Logging Each of the Oscar-nominated Films I've Seen by Year!
(2018)
Screened:
(will update as I screen more nominees)
Animal Behaviour - Amusing if overlong Animated Short nominee posits animals in the roles of humans in a group therapy session.
At Eternity's Gate - Julian Schnabel directed Willem Dafoe to his fourth nomination for this typically expressionistic portrait of Vincent van Gogh.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - Netflix-backed Western anthology from the Coen Brothers received 3 well-earned nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay for the directing duo.
BlacKkKlansman - Spike Lee's biggest Oscar play yet in his 30+ year career, receiving his first nomination as a director.
Black Panther - Marvel's Oscar success here is a momentous occasion outside of its genre roots, crafting a savvy, formally intelligent blockbuster that has genuine cultural relevance.
Black Sheep - Vivid documentary short about a black londoner recounting his personal experiences living in a racist neighborhood proceeding the murder of Damilola Taylor.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Controversial Freddie Mercury biopic plagued by production drama eventually became an unexpected awards magnet, particularly for its star, Rami Malek.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? - Marielle Heller's follow-up to Diary of a Teenage Girl scored acting nominations for on-screen besties Melissa McCarthy (2nd nomination!) and Richard E. Grant (1st nomination!).
Cold War - Pawel Pawlikowski is the only director nominated in this year's Best Director lineup whose film was not Best Picture nominated, a rarity in the expanded nominee era.
End Game - Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, heroic documentarians behind Celluloid Closet and Times of Harvey Milk, return with this survey of medical professionals and patients coming to terms with end-of-life options.
Fauve - Canadian-produced short feature follows two rabble-rousing young boys as they trek through an open pit mine, leading to a grim outcome.
The Favourite - Yorgos Lanthimos has gradually become an Oscar household name, scoring his first Best Director nomination after success with Dogtooth and The Lobster.
First Man - Damien Chazelle's dazzlingly constructed fourth feature was by no means the Oscar juggernaut its predecessor was, but had a respectable showing with four nominations.
First Reformed - At once a Best Actor contender for Ethan Hawke, Paul Schrader's writing was the only nomination for this patiently insinuating parable of personal, spiritual, and environmental mortality.
Free Solo - Documentary follows thrill-seeking rock climber Alex Honnold in his attempts to free solo climb the daunting El Capitan.
Green Book - Has managed to sustain its awards momentum ever since taking the top prize at Toronto, receiving five nominations despite criticisms of the film's perspective on race relations.
If Beale Street Could Talk - By far the best movie to receive a nomination in any category, Barry Jenkins' follow-up to Best Picture-winning Moonlight is an aching, rapturous adaptation of James Baldwin's novel.
Incredibles 2 - Much-awaited sequel to the 2004 Pixar hit scored yet another Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination for the company.
Isle of Dogs - Wes Anderson makes a successful return to stop-motion animation nine years after Fantastic Mr. Fox, scoring well-deserved nominations for Animation and Score.
Late Afternoon -Breathtakingly lovely hand-drawn animation and surprising emotional undertow earmark this short feature about an elderly woman cycling through her memories.
Mary Poppins Returns - One had hoped this would be the year where Emily Blunt scored her first acting nomination, but the film was successful in other areas, reaping four nominations.
Mary Queen of Scots - In a refreshing change of pace, Queen Anne managed to spark more enthusiasm than Queen Elizabeth did this season, though the Costume and Makeup branches were seemingly impressed.
A Night at the Garden - Tours a haunting seven minutes of the 1939 American Nazi rally that drew nearly 20,000 spectators and eerily reflects modern-day Trump rallies.
One Small Step - Sweet, warm, dialogue-free Animated Short nominee about a Chinese-American father and daughter, the latter of whom aspires to work for NASA.
Period. End of Sentence. - Women in a small rural community in India advocate for and manufacture high quality sanitary pads, despite the stigma around menstruation.
A Quiet Place - Another would-be nomination for Emily Blunt, John Krasinski's foray into horror managed only a single nomination for Sound Editing.
RBG - Modest but inspiring account of the life and career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is considered the front runner in this year's Best Documentary Feature category.
Ready Player One - Steven Spielberg's kinetic explosion of gaming and studio property was quite the CGI showcase and resulted in a nomination for Best Visual Effects.
Roma - Alfonso Cuarón is nominated as a director, writer, producer, and cinematographer for this semi-autobiographical snapshot of a specific time and place.
Shoplifters - Hirokazu Koreeda's Palme d'Or winning depiction of a makeshift family is a precisely calibrated and impeccably acted masterpiece.
Solo: A Star Wars Story - The second standalone entry into the Star Wars universe failed to excite critics and audiences, but still managed a nomination for Visual Effects.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Technically awe-inspiring, universally beloved Spidey toon broke ground with its innovative use of animation, resulting in a Best Animated Feature nomination.
A Star is Born - Bradley Cooper is as acute, complex, and impactful behind the camera as he is in front, directing himself and Lady Gaga to acting nominations.
Vice - Adam McKay returns with more brazen political commentary after The Big Short, scoring his second nomination as a director for this Dick Cheney biopic.
Weekends - Structured on a series of repetitions and contains no dialogue, much like One Small Step, centering on a young boy with divorced, somewhat neglectful parents (unlike One Small Step).
The Wife - Glenn Close received her seventh nomination in this slow-burn marital profile/character study and could potentially nab her first win.
Have Yet to See:
Bao -
Border -
Capernaum -
Detainment -
Hale County This Morning, This Evening -
Lifeboat -
Madre -
Marguerite -
Minding the Gap -
Mirai -
Never Look Away -
Of Fathers and Sons -
Ralph Breaks the Internet -
Skin -
