first time we hear Bob Dylan (aka Timothée Chalamet) sing, and not only does he sound eerily like him, but you also feel like you're right there, experiencing the moment the song was first played.

Director James Mangold does a beautiful job capturing Dylan’s tangled relationships—particularly with Sylvie Russo (the woman from the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album cover) and Joan Baez, the folk singer with a siren-like voice. Both women are clearly captivated and maddened by Dylan’s behavior. Because while he may be a poet and musical genius… he’s also kind of an asshole. Still, the film wisely portrays him not just as a jerk, but as someone swept up and shaped by the strange tides of his time.

Dylan drifts into New York in the early ’60s, becoming so popular he’s basically a teen idol, and the movie traces his uneasy dance with fame, identity, and connection. It trusts the audience to fill in the blanks, with a sharp script, standout performances across the board, and—of course—some killer music. Even if you’ve never liked Dylan, this one’s worth watching.

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Runner up - I’m Still Here

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Honorable Mentions…