An older couple’s love is tested when their daughter has a stroke that leaves her paralyzed on one side of her body.
See if: You enjoy the beauty of the French language.
Skip if: You don’t like subtitles.
Argo:
Ben Affleck directs and stars in this thrilling film based on a real CIA mission to rescue American diplomats during the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1980. The beginning of the film will make you laugh, and the end will have you biting your nails on the edge of your seat.
Fun Fact: Until Bill Clinton’s declassification of the mission in 1997, all credit for the rescue was given to the Canadians, in order to protect the identity of CIA agents working undercover.
As her father’s health fades and a treacherous storm approaches their Southern Louisiana bayou community, six-year-old Hushpuppy goes in search of her mother, exhibiting some serious courage along the way.
Fun Fact: Actress Quvenzhané Wallis, at ten years old, is the youngest actor or actress to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Jamie Foxx sets out to rescue his wife from slavery with the help of bounty hunter Christopher Waltz. Gory and bloody, the film also has sentimental moments.
See if: You don’t mind taking a peek at Leonardo DiCaprio.
Skip if: You don’t like gory movies. (You could just cover your eyes.)
An all-star cast — Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfriend and Russell Crowe — performs in this adaptation of the story of the French Revolution.
Fun Fact: The stars actually sang live on set during the filming, rather than lip-synching to a pre-recorded track.
Reason to see it: Even with a dislike of musicals, viewers have been able to appreciate the beauty of this one.
Reason to skip: The movie is long, clocking in at 158 minutes.
This film is based on the novel by Yann Martel about an Indian boy who, after his family’s carrier boat is shipwrecked, is left on a small lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.
Reason to see it: The film was directed by Ang Lee, who also directed Courching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain, and Sense and Sensibility, all of which were nominated for Academy Awards.
Skip if: You haven’t read the book.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film portrays Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, in his struggle to pass the 13th amendment.
Heads Up: The film is great for history buffs, or those looking to hear the story about the passage of the famous 13th amendment. At 150 minutes, this is the only story that Lincoln tells, excluding details of his assassination, which many may have expected to see.
Categorized as a romance, a drama, and a comedy, you may feel unsure about your own emotions when it’s over. In my opinion, the best part is Robert De Niro’s reminder at the end: we all might be a little crazy.
See if: You like a little romantic dramedy.
Skip if: Clichés piss you off.
Another long Oscar film, but epic nonetheless. Though the ending is not as satisfactory as some may have expected, the saga of one woman’s mission to find Osama bin Laden is emotional and jarring.
Heads Up: The first scene is upsetting, and the entire beginning of the film exposes viewers to the brutality of some CIA agents assigned to the mission.