5 Oscar 2021 nominated movies that you should watch

Award season is here and we could not be more excited! The 93rd Academy Awards will be held on April 25 at two locations - the Union Stadium in Downtown Los Angeles and the iconic Dolby Theatre.

This year’s Academy Award nominations have been praised for their much-needed inclusion of diversity. Nine out of 20 acting nominees were noted to be from ethnic minorities. Riz Ahmed emerged not only as the first actor of Pakistani descent to get a nomination for Sound Of Metal, but also the first Muslim nominee in the Best Actor category. For the first time in the history of the Academy Awards, two female directors - Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell - have been nominated in the Best Director category.

To ensure that you catch the Oscar nominated movies and performances of 2021, we’ve curated a list of five movies from this year’s nominations that will dazzle you.

Mank - Netflix

David Fincher’s biographical drama stars Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins and Tom Burke. Mank has secured 11 Academy Award nominations. The plot for the film revolves around Herman J Mankiewicz (Oldman) who is struggling to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane in 1930s Hollywood. Oldman’s performance as a man who is half is age makes Mank a must watch.

Sound of Metal - Amazon Prime Video

Nominated for six Academy Award categories, including Best Actor for Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal is a powerful drama which focuses on the emotions of a heavy-metal drummer who begins to lose his hearing. A heartbreaking tale, the movie also stars Olivia Cooke and Paul Raci in pivotal roles.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Netflix

A star studded cast, a political narrative and a plot that moves the audience - what more could one want in a movie? The Trial of the Chicago 7 that is directed by Aaron Sorkin is based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven anti-Vietnam war protestors who are charged with conspiracy and inciting riots. The Trial of the Chicago 7 stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Flaherty.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm - Amazon Prime Video

The second instalment in the Borat series, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is a mockumentary comedy film by Jason Woliner. In his directorial debut, Woliner has featured Sacha Baron Cohen as the titular character who has been released from prison and has returned to America. Cohen’s performance as the infamous Kazakh man is best described as amusing yet insightful. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm has been nominated for three awards at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - Netflix

Viola Davis returns to establish herself as an exemplary actor in George C Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. A cinematic tribute to Ma Rainey, popularly known as The Mother of Blues, in 1920s Chicago, the film is a nod to Black culture. Both, Davis and her co-star Chadwick Boseman have bagged Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively.