As we approach the 90th Academy Awards, there are a few movies that stood apart from the rest. The following are the top ten competitors in the 2018 film award season:
“The Shape of Water”
This film is the front runner of 2018’s Oscars with 13 nominations. Set in 1962 Baltimore, this mysterious drama follows the unique love between a mute janitor and a scaled creature thought to be a god by local villagers. This awards season, “The Shape of Water” has received over 20 award nominations and was awarded Best Picture and Best Score at the Critics’ Choice Awards and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score.
“Dunkirk”
“Dunkirk” is another front runner at this year’s Oscars with eight nominations. The all-star cast includes Tom Hardy, Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles. This amazing story has received a Critics’ Choice Award for editing and is also nominated for Best Picture along with Best Director at the 2018 Oscars.
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” received seven Oscar nominations. This film has already been awarded with four Golden Globes and three Critics’ Choice Awards. Frances McDormand was awarded two of the seven nominations, both for Best Actress.
“Darkest Hour”
This World War II drama received six Oscar nominations. This film explores the inner workings of those in power and has received multiple nominations. Gary Oldman has received two of them, a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award, both for Best Actor.
“Lady Bird”
This simple coming-of-age story received five Oscar nominations, making appearances in the categories of Best Picture and Best Director. The characters in this film experience all the ups and downs of senior year in high school. Lady Bird, played by Saoirse Ronan, goes through heartbreak, rough friendships and college applications while going through a rocky relationship with her mother. Ronan received a Golden Globe for her performance as Lady Bird.
“Get Out”
This film received four Oscar nominations and is up for Best Picture. In this thriller, directed by Jordan Peele, Daniel Kaluuya plays Chris, a black man going home to meet the parents of his white girlfriend, played by Allison Williams. Chris soon discovers a secret hiding behind the fake smiles of his girlfriends’ family and must find his way out. Peele broke records with this thriller, becoming the first black writer/director to have a $100 million film debut. Peele has also received an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
“Call Me By Your Name”
With four Oscar nominations, this adapted screenplay has sparked the interest of many. “Call Me by Your Name” is a summer love story set in 1983 Lombardy, Italy. The film follows the relationship that develops between 17-year-old Elio, played by Timothée Chalamet, and doctoral student Oliver, played by Armie Hammer. This awards season, “Call Me by Your Name” was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography at the Critics’ Choice Awards and received the Critics’ Choice award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
“Mudbound”
“Mudbound” is another film that has received four Oscar nominations. The film is about two men who return home to Mississippi to find it no different from when they left. They struggle to adjust to life after the war as racism is still brewing. The star-studded cast includes Mary J. Blige, Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund. “Mudbound” received a Satellite Award for Best Ensemble and 11 other nominations this season.
“I, Tonya”
This film made an appearance in three Oscar categories this year for telling the story of Tonya Harding, an ice skater thought to have conspired an incident that occurred involving a fellow skater. While the movie itself is not entirely based on true events, it is the way Harding herself has told the story. Margot Robbie’s performance as Tonya has been recognized many times this awards season and received an award for Best Actress in a Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards.
“The Post”
While “The Post” only received two Oscar nominations, it has truly stood out this awards season with almost 20 nominations in total. Steven Spielberg directed this drama about Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, played by Meryl Streep, and Post editor Ben Bradlee, played by Tom Hanks, teaming up to expose the government’s Vietnam War plans in the Pentagon Papers. “The Post” is one of the nine films nominated for Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars.
