5 Movies To Watch Before the 2018 Oscars

Get cosy, it’s time for a movie marathon…

Mark your calendar for the 90^th Academy Awards Ceremony on Sunday, 4 March at 5pm PST (or Monday, 5 March at 9am for us in Hong Kong). With so many buzz-worthy titles to catch up on, we’ve narrowed them down to our favourite five. Get your popcorn at the ready, snuggle up on the sofa, and keep reading for films you need to watch before the big night.

Read more: 5 New Shows to Watch on Netflix this February

Call Me By Your Name

Winning multiple nominations from the Oscars to the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, Call Me By Your Name will make you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Luca Guadagnino’s spellbinding romantic drama takes place in the idyllic Italian countryside in the 1980s where seventeen-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) meets visiting academic Oliver (Arnie Hammer) where the pair quickly dive headfirst into a heated summer romance. The much-anticipated film challenges the long-standing stereotype of one-dimensional gay characters, marking a hopeful step towards a more inclusive popular culture.

To be released in cinemas in Hong Kong on Thursday, 1 March 2018.

Lady Bird

A talented actress, writer, first-time director (and our #WomanCrush) all in one, Greta Gerwig is the fifth woman to ever obtain a Best Director nomination in all 90 years of Oscars history. Revolving around the tempestuous relationship between the rebellious high school senior Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoise Ronan) and her mother (Laurie Metcalf), Gerwig’s feminist directorial debut is a hilarious yet heartwarming coming-of-age drama that will have you laughing until your belly hurts. A steady favourite even amongst the toughest film critics, Lady Bird took home the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy last month and has been nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars.

To be released in cinemas in Hong Kong on Thursday, 22 February 2018.

Get Out

Interwoven with jump scares and sharp social commentary, Jordan Peele’s satire thriller is not one for the faint-hearted – though we can’t say enough good things about it! Drawing attention to modern-day racism, Get Out will have you laughing uneasily at the big screen while sending chills down your spine. The brilliant horror comedy follows young African American photographer, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) to a secluded suburb where he meets the parents of his liberal white girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) for the first time. Nominated for four Oscars, the film is contending for Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Original Screenplay.

Released in cinemas in Hong Kong on 18 May, 2017. DVD is available for purchase at HMV.

The Shape of Water

Sweeping up an impressive 13 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography), The Shape of Water is making waves with movie-goers around the world. Set against the backdrop of Cold War America, mute Elisa (Sally Hawkins) works as a janitor at a secret government laboratory where she encounters a captive amphibian man (Doug Jones) and falls in love with him. The unequivocally fascinating fable explores themes of empathy and social isolation whilst delivering an unparalleled visual experience.

Now playing at cinemas around town – released in Hong Kong on Thursday, 1 February 2018.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Written and directed by the critically acclaimed Oscar winner, Martin McDonagh, the standout dark comedy merges a cutting sense of black humour with an honest, wrenching performance by its star-studded cast. To seek justice for her violently murdered daughter, Mildred Hayes (Oscar winner Frances McDormand) commissions three provocative billboards holding police chief, William Willoughby (Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson) at blame for his incompetence in locating the culprit. Tension quickly escalates as second-in-command police officer, Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell) gets involved with the case.

Now playing at cinemas around town – released in Hong Kong on Thursday, 18 January 2018.