With its outstanding visual/sound effects, the war film “1917” transports the audience to the battlefield. The film was recognized for its cinematography at the Oscars where it won Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Cinematography. The man behind the film’s success is its director, Sam Mendes, who took many risks with “1917”. He successfully attempted the difficult feat of shooting the film to look as if it was all done in one take. This technique forms a bond between the audience and the soldiers as the audience feels a part of the continuous journey by following the characters’ every step. Although the movie’s visual effects were somewhat limited, they were so seamlessly blended into the film that there seems to be no difference between reality and what the computer generated. The audience’s immersion into the war setting was amplified by the authentic sounds of rifles firing and planes flying overhead. The large scale shots of the handmade trenches also added to the film’s authenticity. With the help of his grandfather’s war stories, Mendes was able to create a realistic portrayal of the battlefield in “1917” successfully. This film is a cinematic masterpiece and a must-watch on a big screen.

It shouldn’t be all that surprising that “Joker” made it into the Oscars. Anyone who watched the film knows that it is undebatably one of a kind. Although it’s yet another spinoff of DC’s most notorious villain, “Joker” goes completely off-script from the usual superhero/villain cinematic formula, adding ambiguity to a character who is often painted black and white. However, it was precisely because of the director Todd Philips’ choice to inject a touch of humanity to the villain that made the movie’s reception heavily polarizing. On the one hand, some praise its great insight into prominent issues such as mental health and social inequality, but there are plenty criticizing the gratuitous violence portrayed. Despite all the controversies, “Joker” was the most nominated film of this year’s Oscars with a total count of 11 nominations. Though it didn’t win Best Picture or Best Director, Joaquin Phoenix did go home with his first-ever Oscar for Best Actor. Phoenix had good competition, clashing against Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver, but it’s safe to say that his unparalleled performance as the “Clown Prince of Crime” locked down his Oscar win months before, when the movie debuted.

“The Irishman” is a Martin Scorsese film about, you guessed it, mobsters. “The Irishman” was one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and for the most part, it lived up to the hype. Deservingly, the movie was nominated for a plethora of awards, but it shockingly did not win a single Oscar. While the movie is enjoyable, it has some glaring issues. The movie’s three hour run time ruins the film’s tempo, and you can’t help but feel that at least 30 minutes of the movie could have been cut. Scorsese took a cinematic risk with the de-aging of the actors, spurring a hot debate among the audience on whether the effect was visually pleasing or not. “The Irishman” had a high chance of winning Best Supporting actor with both Joe Pesci and Al Pacino nominated for the award. Although both actors had excellent performances, Al Pacino stole the show with his portrayal of Jimmy Hoffa, a famous, corrupt union boss. In the end, Pacino lost to Brad Pitt who won Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”. Despite its lack of awards at the Oscars, “The Irishman” is definitely a film worth watching.

The name may suggest otherwise, but “Marriage Story” tells of a grueling and painful divorce in which a seemingly simple separation quickly escalates into an ugly custody battle. The movie illuminates the convoluted divorce system in America and the somewhat dirty business of divorce lawyers.The film was by far the dark horse in this year‘s Oscar race. It has a star-studded cast with Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Laura Dern, all of whom were nominated for an Oscar. However, only Laura Dern ended up winning her nomination for Best Supporting Actress, while Adam Driver lost to Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlet Johansson to Renée Zellweger. Nonetheless, the movie is beyond doubt worth watching, especially given the praised realistic dialogue written by its director Noah Baumbach. Baumbach’s screenplay, in combination with the phenomenal cast, created the spontaneous flow of the story. Although nominated for Best Director, Baumbach eventually lost to Bong Joon-ho, who directed this year’s ultimate winner “Parasite” The South-Korean film surprised everyone when it won not only Best Screenplay, but also Best Director, Best International Film, and Best Picture. Although “Marriage Story” only managed to win one Oscar, the film unravels the lesser-known aspect of the divorce system, which can be a shock or even appalling to the audience. It provides an accurate portrayal of a marriage—or rather, the aftermath of one.