How Critics and Audiences Rate 2019's Oscar Contenders

When it comes to judging a movie, critics and audiences don’t always see eye to eye. After all, they apply different criteria to decide whether or not a film is good. While critics may enjoy a three-hour silent film because they appreciate the artistic vision behind it, mainstream movie audiences often seek simple entertainment to escape from their real-world problems for 90 minutes.

A perfect film however, brings critic and audiences together, bridging the gap between entertainment and aspiration. Some of this year’s Best Picture contenders managed to do just that, scoring highly with audiences and critics alike. The following chart shows which nominees were the biggest crowd pleasers and which ones scored highest with professional film critics.