The biggest honour in the world of cinema is the Academy Awards and with the 95th Oscar award ceremony about to take place in just a few days it’s all that everyone’s talking about. These awards are a tribute to the art and craft of cinema and provide them with an unmatched recognition.
The following is a list of some Oscar winning films that you can catch up on to brush up your memory:
The Godfather
This one needs no introduction and is an absolute cult classic. ‘The Godfather’ is a legendary American crime drama film by Francis Ford Coppola and is based on the best-selling Mario Puzo novel of the same name. First in the trilogy, the film follows Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), head of the Corleone family from 1945 to 1955 and how after him his youngest son Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) transforms from from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss.
Streaming on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Rocky
This 1976 sports classic raked in 10 nominations and ultimately won three — including best picture and director. The film follows a small-time boxer who gets a chance to fight the world heavyweight champion and he blindly jumps into the ring in a bid to earn respect and glory. The iconic film, starring Sylvester Stallone, who has also penned the film’s screenplay, launched a franchise with four more parts.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Moonlight
This one’s among one of the most emotionally heart wrenching films to have won the Oscars. The Berry Jenkins’ directorial revolves around Chiron, a young African-American boy, who finds guidance in Juan, a drug dealer, who teaches him to carve his own path. As he grows up in Miami, Juan’s advice leaves a lasting impression on him.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq drama, The Hurt Locker was the first Best Picture Oscar winner directed by a woman. The war action drama follows a war-savvy vet Sergeant First Class (Jeremy Renner) as he heads up an explosive ordnance disposal team in Baghdad. But he is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
CODA
This recent Academy Award winning film won many hearts too for its amazing storyline. CODA by Sian Heder is about Ruby (Emilia Jones) who is the only hearing member of a deaf family from Gloucester, Massachusetts. At 17, she works mornings before school to help her parents and brother keep their fishing business afloat. But in joining her high school’s choir club, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner and her latent passion for singing.
Streaming on: Apple TV+
West Side Story
Let’s get musical with this second feature-length adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. Not to forget, the 1961 version by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins too had won the Best Picture Oscar award back then. This latest version by Steven Spielberg centres around Tony (Ansel Elgort), a young man affiliated with a Caucasian gang, who meets and falls in love with Maria (Rachel Zegler), the sister of a Puerto Rican gangster. As a result, they face many challenges in their quest to unite.
Steaming on: Disney+ Hotstar