Yes guys, I am jumping on the Oscars Bandwagon this year. Now, usually I do not bother watching films just because they get nominated, and I have never watched the award ceremony, however this year, coincidentally, I had already seen about half of the films nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture. This intrigued me enough to go out of my way and watch the rest. Then, since I had already seen them, I decided I might as well do a blog post about them.
I would like to start off by saying these are all brilliant films in their own way, however, for me I enjoyed some of them, while the content of others may have put me off. Most of these movies are an experience to watch, they take you wild rides of emotion. I’m going to be listing them in order of my preference i.e. how much I liked them, number one being best and eight being worst. In the end I’ll give my thoughts on which one will win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
I’m not gonna include my thoughts about each movie individually because I am probably gonna review each of them separately, and I don’t want to spoil those. I might come back later and update the list after I’m done.
Also, for those us who don’t really bother keeping up with this stuff, the 91st Academy Awards (Oscars) are being held this Sunday, 24th of February in the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles. Click here to see the full list of nominees.
#1 A Star Is Born
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
Initial release: October 3, 2018 (France)
Director: Bradley Cooper
Box office: 420 million USD
Budget: $36–40 million
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
#2 The Favourite
In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead, while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots.
Initial release: December 26, 2018 (New Zealand)
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Box office: 69.8 million USD
Awards: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, MORE
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
#3 Roma
The most personal project to date from Academy Award (R)-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien), ROMA follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. Cuarón’s first project since the groundbreaking Gravity in 2013, ROMA will be available in theaters and on Netflix later this year. (Rotten Tomatoes )
Initial release: October 27, 2018 (Orange)
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Language: Spanish
Awards: Golden Lion, MORE
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
# 4 Black Panther
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
Initial release: January 29, 2018 (Hollywood)
Director: Ryan Coogler
Box office: 1.344 billion USD (As of May 22, 2018)
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
# 5 VICE
Governor George W Bush of Texas picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co, to be his Republican running mate in the 2000 presidential election. No stranger to politics, Cheney’s impressive résumé includes stints as White House chief of staff, House Minority Whip and defence secretary. When Bush wins by a narrow margin, Cheney begins to use his newfound power to help reshape the country and the world.
Initial release: December 11, 2018 (Beverly Hills)
Director: Adam McKay
Box office: $56 million
Budget: 60 million USD
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
#6 Green Book
Dr Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist, who is about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture, MORE Trending
Initial release: November 21, 2018 (USA)
Director: Peter Farrelly
Box office: 107.9 million USD
Awards: Academy Award for Best Picture
#7 BlacKkKlansman
From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It’s the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award® winning Get Out.
Initial release: August 9, 2018 (Australia)
Director: Spike Lee
Box office: 90 million USD
Awards: Cannes Grand Prix, MORE
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
#8 Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day
Initial release: October 24, 2018 (United Kingdom)
Director: Bryan Singer
Box office: 844.7 million USD
Budget: $50–55 million
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Picture
My Thoughts
Of all these films I enjoyed watching “A Star is Born” the most (review upcoming). It was a brilliant love story of two fundamentally flawed individuals, even if the end left me angry and heartbroken. It really spoke to my emotions.
However, the film that most impressed me was “The Favourite”, (see my full review) it was a surreal film, with some of the best acting I have ever seen (though, honestly most of these films have great acting). The cinematography, the score, the costumes, everything about this film makes it an art piece, and I think it is the one most worthy of Best Picture.
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