One of the most expected cinema awards is finally here! The Oscar’s ceremony took place this Sunday (12) and even those who are not really into movies are used to paying attention to the films nominated by the Academy – or, at least, part of them.
Of course some categories are more anticipated than others, such as Best Picture, Actor/Actress in leading role, Directing and Writing. And, taking this into account, it also means that some films have more particular emphasis than others. However, there are many high level productions that, even though have had their recognition, are overlooked by the Academy and the spectators – not to mention those that did not even make it to the list.
To do justice to these amazing films, Her Campus Cásper Líbero selected five movies that were nominated and you should pay more attention to. Check it out!
- GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO
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Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio was almost shielded from negative critics in its launch. With a 97% approval among Rotten Tomatoes critics, it was also very popular in social media, especially Twitter. With a story of love, death, growth and regret, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio could easily have been nominated in the Writing (Adapted Screenplay) category, by using this fairy tale to reflect about life itself. Thinking about technical categories, it could also be included in Production Design, since the work behind the scenario we see on the movie is handmade and meticulously projected to each scene – as shown in Netflix’s documentary Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema.
Category: Best Animated Feature Film
Watch on: Netflix
- THE BATMAN
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It is well known that superhero movies usually don’t get the recognition they deserve. The only one that was able to break that barrier was Black Panther, in 2019. And although The Batman was nominated in Visual Effects, Sound and Makeup and Hairstyling categories, a very important aspect of the film is its cinematography. Especially considering Greig Fraser, the cinematography director, won last year’s Oscar in this category for Dune, it is odd that he wasn’t even nominated again this year.
Back when the film was launched, many critics complemented its cinematography, such as Erick Weber, from Sunset Awards and Critics Choice. “The Batman’s the most artistically stunning comic book movie ever made, Matt Reeves wows with a sprawling detective tale showcasing the magnificence of Greig Fraser, bathing Gotham in an amber glow”, he stated on Twitter.
Categories: Best Sound, Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup
Watch on: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play
- ARGENTINA, 1985
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All Quiet on the Western Front is probably this year’s Parasite, being the second most nominated picture in 2023. But couldn’t Argentina, 1985 be this year’s Central Station (Brazil)? It is the third Argentinian film nominated for the Oscar in which Ricardo Darín plays a leading role. The historical film talks about one of Argentina’s most tense periods and portrays the person responsible for gathering evidence against some of the most powerful people in the country. And even with this weight on his shoulders, Darín provided a subtle acting, showing all of the character’s issues, fears and imperfections.
Category: Best International Feature Film
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video
- AFTERSUN
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Missing women in the Directing category? Well, Charlotte Wells could have been nominated with her first picture, the sensitive Aftersun. After two years of women winning the Directing category at the Oscar (Jane Campion for The Power of The Dog in 2022 and Chloe Zhao for Nomadland in 2021), there was hope that the Academy learned to value female directors leading a project – which didn’t happen in 2023.
Although the movie scored 96% of approval on Rotten Tomatoes, although Charlotte Wells auditioned over 800 girls for Sophie’s role and although she did an amazing job directing debutant 12-year-old actress Frankie Corio, it didn’t seem enough for the Academy.
Category: Best Actor (Paul Mescal)
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play
- THE SEA BEAST
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With a story already well known, The Sea Beast impresses with its character construction, the relationship between Maisie and Jacob Holland and how they find in each other parts of them that were missing. Sometimes, animated feature films can be overlooked, but just as Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, The Sea Beast is hidden gold in Netflix’s catalog. Furthermore, the Soundtrack composed by Mark Mancina – nominated for Tony, Grammy and Annie Awards – dialogues with the emotions transmitted throughout the story, and is an indispensable element of the emotion of the feature.
Category: Best Animated Feature Film
Watch on: Netflix
Hope you enjoyed getting to know more about these Oscar nominated movies and add them to your must watchlist! Which one will you start with?
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The article above was edited by Amanda Moraes.
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