The 91st Academy Awards will air on Sunday 24 February, and a few films have already been making waves and winning big at earlier award shows. 

Want to be up to date when the most famous night in the film industry takes place?  

Here are the films you should watch before the Oscars.  

The Favourite 

Image via The Atlantic

It is the 18th century and England is at war with France. Frail Queen Anne’s companion, Lady Sarah cares for her and governs the country in her stead. When new servant Abigail arrives, Lady Sarah takes her under her wing, and Abigail sees the opportunity to reclaim her aristocratic roots. With Lady Sarah occupied by the war, Abigail steps in to take care of the queen, and her growing ambition becomes unshakeable.  

Nominated for:  

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actress (Olivia Coleman). 
• Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone). 
• Director (Yorgos Lanthimos). 
• Original Screenplay. 
• Cinematography. 
• Film Editing. 
• Production Design. 
• Costume Design. 

Blackkklansman 

Image via The New York Times

In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth joins the Colorado Springs Police Department as its first African-American detective. Stallworth decides to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan with help from his Jewish colleague, Flip Zimmerman. With Stallworth calling the shots while Zimmerman goes undercover, they attempt to take down the United States’ most prominent extremist hate group. Based on a true story, Blackkklansman uses history to shine a light on disturbing events in contemporary America.  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Supporting Actor (Adam Driver). 
• Director (Spike Lee). 
• Adapted Screenplay. 
• Film Editing. 
• Original Score. 

Vice 

Image via Spin

Adam McKay’s Vice follows American bureaucrat Dick Cheney, shining a light on how he came to wield immense power as George W Bush’s Vice-President (2001 to 2009).  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actor (Christian Bale). 
• Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell). 
• Supporting Actress (Amy Adams). 
• Director (Adam McKay). 
• Original Screenplay. 
• Film Editing. 
• Makeup and Hair. 

Roma 

Image via The Irish Times

Roma follows Cleo, the domestic worker for a Mexico City family living in the middle-class Roma neighbourhood. Set amidst the political turmoil of the 1970s, the film draws on director Alfonso Cuarón’s childhood to deal with issues of social hierarchy and domestic strife.  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actress (Yalitza Aparicio). 
• Supporting Actress (Marina de Tavira). 
• Director (Alfonso Cuarón). 
• Original Screenplay. 
• Cinematography. 
• Best Foreign Language Film. 
• Sound Editing. 
• Sound Mixing. 
• Production Design. 

Black Panther 

Image via Vox

After his father’s death, Prince T’Challa returns to the fictional African nation of Wakanda to assume the throne and the role of Black Panther. When a challenger appears that threatens to use Wakanda’s technological resources to incite violence, T’Challa must rally his allies to secure both Wakanda and the world’s safety.  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Sound Editing. 
• Sound Mixing. 
• Production Design. 
• Original Song (All the Stars). 
• Costume Design. 

Bohemian Rhapsody 

Image via Variety

Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of legendary 70s rock band Queen and its front-man Freddie Mercury, culminating in their famous 1985 performance at Live Aid.  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actor (Rami Malek). 
• Film Editing. 
• Sound Editing. 
• Sound Mixing. 

Green Book 

Image via Vanity Fair

World-class African-American musician Don Shirley hires Italian-American bouncer Tony Lip to be his bodyguard on a concert tour of the Deep South. Confronted with racism and danger, the two must set aside their differences to survive their journey.   

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actor (Viggo Mortensen). 
• Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali). 
• Original Screenplay. 
• Film Editing. 

A Star is Born 

Image via NME

Struggling singer-songwriter Ally is discovered by country superstar Jackson Maine, and the two artists fall in love. As Ally’s career skyrockets, Jackson’s internal demons and addiction to alcohol worsen, and their relationship begins to unravel. Bradley Cooper’s 2018 reimagining is the fourth version of this classic story about lost love and the perils of fame.  

Nominated for: 

• Best Picture. 
• Lead Actor (Bradley Cooper). 
• Lead Actress (Lady Gaga). 
• Supporting Actor (Sam Elliott). 
• Adapted Screenplay. 
• Cinematography. 
• Sound Mixing. 
• Original Song (Shallow). 

If Beale Street Could Talk 

Image via Slash Film

Childhood friends Tish and Fonny are deeply in love, but their dreams of a future together are derailed when Fonny is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Based on James Balwin’s 1974 book of the same name, the film looks at enduring love in the context of a racially biased world.  

Nominated for: 

• Supporting Actress (Regina King). 
• Adapted Screenplay. 
• Original Score. 

There’s still time to tick these Oscar-nominated films off of your list. Go see them at your local cinema so you’ll be ready when the Academy Awards air live from Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre on 24 February.  

Sources: Variety, Entertainment Weekly, Golden Globes, Fox Searchlight, CNN Entertainment, Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb.