The Oscars are just around the corner, and this year's ceremony is celebrating tons of exciting movies. If you haven't taken many trips to the theater over the past year, you will want to check out these movies to watch before the 2018 Oscars, because even though a lot of films are nominated for the different categories, these 22 are probably the most important contenders. That is, if you're going by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' opinions. Plenty of great movies, from Wonder Woman to Girls Trip, were snubbed for Oscar nominations.
While the snubs seem worthy of the online backlash that commenced, a lot of the movies that did receive Oscar nominations have definitely earned them. Take Get Out, for instance. Jordan Peele's satirical horror movie is unlike any of the other Oscar-nominated films this year, and that makes its multiple nominations especially exciting. If you haven't seen it yet, you probably will feel left out during the Oscars on March 4, and the same goes for all the other movies on this list.
One of the most exciting parts of the Oscars is actually knowing which movies you want to win, and genuinely rooting for them. While the 2017 Oscars were wild, with the incorrect awarding of Best Picture at the very end, the 2018 are bound to be equally exciting. Make sure to catch up on all these movies so you know exactly which awards have the most on the line this time around.
1'Get Out'
With nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, you might as well rename the Oscars the "Get Out Awards" (co-producer: Marcei Brown).
2'Darkest Hour'
Darkest Hour (producer: Lisa Bruce) is nominated for Best Picture, and many are speculating that it's a front-runner to win the coveted award. You won't want to miss out on the Winston Churchill biopic.
3'The Post'
It's the movie that got Meryl Streep her 21st Academy Award nomination, which helped her break her own record as the most-nominated actor, according to Insider. It's a must-watch before the big awards show.
4'The Shape Of Water'
The Shape Of Water (executive producer: Liz Sayre) isn't only nominated for Best Picture, but it also earned its stars Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer nominations for Best Actress in leading and supporting roles, respectively. It's basically the creepier version of Beauty and the Beast, so you should probably check it out.
5'Lady Bird'
Besides perfectly capturing the essence of coming of age in the early 2000s, Lady Bird became the fourth movie ever to have its female director nominated for Best Director at the Oscars. March 4 will be a big night for Greta Gerwig, and all female directors for that matter.
6'Coco'
If you need a break from the dramatic Best Picture nominations, you might find that with Coco (producer: Darla K. Anderson). However, the sweet movie has some incredibly sentimental parts, so don't expect it to be a purely comedic relief.
7'Mudbound'
It's not nominated for Best Picture, but Mudbound earned its cinematographer Rachel Morrison a nomination for her work on the Netflix film. Morrison is the first woman ever nominated for Best Cinematography, too, so it's an exciting feat.
8'Call Me By Your Name'
You've probably heard a lot about the movie's breakout star, Timothée Chalamet lately. That's largely because the actor is nominated for Best Actor for his role in Call Me By Your Name (executive producer: Naima Abed), which was also nominated for Best Picture.
9'Strong Island'
Yance Ford's Netflix film (producer: Joslyn Barnes) is nominated for Best Documentary Feature. It tells the important story of the filmmaker's brother's tragic murder, and it's a must-watch.
10'The Big Sick'
Nominated for Best Original Screenplay, The Big Sick (writing: Emily V. Gordon) might be one of the most realistic modern rom-coms ever. It's pretty rare to see a comedy nominated at the Oscars, too, but once you see it you'll understand.
11'Roman J. Israel, Esq.'
Denzel Washington stars in this crime drama, and he snagged a Best Actor nomination for the part, unsurprisingly.
12'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'
As a Best Picture-nominated film, you won't want to miss Three Billboards (executive producer: Rose Garnet).
13'Phantom Thread'
Daniel Day-Lewis charms as an obsessive dress designer in this Best Picture-nominated movie (producer: JoAnne Sellar).
14'I, Tonya'
Margot Robbie stunned audiences in her portrayal of Tonya Harding. The performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and you will probably be rooting for her after you see I, Tonya.
15'The Florida Project'
This visually stunning movie tells the story from a kid's perspective, and it earned Willem Dafoe a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars.
16'Victoria & Abdul'
It's not nominated for the biggest awards, but Victoria & Abdul (costume designer: Consolata Boyle) is nominated for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup & Hairstyling. Plus, Dame Judi Dench rules in it, literally.
17'Dunkirk'
Of course, you want to see Dunkirk (producer: Emma Thomas) because Harry Styles stars in it, but it also could win a few major awards at the Oscars, like Best Picture or Best Director.
18'The Boss Baby'
The Boss Baby (associate producer: Rebecca Huntley) isn't quite your average Oscar-nominated movie, but that's exactly what makes it so fun. It's on Netflix, too, so it's easy to watch now.
19'All The Money In The World'
Almost more shocking than All the Money in the World's unbelievable true story is the fact that Christopher Plummer got an Oscar nomination for his role in the film. Plummer stepped in to replace Kevin Spacey late in the film's production, but even with short notice, he impressed audiences.
20'Molly's Game'
The Aaron Sorkin written and directed film is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.
21'Ferdinand'
You read and loved the story as a kid, and now the movie version is up for Best Animated Feature Film. It's a great excuse to watch the sweet animated movie.
22'Icarus'
Seeing as the 2018 Winter Olympics just swept the world, this Oscar-nominated documentary (executive producer: Linda Carlson) tells the story about the doping scandal behind the sporting event.
With this list, you should be ready to predict all the winners at the 2018 Oscars.
