The 2021 Oscars will be held on April 25th in Los Angeles, and it will certainly be one to remember. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the event is being held two months later than originally planned, and there will only be nominees, presenters, and select guests for in-person attendance. However, this does not stop the number of amazing films that will be honored at the event, and since the nominations were released recently on March 15th, here are some of the nominees for the top awards.

The award that catches the eye of millions every year is the award for “Best Picture”. The nominees are The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Each of these films are phenomenal, but I personally recommend Nomadland and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Nomadland shows the viewer a side of American life that they would never think about, which is the nomad community. The film teaches the audience to never say goodbye, and to treat life preciously. The characters are phenomenal, with lead actress Frances McDormand being a nominee for “Best Actress.” The Trial of the Chicago 7 teaches an incredibly important part of American history, the protests against the Vietnam War. Audiences may leave the film with a heavy heart and a sense of guilt for what this country did as recently as over fifty years ago.

Another award that is very popular is “Best Director,” and this list of nominees is very similar to the list for “Best Picture.” The nominees are Thomas Vinterberg of Another Round, David Fincher of Mank, Lee Isaac Chung of Minari, Chloé Zhao of Nomadland, and Emerald Fennell of Promising Young Woman. These directors are incredibly accomplished, but I would like to highlight Chloé Zhao for her recent breakthroughs in the film industry. Zhao is the first Asian woman and the second woman ever to win the award of “Best Director” for the Golden Globes, and was nominated for dozens of other awards this year. It is amazing to see an increase in diversity in the film business, and whether Zhao wins the Oscar or not, her accomplishments in the last year will never be forgotten.

Personally, my favorite award is “Best Animated Feature Film.” I have always been a fan of animation, and admire those that put in countless hours creating each and every frame. The nominees for the award are Onward, Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Soul, and Wolfwalkers. A film that I can highly recommend is the hit Disney film Soul, released on Christmas of 2020. The movie may seem like a light-hearted Disney film on the surface, but where it truly shines is when you take a deeper look and apply it to your own life. The film praises the joy of life, and teaches to love every second. Animation may be overlooked by many when thinking of film, but movies such as Soul prove that the artistry is just as important as every other genre.

The 2021 Oscars will be televised on ABC, with the ceremony starting at 8 PM EST.