“Amour” – Released in September 2012, Amour is nominated for Best Picture. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva (nominated for Best Actress) play a couple in their 80s who face the challenge of falling into patient and caretaker roles. Sentimental and heart wrenching, the film is also up for Best Screenplay and other awards.
“Argo” – Released in October 2012, Argo is based on a gripping true story. Ben Affleck and Alan Arkin star in this movie about the 1980 production of a fake movie that will save the lives of these American diplomats who escaped the hostage clutches of Iran. The film and actors are up for a total of seven Oscars.
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” – First previewed at Sundance, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a compelling story of a young girl who lives in a town severely affected by the melting ice caps, and the mythical beasts that appear because of it. Quvenzhané Wallis, 9 years old and the youngest person to be nominated for Best Actress, and Dwight Henry, who plays her dying father captivate viewers.
“Django Unchained” – Still in theaters, Django Unchained features star Jamie Foxx as a freed slave who teams up with bounty hunter Christoph Waltz to rescue his wife from slavery. It premiered in December 2012 and is nominated for a total of five Oscars.
“Les Misérables” – The film adaptation of the beloved play, Les Misérables tells the tale of ex-convict Javier, played by Hugh Jackman (nominated for Best Actor) who takes on the daughter of worker Cosette, played by Anne Hatheway as his own.In the period following the fall of Napoleon , this musical is a moving love story, tale of cops and robbers and picture of revolution.
“Life of Pi – Released in November 2012, Life of Pi tells the story of Suraj Sharma, the son of a zookeeper who gets shipwrecked and stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Still in theaters, this movie and cast are up for a total of 11 Oscars.
“Lincoln” – Portraying President Lincoln in the middle of the Civil War, Daniel Day-Lewis brings to life the struggles and decisions Lincoln faced. With leading lady Sally Field, the movie does more than tell a story, it humanizes a figure we never knew much about. This movie and cast are nominated for 12 Oscars and is still showing in theaters.
“Silver Linings Playbook” – Released in December 2012, Silver Linings Playbook features Bradley Cooper as a man struggling to get back on his feet and Jennifer Lawrence is his female costar. The movie, up for eight Oscars, was mainly filmed in nearby Delaware County and features the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Zero Dark Thirty” – This movie tells the story of the special-ops Team Six who infiltrated and killed Osama Bin Laden. Headed by Joel Edgerton and Jessica Chastain, this movie premiered in January of 2013 and is nominated for five Oscars.
