From 'Nomadland' To 'Jojo Rabbit', Here's A List Of Award-Winning Films You Must Watch Before Oscars 2023

New Delhi: The grandest celebration of the silver screen is about to commence! With anticipation and excitement building up, the countdown to the coveted 95th Academy Awards®️ this year has begun. This year's Oscars promises to be an event like no other, bringing together the biggest stars in the industry to celebrate each other's achievements at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on March 13.  But the excitement doesn't end there, as viewers worldwide will be able to join in on the spectacle as Disney+ Hotstar is set to live-stream the prestigious awards at 5:30 AM IST in India.   

As we eagerly await this year’s Oscar winners, take a moment to appreciate the masterpieces that have already claimed coveted recognition. From Encanto to Cruella and West Side Story, get into the Oscar spirit by watching these movies on Disney+ Hotstar.  

Encanto 

Encanto won the Best Animated Feature Film in 2022 for bringing together diversity and the most authentic representation of Colombian culture. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope. Releasing on Nov. 24, 2021, the film features all-new songs by Emmy, GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “Moana”) and is directed by Byron Howard (“Zootopia,” “Tangled”) and Jared Bush (co-director “Zootopia”), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer “The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez”), and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino; Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film.

Eyes of Tammy Faye 

Nominated in two big categories in 2022, Eyes Of Tammy Faye won both with Jessica Chastain winning Best Actress in a leading role and the film winning for Best Makeup and Hair Style. The film is an intimate look behind the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.  In the 1970s and ‘80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from humble beginnings to create the world’s largest religious broadcasting network and theme park.  Renowned for her message of love, acceptance and prosperity, Tammy Faye became inseparable from her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life.  However, it wasn’t long before financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and scandal toppled their carefully constructed empire.  

West Side Story 

Ariana DeBose, who was for the first time nominated for Oscars 2022 won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for West Side Story. Directed by Academy Award️ winner Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award️ winner Tony Kushner, “West Side Story” tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. “West Side Story” has been adapted for the screen from the original 1957 Broadway show, with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and concept, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins. From 20th Century Studios, The Walt Disney Company will release “West Side Story” in U.S. theaters on December 10, 2021.

Cruella 

Jenny Beavan won Best Costume Design for Cruella in 2022. The film is about the rebellious early days of cinema's most notorious and fashionable villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil.

Summer Of Soul   

Summer Of Soul has won the Best Documentary (Feature)  at the Oscars 2022.  In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.

Soul 

Disney and Pixar’s Soul won three prestigious awards at the 93rd Academy Awards®️ including Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Score and Best Sound. The story introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions. Directed by Academy Award®️ winner Pete Docter (“Inside Out,” “Up”), co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short “Lou”).  

Nomadland 

Chloé Zhao became the first woman of colour and only the second woman ever, to win the best director for Nomadland. Frances McDormand also won Best Actress in a Leading Role for this movie. Meanwhile, it also won the Best Picture award at the 93rd Acadamy Awards. The story follows the economic collapse of a town in rural Nevada, where Fern sets off on the road to exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.  

Titanic 

Titanic won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1998. The story follows the lives of the passengers aboard the doomed luxury liner Titanic are seen before and during its slow descent into the Atlantic.

Black Panther 

Black Panther won the Best Costume Design Award in 2019. When an old foe puts his homeland of Wakanda and the entire world at risk, young king T’Challa must release Black Panther’s full power to save them. 

Ford v Ferrari 

Ford v Ferrari won Best Sound Editing Award in 2020. Based on the true story, visionary car designer Carroll Shelby and fearless driver Ken Miles take on the race cars of Enzo Ferrari in Le Mans in 1966. 

Jojo Rabbit 

Jojo Rabbit won the Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) in 2020. Writer director Taika Waititi brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, Jojo Rabbit, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism. Jojo Rabbit with a screenplay by and directed by Taika Waititi is based upon the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens and stars Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, with Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson.  The producers are Carthew Neal, Waititi and Chelsea Winstanley.  The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Mihai Malaimare, production designer Ra Vincent, editor Tom Eagles, music composer Michael Giacchino, costume designer Mayes Rubeo, make-up and hair designer Dannelle Satherley and visual effects supervisor Jason Chen.

Toy Story 4 

Toy Story 4 won the Best Animated Feature Award in 2020. Pixar Animation Studios proudly presents the adventure of a lifetime! When Woody, Buzz and the gang join Bonnie on a road trip with her new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky, the innocent little spork’s hilarious antics launch Woody on a wild quest filled with unexpected new characters – and one long-lost friend!

Coco 

Coco won the Best Animated Feature Award in 2018. In Disney and Pixar’s extraordinary adventure, a boy who dreams of becoming a great musician embarks on a journey to uncover the mysteries behind his ancestors’ stories and traditions.

Bao 

Bao won the Best Animated Short Film Award in 2019. A Chinese mom who’s sad when her grown son leaves home gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life. But she finds that nothing stays cute and small forever.