When the Academy Award nominations were announced on Thursday morning, many were disappointed that Pamela Anderson was not among the names read, but the star actress of new film “The Last Showgirl” wasn’t one of them.

Every contender for best picture comes with enough critical and/or commercial heft to have at least some argument for the throne (make that the papal ring). But all claims are not equal. So let’s rank the 10 nominees from least to most deserving.

It's nominated for best picture alongside “Wicked,” which picked up 10 nominations, including best actress for Cynthia Erivo and best supporting actress for Ariana Grande. “The Brutalist” also had 10 nominations,