The 94th Academy Awards will be taking place on March 27th, 2022, and just like any movie lover, I am excited to see some of my favorite films get recognized and awarded. Rather than share which movies I think will win, here I want to highlight my favorite films from both this year and last, and hopefully you recognize a few of them from the silver screen.
1. The Lost Daughter– Olivia Coleman for Actress in a Leading Role
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see this one in an actual theater, but watching it at home did not take away from the movie’s brilliant suspense. Olivia Coleman plays Leda, an older woman who is obsessed with this younger woman and her daughter. Because the film is a psychological thriller, Coleman’s performance in it was spectacular and definitely deserving of the Oscar. I may even go back and rewatch this movie before the Oscars, if I can get past the initial creepiness of the storyline. If you haven’t seen The Lost Daughter, you can watch it on Netflix, and I would recommend checking it out if you like psychological thriller films.
2. Encanto and Luca– Best Animated Feature
Though I haven’t paid enough attention to animated films in past Academy Awards, this year I’m excited as two of my favorite animated films are nominated for the Oscar in Animated Feature Film. To start, Luca was one of my quarantine favorites from last year, as I loved the storyline and worldbuilding that Luca brought. Even now, I’ll find clips of Luca being reposted online, and it makes me love rewatching bits of the movie, so it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
Similar to Luca, of course the worldwide hit of Encanto can’t be ignored for its beautiful, almost photogenic animation of Encanto, home to the magical Madrigal family. Of course it became a hit due to its catchy tunes such as Surface Pressure and We Don’t Talk About Bruno, as well as its lovable characters.
I know two films can’t win the Oscar, but I will be rooting for both, as they both are stunning films with a beautiful storyline and artwork to match.
3. Dune– Cinematography (and more)
Now as an original fan of the book, I was super excited to hear that they were planning on making a film adaption to Dune. When I saw it in the theaters, it lived up to most of my expectations. One area that I was super impressed with was the cinematography, and I think Dune should absolutely take home the Oscar for this category, as certain scenes such as the helicopter scene, or the pain test scene were directed and filmed beautifully. I haven’t seen all of the movies in the rest of the category, but I’m confident that Dune will take home at least one Oscar in this year’s ceremony.
Even if none of these films win an Oscar, I think they are all fantastic movies, and each year I’m reminded of how much time and effort goes into making each film memorable and entertaining. Again, the Oscars will be on March 27th, and if you need me, I’ll be sitting on the couch, eating popcorn, and cheering on my favorite films from this past year.