The Oscars award show was full of triumphs, surprises, and disappointment. Of course, not every film can be nominated for and receive an Oscar. However, there are some films that I watched last year that I thought were excellent which did not receive Oscar nominations.
1. Crazy Rich Asians
This was one of my favorite films I saw last year. This is a romantic comedy featuring an all-Asian cast. Based on a book of the same name, it follows the story of Rachel Chu who accompanies her boyfriend, Nick, to his friend’s wedding in Singapore, where she learns that Nick’s family is rich. The film follows Rachel’s struggle to be accepted by Nick’s traditional and boisterous family.
This is one of those romantic comedies that will make you laugh, cry, and feel everything in between. Definitely have some tissues ready, but it is a truly excellent film, especially for improving diversity in the film industry.
2. Incredibles 2
This film was nominated for an Oscar. It was highly anticipated, especially by people who grew up watching the first film. I enjoyed seeing Helen take a more active role in her work life and see Bob take on the role of at-home dad. This is a great kid-friendly film, but young adults and adults will enjoy it as well. However, I must warn that those who are prone to seizures should not watch the film or at least skip over the seizure-inducing scenes when the film is available to stream.
3. Deadpool 2
This film was also not nominated for an Oscar. I did not expect this to be, as this is mostly just a movie that continued the life of Deadpool in the first movie. There is nothing particularly “Oscar-worthy” in this film, but it is certainly a fun action film to watch. I really enjoyed that this film had an additional plot and was not just an origin story like the first film. Ryan Reynolds is fantastic in this role, and Marvel always puts out enjoyable content.
4. Avengers: Infinity War
This film was actually nominated for an Oscar for best special effects. First-Man won the Oscar in this category. I did not see First-Man, but this is certainly a category that a Marvel superhero movie is worthy of winning, as they always have high-quality special effects. I enjoyed seeing the Avengers from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe come together to plot to defeat Thanos.
5. Love, Simon
This was another one of my favorite films that I watched last year. This is another teen romantic comedy kind of film that studios seem to be pushing. It is based off the book titled Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda. I did read the book before watching the film, and thought that this adaptation aligned with the core story. The film follows a senior in high school names Simon who is secretly gay. He sees a post from someone else in his school on a blog site that they are gay as well and he starts an email exchange. Throughout the film, Simon tires to figure out who this mysterious boy is who goes by the alias “Blue.”
This is another film that might require tissues. Overall, it is an extremely heartwarming and feel-good story about a boy coming to term with his sexuality.
Now, go grab some popcorn and get watching!