It’s January, when lists are made and resolutions are drafted. The Golden Globes are the first of many awards ceremonies praising the best moves of 2018–I agree with some of their choices, but not all.  I’m something of a movie fantatic.  (I saw A Star is Born three times.)  These are my top 10 Oscar-worthy movies. The 91st Academy Awards will be hosted on February 24, and I will be glued to the television to see who wins.

#1: Minding the Gap – Best Documentary Film Feature

I nominate Minding the Gap for Best Documentary Film Feature because it is a fresh movie with eye-opening scenes, filmed by director Bing Liu. It brings an unusual perspective of the lives of three boys growing up with abuse. They turn to skateboarding as an escape, which ends up becoming a way to survive. Liu made the documentary with footage he filmed over the past 15 years. Throughout the movie the viewer can see his shots improve over the years, and he keeps up with the pace of the movie.

#2: Roma – Best Foreign Language Film

I loved, loved, loved Roma because every frame had authenticity. The setting is Mexico during the 1950s. The audience was able to feel the characters’ pain, and the fact that the movie is in Spanish does not matter – all I cared about was finishing the movie. Interested in watching it? Check Roma out on Netflix- and if you don’t speak Spanish, don’t worry! You can watch it with English subtitles. Roma won the “Best Foreign Langue Motion Picture” award and “Best Director” award at the Golden Globes on January 6. 

#3: A Star is Born – Best Actress, Lady Gaga

Let me start by saying that great movies are supposed to make you feel something. They make you question beliefs, ideas and evoke feelings of love, shock, horror and disgust. A Star is Born was remarkably well done, and Lady Gaga delivered the most jaw dropping performance. She made me feel powerful emotions, had me sobbing at some scenes, smiling with her and even hating her. Lady Gaga’s acting made me feel. The Golden Globes left me shocked that A Star is Born had lost the “Best Drama Motion Picture” award to Bohemian Rhapsody. Lady Gaga was also nominated for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama Motion Picture” but lost to Glenn Close.  “Shallow” won the award for Best Original Song. 

#4: Incredibles 2 – Best Animation Film Feature

The Incredibles 2 had audiences waiting over ten years for its’ release, but in no way did it disappoint. The detail on the animation was astounding. There was fuzz on Mr.Incredible’s sweater, so real looking even I thought it could be real. The artists behind the movie deserve some serious recognition for their work done on this movie. Incredibles 2 was nominated for the Golden Globe “Best Animated Motion Picture” but lost to Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. 

#5: Eighth Grade – Best Director

 Burnham did what every director aspiries to do: released a beautiful, talked about movie as his directorial debut. Eighth Grade had me cringing at most parts of the movie, partly due to the awkwardness of the character…but mostly due to her relatability. I have never, in my life, related to a character as much as I did with 14 year old Kayla. I cried with her, laughed with her, and even scorned her on her treatment of her father. Burnham did an excellent job executing the fears of incoming high school freshmen, and the anxiousness of finding who you are. 

#6: Beautiful Boy – Best Picture

Where do I even begin with this movie…Beautiful Boy was one of the most beautiful movies I have seen in a very long time. Timothee Chalamet plays a drug addict and Steve Carell is his worried father. It showed the kind of love between father and son that every one strides to have. This film was based off of memoirs of the real Sheff family, which makes it all the more amazing. This was a real story, a real tragedy, and a real survival story.

#7: Boy Erased – Best Original Song; “Revelation” by Troye Sivan

Boy Erased was a movie full of emotion, and Troye Sivan’s song, “Revelation,” is no different. The movie centers around Jared, a teenage boy who is gay but has a Pastor for a father. He is sent to a conversion facility, where he comes to terms with hatred, love, and his anger. It’s a movie full of tears, acceptance, and Sivan channeled all of those feelings into his song.

#8: Bohemian Rhapsody – Best Actor, Rami Malek

Rami Malek did a jaw dropping job at his depiction of Queen’s Freddie Mercury. He acted so beautifully, and brought Freddie back to life, so to speak. Bohemian Rhapsody leaves you wanting more of Queen, wanting more sass and music…and it’s all because of Malek. His portrayal was so spot on, if you watch the real Live Aid  concert on YouTube, you can barely spot any differences between the movie and the actual concert. During the run time of the movie, I felt like I was with Freddie Mercury during his introduction into fame, and his diagnosis of AIDS. I felt like he was right next to me belting out tunes, and Malek left me listening to Queen’s music for days after I had seen the movie. At the 2019 Golden Globe Awards Bohemian Rhapsody took home the award for “Best Motion Picture- Drama.” Malek also took home the “Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Motion Picture” award. 

#9:  Suspiria – Best Cinematography

Luca Guadagnino brings us yet another daring movie, this time bringing out the more hideous parts of people in Suspiria. Director of 2018 Best Picture nominee Call Me By Your Name, Guadagnino brings the horrors of dancing to life. While I personally feel that he could have chosen a better lead actress than Dakota Johnson, the movie was still beautiful with it’s shots and the cinematography. The lighting in some particular shots during a dancing scene left goosebumps on my arms. Suspiria was a movie that dangerously ventured on the weird and wild side, but it provided some truly beautiful shots.

#10: Crazy Rich Asians – Best Supporting Actress, Gemma Chan

Crazy Rich Asians was a wonderful movie in all aspects, however, Gemma Chan was one star that especially shone. While she may not have been the shining star of the movie, she captured the film’s heart and delivered an amazing performance with her acting. Her sensitive, humble character Astrid stole my heart while watching the movie, and she was my inspiration when confronting her cheating husband. Not only was this movie funny, it was full of culture and history. Crazy Rich Asians was nominated for the Golden Globe award for “Best Motion Picture- Comedy” but lost.