By Liam Bouza
On Feb. 8, the nominees were announced for the 94th Annual Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars. Winners of all awards will be announced on March 27, when the show will be streamed live on ABC and through various other streaming services. With the many captivating films that have been released, the award for Best Picture has 10 nominees, which film lovers can read all about below.
Belfast
This coming-of-age film features Jamie Dornan and takes place during the tumultuous late 1960s in Northern Ireland. The film follows the struggle of a workingclass family to face the dangers of their neighborhood.
CODA
This film follows the only hearing person in a deaf family in Massachusetts. At 17 years old, Ruby works mornings before school to help her family’s fishing business stay afloat. After joining her high school’s choir club, Ruby discovers a desire to pursue her intrinsic interest in singing.
Don’t Look Up
In this comedy starring Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Meryl Streep, astronomy professor Dr. Randall Mindy and graduate student Kate Dibiasky discover a comet heading straight for Earth. The pair take a media tour to spread the word, resulting in a hilariously challenging six months before the comet makes an impact.
Drive My Car
This Japanese film follows Yūsuke Kafuku, an actor and director played by Hidetoshi Nishijima, who goes through the stages of grief after losing his wife. When Kafuku receives an offer to direct a play at a theatre festival, he makes the drive over to Hiroshima for a new adventure.
Dune
Paul Atreides, a brilliant young man born into an extraordinary destiny, travels to the most perilous planet known to mankind to save his people. As malevolent forces conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the world’s most valuable resource, only the people who can conquer their own fears will survive.
King Richard
Starring Will Smith as Richard Williams, this film portrays the life of Venus and Serena Williams in their tennis career. Training on tennis courts in Compton, California, Richard Williams and his daughters defy insurmountable odds.
Licorice Pizza
This romantic comedy features Alana Haim and Bradley Cooper. Set in 1973, the film follows the journey of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine as they grow up and experience love for the first time.
Nightmare Alley
This Guillermo del Toro film features Cate Blanchett and Willem Dafoe. Set in 1940s New York, the movie follows Stanton Carlisle as he makes a living by scamming the elite. He devises a scheme to con a perilous tycoon with assistance from an inscrutable psychiatrist who may become his rival.
The Power of the Dog
This western romance and drama features an overbearing rancher by the name of Phil Burbank who reacts with ridiculing cruelty when his brother returns home with a new wife and her child, until something unpredicted happens.
West Side Story
In Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the 1957 musical, we see actors such as Ansel Elgort and Rita Moreno. Love at first sight strikes when Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their blossoming romance fuels the fire between the fighting Jets and Sharks—two adversary groups competing for control of the streets.
Out of all these amazing films, I could only pinpoint my top three. I think number three would have to be “Don’t Look Up,” the film that contains a lot of Hollywood stars and keeps increasing with popularity.
For second place, I think “King Richard” takes the poll. This film has great ratings from both critics and fans to pull the win.
However, my first-place pick is “The Power of the Dog.” This is the Netflix film that the internet claims has the most chances of winning, and I must agree. This is Benedict Cumberbatch like we’ve never seen him before. We also haven’t had a good western film in a while, especially not one recognized by the Academy.
No matter who wins, movie fans everywhere are holding our breath and hoping for the best.
