Which Oscar Nominated Movies Are Worth The Watch?

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So you watched the Oscars. You watched as a room of white actors awkwardly questioned if they should laugh or remain silent at Chris Rock's constant references to race. You saw The Weeknd sing a song from the best worst movie of the year accompanied by someone doing aerial yoga in a sparkly suit. You were alerted to the fact that it is Girl Scout cookie season and that you should care more about climate change. And you were not at all surprised to see Leo win the Best Actor award.

Now after hours of seeing the same movies nominated and win, you are probably wondering which of these films are actually worth the watch. Here are just some of the movies that were honored during the 2016 Oscars and my recommendations for which you should actually see and which you can skip.

A personal favorite, Room is sweet, heartbreaking, dark and disturbing - all at the same time. It is the story of 5 year old Jack and his 'Ma" Joy who live in the toolshed of a man who kidnapped Joy when she was 17 years old. It shows their life confined in "Room" including the constant rape of Joy (though never actually shown on screen allowing for more focus on the mother/son relationship) and Joy's attempt to create a regular life for Jack in their own world. Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay give fantastic performances in this movie which is important to note as much of it is just them two in a room. I would even go as far as to say that Jacob outshines Brie but won't dwell too much on that as Brie definitely deserved her Best Actress win. If you are ever looking for a waste of time - YouTube videos of interviews with Jacob - he is adorable. 

Verdict: The premise might not seem like something you'd want to see but you should totally see it. 

The movie that could also be called "Science IS Cool, Kids!" The Martian is good which you probably know by now. Based on that book that you and your dad have been reading, the Martian is the story of an astronaut left on Mars after he was presumed dead. It shows his attempt to survive and the struggle to rescue him. Starring Matt Damon, always a crowd pleaser, and other famous faces - waddup Kristin Wiig - the Martian is the type of movie that all members of your family can agree to watch together and will be satisfied with the choice.

Verdict: If you are looking for a RedBox flick - always a good choice. Not a movie to obsess over but still solid. I could say see it or skip it - your choice.

Spotlight is the type of movie that is powerful and entertaining on its own and then depressing when you realize that it's true. It's the story of the team of journalists who investigated the child sexual abuse by Boston Catholic priests and the systematic cover ups of these cases. Winner of Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture, the story is well told and keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting the team to uncover more. Every member of the cast is great, even if Mark Ruffalo's mouth is really strange in this - perhaps a character choice? Spotlight is a great and important  movie that brings attention to an ongoing problem. It was the movie I was rooting for Best Picture and I was raised Catholic. 

Verdict: Yes. Watch it. It is a very well-deserved Best Picture win. 

Considering that the real life conditions filming this movie were intense and harsh, I would encourage people to see it just to make it worth it for the cast and crew - please don't tell me that Bill Weasley was freezing out there in Canada for nothing. With all of that said, the Revenant is an intense story of a man who is forced to survive after being left for dead by his own team. It's a movie not for the faint of heart or those who are easily prone to panic attacks. The use of natural lighting gives it a unique and authentic wilderness look which is a signature movie look by this Best Director winner. Even the bear attack scene was deceptively realistic which may cause you to question if there is actually a dead stunt double somewhere (perhaps Spotlight should be on this case?) The acting in this movie is great which was made evident with a nomination for the always hot and incomprehensible Tom Hardy and a predictable win by Leonardo DiCaprio. Was Leo's performance in this truly the most Oscarworthy? Not really, but his category was pretty tame so let's just say that this Oscar was for ALL of our favorite Leo's (I like to pretend that he just won for Romeo + Juliet.)

Verdict: See it but only if you can put up with intense movies and only if you see it on a big screen in a theater. This doesn't seem like a very good laptop movie. 

The Danish Girl is visually beautiful with fantastic acting especially Alicia Vikander who won Best Supporting Actress. I would also boldly say that Redmayne's performance was stronger for Best Actor than Leo's but that's just me causing drama. It's the story of artists Gerda Wegners and Lili Elbe - the first known person to undergo gender reassignment surgery. The story is more than just a transgender awareness movie, it is at the most basic level a love story even if not in the traditional sense. It depicts the struggle of accepting Lili as Einar's true identity and the support of Gerda even as she loses her husband. Though the message is endearing, the Danish Girl dragged on spending little time on actual character development and the early emergence of Lili which could be more interesting than what is in the movie. But for Redmayne fans - you do get to see him nude so even though it's not in the way you probably hoped, considering that his next film is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - I doubt another opportunity is coming soon so take it in. 

Verdict: Reluctantly I would say skip it unless you are really interested in Lili Elbe or a split second of Eddie Redmayne's junk. 

Brooklyn is extremely sweet, romantic and beautiful. It's the story of Eilis a young Irish immigrant who moves to New York and falls in love but then finds herself having to choose between life back in Ireland and life in Brooklyn. It's the type of film that is relatable on some level whether it be dealing with homesickness, having to adjust to a new life, falling in love for the first time etc. Saorise Ronan is perfect in her first role as a lead which was timely because I've finally been able to get over my weirdly strong hatred for her character in Atonement. Even the men in this movie - adorable Emory Cohen and Bill Weasley himself Domhnall Gleeson (made it out of the harsh conditions of Revenant alive I see. Phew) play quality heartthrobs making the choice between the two men and the two lives not so clear cut and predictable. Brooklyn is the type of movie that you leave thinking "Well that was a delight!"

Verdict: If you have a heart, see it!

The movie that consists of mainly stares and fur coats - Carol is the story of two women who become romantically involved despite the older of the two (Blanchett) being married to a man who she doesn’t love (ugh classic marriage). Blanchett and Rooney Mara (who I have a strange obsession with btws) give solid performances which they were both nominated for though neither won. Carol had the potential to be a powerful story but totally missed the mark for me. I'm a sucker for a love story especially one that is taboo but I dozed off at one point during this one so that should tell you something. 

Verdict: Skip It.