The Oscars are just days away, which means everyone is unleashing their inner critic and have started speculating about the winners and losers. Before you do, here are the five “must see” films before the Oscars on Sunday, February 26.
Moneyball
Earned six nominations, including best picture, best actor (Brad Pitt), best supporting actor (Jonah Hill) , and best adapted screenplay.
Based on the Michael Lewis best-seller, Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as Oakland A’s General Manager, Billy Beane, and his quest to turn the small-market (and low payroll) A’s into a winning team. Instead of using the usual baseball statistics, Beane and his staff went beyond the conventional wisdom to use different measures of player performance to put together a team. Yes, at its heart it’s a baseball film, but even non-baseball (or sports) fans can appreciate an underdog story.
The Help
Earned four nominations, including best picture, best actress (Viola Davis), and best supporting actress (Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer).
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past three years, you’ve likely heard of Kathryn Stockett’s NYT best-seller. The film adaptation does it justice, depicting Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s and its inhabitants, both well-to-do white families and their African-American maids. The story follows Skeeter, a recent college graduate, and Abilene and Minnie, the African-American maids of Skeeter’s friends, and their unlikely collaboration and friendship. The story weaves in themes of friendship, civil rights, and family. If you only see one film, make it this one.
The Artist
Leading with 11 nominations, including best picture, best director (Michel Hazanavicius), best actor (Jean Dujardin), best supporting actress (Berenice Bejo), and best original screenplay.
The buzz around this film is massive, probably because it’s a black and white, silent film. That’s right—silent (aside from the musical score). It takes place in Hollywood before the rise of “talkies” (movies WITH dialogue) and tells the story of George, a silent movie star, and Peppy, an aspiring actress, and the making of George’s last silent film. Even if you think you’d hate it, I’d suggest giving it a try. You might be surprised.
My Week With Marilyn
Earned two nominations, including best actress (Michelle Williams) and best actor (Kenneth Branagh).
The “Marilyn” in this movie is none other than Marilyn Monroe, played by Michelle Williams (she of Dawson’s Creek fame!). The “based-on reality” movie takes place in 1957 during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl, which Monroe starred with Sir Laurence Olivier. Monroe was a newlywed (this marriage was to Arthur Miller) and escapes for a week with Colin Clark, also the book’s author, who takes her on an adventure through England to help her forget her “Hollywood troubles.” Kenneth Branagh costars as Olivier and Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller. Marilyn Monroe is everywhere these days, so do yourself a favor and check this one out.
The Descendants
Earned five nominations, including best picture, best actor (George Clooney), best director (Alexander Payne), and best adapted screenplay.
In a surprisingly un-George Clooney role, George Clooney plays an unhappily married father of two put in charge of his family’s (quite sizable) trust. The main plot deals with Clooney’s unfaithful wife’s boating accident (she’s in a coma) and his task of putting her affairs in order. The B plot relies on the family trust, namely the plot of land the family is being pressured to sell. The movie is much bigger than just a family story—it deals with love and loss and when to let go. Clooney is tops, to be sure, but the real scene-stealers were the girls who played his daughters. A must-see, but be sure to bring extra tissues—it’s a tear-jerker.
Bonus: The Iron Lady
Who can resist Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher?
