The five must-see films this Oscars season
Film critic Matt Toomey (Bachelor of Commerce ’98) shares his take on the must-see movies this awards season.
It was an autumn evening in 1995. I had a first-year uni exam the next day and was woefully underprepared. Instead of doing the right thing and studying, I went with a few friends to the Schonell Theatre to see a little-known film which had picked up a few Academy Award nominations. I can’t remember how the exam went, but I still remember the film to this day – The Shawshank Redemption.
My love for movies began around that time, and my dad helped land me a part-time job in a video store. One year later, I entered a national ‘Pick the Oscars’ competition in Who Weekly magazine. I scored 10 out of 10 thanks to Braveheart and won a shiny gold card providing free movies at my local cinema for a year. You can imagine how valuable that was to a cash-strapped 18-year-old. I’ve followed the Academy Awards with keen interest ever since.
Times change, and so too have the Oscars. Having received much-deserved criticism for a lack of diversity, slow steps have been made in recent years thanks to a broadening membership base.
In 2018, Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) was the first woman to ever be nominated for best cinematography. In 2020, Parasite became the first non-English language film to win best picture. In 2021, a record nine actors of colour received nominations amongst the four acting categories.
The changing nature of cinema has also seen an evolution in the Academy’s choices. Sequels, spin-offs, reboots and remakes now dominate the box-office.
Rather than honour these financially successful films, Academy members have chosen to shine the spotlight on smaller, more critically acclaimed movies. Some of them are skipping theatres completely and going direct to streaming platforms. The last best picture winner to make the top-10 at the American box-office was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King back in 2003.
Nominations were recently announced for this year’s Oscars with the in-person ceremony to be held in Los Angeles on Sunday 27 March 2022.
If you haven’t been following the award season closely and are looking for a few great movies to watch, here are five worthy recommendations.
The 5 must-see films this Oscars season
1. The Power of the Dog
The Power of the Dog (currently on Netflix) is a Western set in Montana, 1925 and revolves around two brothers. One is softly spoken and recently married, while the other is a domineering figure with a chip on his shoulder. It’s an interesting, performance-driven character study from New Zealand director Jane Campion (The Piano). The more you reflect on it, the more you’ll like it. This film received the most nominations (12 in total) and is a near-certainty to take home the best picture prize.
2. West Side Story
West Side Story (on Disney Plus from March 2) is my personal favourite of this year’s 10 best picture nominees. It’s an invigorating remake of the successful stage musical (and 1961 film) from acclaimed director Stephen Spielberg. The amazing cast, the quality production values and the iconic music make it a movie to remember. The brilliant Ariana DeBose will most likely win the Oscar for best supporting actress.
3. Flee
Flee (currently in cinemas) is the first movie in history to be nominated for best international feature, best animated feature and best documentary feature. A strange combination, right? It’s the story of a boy who fled war torn Afghanistan with his family in the early 1990s in search of a new home and a new future. Blending different styles of animation, it’s an incredibly moving Danish film that highlights the emotional scars forever carried by refugees.
4. Drive My Car
Drive My Car (currently in cinemas) is one of this year’s biggest surprises and is the first Japanese movie to be nominated for best picture. The simple title masks its complexity. Strap yourself in for an epic three-hour drama about an acclaimed theatre actor staging an unorthodox production of Anton Chekhov’s classic play, Uncle Vanya. Filled with thought-provoking characters doing strange things, there’s much to digest.
5. CODA
CODA (currently on Apple TV) is the story of a high-school teenager who is the only member of her immediately family with the ability to hear. Now at an age where she wants more freedom, she’s finding it hard to gain independence given the continual help she must provide to her deaf parents and their struggling fishing business. If you’re a sucker for heart-warming, feel-good tales, CODA is the pick of this year’s nominees. Troy Kotsur, who plays the father, just became the first deaf man to be nominated for an acting Oscar (and he’s an outside chance of winning too).
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