The Oscars are looming closer, which means the window of opportunity to see all the nominees before Oscar night is getting tighter. I get it—life is busy, and sometimes it’s hard enough to find time to see a couple movies, let alone all nine Best Picture nominees. That’s why I’ve put together a handy list of the bare-minimum films you should probably see in order to be in the know when the Oscars are handed out. Of course, all of the Oscar-nominated films this year are worthwhile, and you should definitely catch up with as many as you can whenever—a good movie is still a good movie even if itdoesn’twin an Oscar—but in the name of efficiency, if you see the following five films, you’ll be familiar with a solid number of the eventual winners.
La La Land
Nominations:Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Original Screenplay, Original Score, Original Song (two nominations), Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
If you haven’t seenLa La Landby Oscar night, you done messed up. The film earned a record-tying 14 nominations in total, and is by all accounts our frontrunner to win a number of major categories, including Best Picture, Director forDamien Chazelle, and Actress forEmma Stone. Given the swath of nominations, the film is expected to pick up wins in a number of categories, so you’re likely going to hear the word “La La Land”a lotduring the ceremony. It has some stiff competition in areas like Cinematography, Production Design, and Costume Design so it almost certainly won’t be a clean sweep, but if you seeLa La Landbefore the Oscars, you will undoubtedly have seen the movie that wins the most.
Where Can I Watch It?:La La Landis still playing in theaters across the country.
Nominations:Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Film Editing
One of the best-reviewed films of the year,Moonlightis also one ofLa La Land’s strongest competitors in the major categories. Losses for the main prize at the Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild Awards probably meansLa La Landis safe from a surpriseMoonlightwin for Best Picture or Best Director, but it’s still one of the best films of the year, and wins for Best Supporting Actor forMahershala Alialong with Best Adapted Screenplay are likely. And if you’re looking for upsets, the film could potentially pull that off in Best Film Editing or Cinematography.
Where Can I Watch It?:Moonlightis still playing in select theaters and will be available on Digital HD on February 14th and Blu-ray and DVD on February 28th.
Manchester by the Sea
Nominations:Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay
It’s entirely possible thatManchester by the Seaends up winning zero Oscars, which would be an absolute shame, but the film rounds out the trifecta of this year’s most formidable awards contenders that includeLa La LandandMoonlight. FilmmakerKenneth Lonergan’s masterful grief drama is a strong player for Best Actor, whereCasey Affleckhas been the frontrunner to win for quite some time. A loss toDenzel Washingtonat the Screen Actors Guild puts Affleck’s Oscar win in doubt now, but it’s undoubtedly one of the year’s tightest races and toughest to predict. If there’s any justice, the film will also win Best Original Screenplay, but if the Academy hasLa La Landfever then Lonergan’s impeccably written drama may get passed over. Regardless, the film’s longevity in the race and strength as a tremendous piece of cinema make it required viewing.
Where Can I Watch It?:Manchester by the Seais currently available to purchase on Amazon Video, hits Digital HD on February 14th, and DVD and Blu-ray on February 21st.
Nominations:Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay
Denzel Washington’s adaptation of theAugust WilsonplayFencesmay not be the strongest Best Picture player, but it could walk away with two towering acting wins. If Washington takes the Best Actor prize, he’ll be one of only six performers with three acting Oscars. AndViola Davisis the closest thing we have to a lock for this year’s ceremony, potentially winning Best Supporting Actress after losing out toMeryl Streepin the Best Actress race a few years ago. So in terms of total wins,Fencesmay not be huge, but Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress are nevertheless significant. Catch this dark, wordy drama before Oscar night to see for yourself why Davis has been dominating the awards conversation, and why Washington is in line to make history.
Where Can I Watch It?:Fencesis still playing in some theaters and hits Blu-ray and DVD on March 14th.
Nominations:Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing
Tied withMoonlightfor the most overall nominations,Arrivalmarked a major change of pace for the Academy, which is normally averse to sci-fi fare. They ventured big withMad Max: Fury Road, and this year’sArrivallove could signal a tide change of voters recognizing work outside the straight drama genre (Amy Adamssnub aside). The film could be a player in below-the-line categories, offering some stiff competition in Film Editing, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing. AndBradford Youngmarks the first African-American cinematographer ever to be nominated for Best Cinematography, whereArrivalcould play the spoiler.
Where Can I Watch It?:Arrivalis currently available on Digital HD and hits Blu-ray and DVD on February 14th.
