Your 2018 Oscars viewing guide: The 9 movies you must see
Odds are, you have a lot of catching up to do before the Academy Awards air March 4 (ABC, 8 ET/5 PT). Don’t worry, we’re here to help prioritize: We watched all nine best picture nominees for you.
'Call Me By Your Name'
★★★½ stars (out of four)
Why it’s worth seeing: A picturesque Italian countryside is the setting for Luca Guadagnino’s sexual awakening film about a teenage boy (Timothée Chalamet) who fosters a secret romantic tryst with his father’s graduate assistant (Armie Hammer) in the summer of 1983.
Why it could win: Acting chops galore, including an impressive breakthrough from 22-year-old Chalamet (who’s up for best actor) and a rich performance by Hammer, as well as a memorable monologue courtesy of Michael Stuhlbarg as the coolest dad ever. It’s received a ton of nominations this season (it’s up for four Oscars), but has won nearly none.
Where to see it: In theaters now; available on digital platforms such as iTunes, Amazon and FandangoNOW on Tuesday.
'Darkest Hour'
★★★
Why it’s worth seeing: Winston Churchill (an exceptional Gary Oldman) is picked as Britain's prime minister and quickly thrown into the drama of World War II in director Joe Wright’s solid retelling of a familiar narrative.
Why it could win: Oldman gives one of his best performances ever as he's transformed into Churchill, jowls and all. And he’s cleaned up so far this awards season, winning best actor at the Golden Globes, the British Academy Film Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, among others. But of the six categories the film is nominated in, best picture is probably the one it’s least likely to win.
Where to see it: In theaters and on digital platforms now; arrives Tuesday on Blu-ray and DVD.
'Dunkirk'
★★★½
Why it’s worth seeing: Three stories of heroism converge around the evacuation of 400,000 Allied soldiers during World War II. Filmmaker Christopher Nolan expertly puts the audience in the thick of the battle on land, sea and air.
Why it could win: It’s one of the bigger box-office hits in the running (more than $525 million worldwide) and has eight nominations. And Nolan, who has his first directing nomination, is due for some Oscar love.
Where to see it: On digital platforms, Blu-ray and DVD now.
'Get Out'
★★★
Why it’s worth seeing: Jordan Peele’s genre-mashup masterpiece about a black photographer (Daniel Kaluuya) and a twisted visit with his white girlfriend’s family tackles racism in America through smart satire and horror tropes. More than just being an “of the moment” film, however, it’s also entertaining and satisfying for a broad audience.
Why it could win: Across-the-board recognition, including a breakout turn from Kaluuya (up for best actor), plus a crackling script from Peele (who’s competing in both best director and original screenplay). Peele proves he's an essential new voice in horror with his scary exploration of race and culture.
Where to see it: On digital platforms, Blu-ray and DVD now, as well as HBO and HBO Go.
'Lady Bird'
★★★½
Why it's worth seeing: Writer/director Greta Gerwig’s endearing dramedy (up for five awards) finds universal quirkiness amid a year in the life of free-spirited Sacramento teen Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) who can’t wait to escape her Catholic school, her hometown and her overbearing mom (Laurie Metcalf).
Why it could win: Ronan and Metcalf (both nominated) make a dynamite mother/daughter duo and have been regulars at every awards show this season. But don’t sleep on Gerwig’s clever screenplay, which is also nominated.
Where to see it: In theaters and on digital platforms now.
'Phantom Thread'
★★★
Why it’s worth seeing: A persnickety London dressmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) struggles through ups and downs with his new young muse (Vicky Krieps). The period drama, which reteams Day-Lewis with There Will Be Blood filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, is a sedate slow burn at first, though it turns into a twisty delight by the end.
Why it could win: Day-Lewis is nominated for what’s billed as his final performance, as is an outstanding Lesley Manville as his stern, stoic sister. And Krieps more than holds her own.
Where to see it: In theaters now.
'The Post'
★★★½
Why it’s worth seeing: Steven Spielberg’s 1970s-set Pentagon Papers drama is a film built for best-picture glory, with Hollywood legends (Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep), history and a sense of timeliness in terms of the uneasy relationship between the White House and the media, then and now.
Why it could win: Streep, who has her 21st Oscar nomination, leads an all-star cast as Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, and there’s an exhilarating original score from the iconic John Williams. But the film hasn’t really caught fire this awards season.
Where to see it: In theaters now.
'The Shape of Water'
★★★½
Why it’s worth seeing: Set against a backdrop of Cold War-era paranoia, Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy romance — up for 13 Oscars — is a lush and emotional fairy tale centered on a custodian (Sally Hawkins) who can’t talk and a fish-man (Doug Jones) from South America. Del Toro deftly combines a believable interspecies love story with period themes that resonate.
Why it could win: Hawkins brings charm and heart to what's essentially a silent-movie role, and there’s a splendid supporting turn from Richard Jenkins as her closeted gay neighbor. (Both are nominated, as is their co-star, Octavia Spencer.) Plus, the wonderful production design and cool underwater scenes have made a splash in Oscars’ technical categories.
Where to see it: In theaters now, on digital platforms Tuesday.
'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'
★★★★
Why it’s worth seeing: Writer/director Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy deftly melds black humor with tragedy in the tale of one bad mother (Frances McDormand) who holds local authorities accountable when she feels nothing is being done to solve her daughter’s murder. McDormand wields fiery emotion and biting humor in one of her most powerful performances to date.
Why it could win: McDormand has pretty much swept awards season (and will almost certainly win at the Oscars, too). But there are also a couple of fantastic — and very different — supporting roles from Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell as embattled cops (both nominated for supporting actor). And it has momentum, having already won four Globes and five BAFTAs.
Where to see it: In theaters and on digital platforms now; arrives Tuesday on Blu-ray and DVD.
Contributing: Kim Willis
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