The 90th annual Oscar award ceremony premieres on March 4th. Tiffany Haddish and Andy Serkis flamboyantly announced the nominees this past week. Here is a quick rundown of a few of the films, in case you need some water-cooler talk in the coming weeks.
The Best Picture Nominees are:
Call Me By Your Name
This is the cutest (and only?) gay, Italian, 1980’s film ever made. Timothée Chalamet stars as child prodigy Elio (he is supposed to be 17!), who flawlessly converts between multiple languages (English, Italian and French), while playing and writing elaborate piano pieces in his parent’s fruit orchard mansion in a small town in northern Italy. The entire setting is incredibly picturesque. Meanwhile, Armie Hammer shows up as a confident, American college student who happens to love dancing and has the body of a Greek God. The entire town is love with Hammer’s Oliver. However, the seemingly unlikely pair hit it off and no one ever mentions their striking age gap, but it doesn’t even matter because they are so cute! Right? Anyways, this coming of age film is so important in its lessons of acceptance and lost loves. Also, that soundtrack though….
Get Out
Jordan Peele’s dramatic thriller came out of nowhere! Peele went straight from Key and Peele’s Keanu to this modern, racially-charged Stepford Wives production. Much to the surprise of audiences and critics alike, Get Out was one of the best films of the entire year. Daniel Kaluuya, from Black Mirror, stars as the lead in this shocking and unexpected film from early last year. It’s hard not to give any spoilers away, just be sure to watch this culturally important film.
The Shape of Water
Another strange and unexpected hit! Did you know that director Guillermo Del Toro also directed both Pacific Rim movies? Sally Hawkins stars as the mute Elisa Esposito who falls for a (surprisingly hot) fish man. The concept is strange, no doubt, but the final product is so well put together and is any film fan’s cinematic dream. Further, the film is comparable to 1984’s Splash or even Beauty and the Beast, but with more depth and attention to detail.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Martin McDonagh’s third feature film has received mixed reviews. It might not be his best film ever, but this timely narrative is worth all of it’s praise. The film was also nominated for Best Screenplay, but McDonagh himself was snubbed for Best Director. Additionally, Sam Rockwell and Frances McDormand play the title characters in this hilarious, offbeat, black comedy about a struggling, yet strong-willed mother’s quest for revenge.
You can check out the full list of nominees on Variety’s website here. An additional fun fact: actor Michael Stuhlbarg stars in The Post, The Shape of Water and Call Me By Your Name.
Cover Photo by Kilyan Sockalingum on Unsplash.
Gifs via Giphy.