Eric London

Top 10 Movies to Watch Before The Oscars

We’re dead in the middle of awards season, and the Oscars are coming up quickly. I love the Academy Awards because it celebrates the year’s best films, and while 2016 delivered many disappointing blockbusters, it also gave us plenty of Oscar-worthy films. But with so many movies being nominated every year, it’s hard to see them all. So, I’m going to go through the ten Oscar-nominated movies you should see before the big night.

10. Manchester by the Sea

Casey Affleck was the front-runner for the Academy Award for Best Lead Actor for a long time. Many still consider him a favorite, and if he does win the Oscar, you’ll want to see the film he was nominated for. Manchester by the Sea is about a Lee Chandler (Affleck) who must take care of his deceased brother’s son. This film is by no means a happy movie. It’s extremely emotional, so be prepared for a tearjerker.

9. Moana

Disney hit a home run with this stylish animated film. It’s unlike any of the animated Disney films that we’ve seen before. It’s not about a princess falling in love. It’s about a young girl following her dream of sailing the ocean, and is chosen to save her island. It’s most likely going to win the Oscar for Best Animated Picture, and rightfully so. It’s a ton of fun, and explores a great setting that I’m glad Disney decided to venture into.

8. Loving

Loving is about a biracial couple that gets married in Virginia during the 1950s. This was illegal at the time, and they were arrested because of their unlawful marriage. The film follows them as they fight the courts in order to be reunited. Like Manchester by the Sea, you’re in for an emotional ride, as Ruth Negga gives an Oscar-nominated performance. Playing her husband is Joel Edgerton, who may be one of the most underrated actors working today.

7. Hacksaw Ridge

Mel Gibson is back, whether we like it or not. Putting his personal problems aside, Gibson is one hell of a director. He’s at the helm for this true war drama. It stars Andrew Garfield as a medic who refuses to touch a weapon because of his religious believes, but still goes to war during WWII in order to save lives. The film is up for 6 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Mel Gibson, and Best Lead Actor for Andrew Garfield. Garfield should no longer be known as that guy that played Spiderman for a bit. He’s one of the best young actors out there and deserves to be seen in this film.

6. Hidden Figures

This film tells the not-that-well-known true story of three African American female mathematicians who played a major role in sending Americans into space during the Space Race. The film is charming and is driven by excellent performances by its three leading ladies. Octavia Spencer is up for up for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and the film is up for Best Picture.

5. Moonlight

After two years of whitewashed Oscars, it’s refreshing to see so many films featuring black actors that tell important stories about black culture. Moonlight may be the most important of all. It follows a gay, black boy growing up in a rough neighborhood in Miami. The film has been universally praised by critics and is up for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Naomie Harris, and Best Actor Supporting Role for Mahershala Ali. Ali is the favorite to win the Oscar.

4. Hell or High Water

This film is up for four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Jeff Bridges’ performance, but that’s not even the best part of this film. Its strength lies in the relationship between Chris Pine’s Toby, and Ben Foster’s Tanner. It follows two brothers who are robbing banks in order to save their family’s farm. It sounds like a simple premise, but it’s really so much more than a heist film. It follows the troubled but close relationship of these brothers, as well as the police that are perusing them. Plus, the film gives important social commentary on the bank industry, without beating you over the head. Ben Foster could have easily been nominated for Best Actor and some would go as far to say he was snubbed. However, I was most impressed by Chris Pine. We’re used to seeing him take control of the screen with his charisma in films like the rebooted Star Trek and other big action movies. In Hell or High Water, he gives subtle and powerful performance that should be seen.

3. Fences

This big-screen adaptation of the Broadway play is up for four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Lead Actor for Denzel Washington, and Best Lead Actress in a Supporting Role for Viola Davis. Davis is considered a lock for Best Supporting actress. Denzel Washington has a lot momentum heading into the Oscars with his big win at the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards and has a great shot at taking home the trophy. If he wins, it will be a huge deal for Washington, as he (as well as Viola Davis) starred in the Broadway production, and Washington directed the film adaptation. Fences is about a working-class African-American family trying to get by during the 1950s.

2. Arrival

This modern Sci-fi classic is up for an incredible eight Oscars. It’s nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and more. It’s big nomination though, is Denis Villeneuve. If you’ve seen Prisoners or Sicario, you know how talented he is as a director. The race for Best Director is close, but it would be amazing to see a young, up and coming director like Villeneuve win. If you’ve seen the film already, give it another watch because it’s one of those films that deserve multiple viewings.

1. La La Land

I’m not winning any Oscars for originality with this pick as number one, but it deserves it. With fourteen nominations including Best Picture, Best Lead Actress for Emma Stone, Best Lead Actor for Ryan Gosling, Best Directing for Damien Chazelle, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, and many more, it is the film to watch before the Oscars. Critics are over-the-moon about this film, and it’s the favorite to win Best Picture. Emma Stone and Damien Chazelle are also front-runners in their respective categories. La La Land is a musical that follows a Jazz pianist and a struggling actress as they try to find their place in Los Angeles. It’s romantic, it’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, the songs are great, the dance choreography is fantastic it looks beautiful, and it’s going to clean up at the Oscars. If you can only see one film before the Oscars, see La La Land. You will not be disappointed.