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A month ago it seemed the 97th Academy Awards were on the edge of cancellation Los Angeles was still smoldering after a series of out-of-control wildfires, which saw thousands residents displaced, leading to serious questions about whether the Oscars could or even should continue. Flash forward to today, the Watch Duty fire alert website is finally clear as the city begins the long process of rebuilding, and so, as they say, "the show must go on," with the Oscars telecast set for March 2. As someone who watches movie awards season the way others watch hockey, this has been the most riveting race in recent memory.
Months filled with controversy, presumed front-runners dethroned and surprises galore. WATCH | Eli Glasner's guide to the 2025 Oscars: Countdown to the 2025 Oscars: Everything you need to know 2 hours ago Duration 7:51 From Anora to The Substance, CBC's senior entertainment reporter Eli Glasner breaks down the 2025 Oscars race — including the Canadian contenders — and why the competition this year is 'wild.' In some respects, the race began last May, with Anora winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
In September, I watched Anora for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival and instantly understood the acclaim. After a summer of shallow pleasures, it was a feast of film, an intense journey following the fortunes of a stripper who believes her life is about to change. But as Anora opened in theatres, the conversation intensified with some questioning the accuracy of the sex worker played by Mikey Madison.
And soon, another film had displaced Anora as front-runner. WATCH | How Anora challenges stereotypes of sex workers: Beyond Pretty Woman: New film Anora challenges sex work stereotypes 4 months ago Duration 2:05 Sean Baker’s Palme d'Or-winning film Anora, starring Mikey Madison, avoids Hollywood cliches about sex work in favour of an authentic and sympathetic look at that world, and the real risks sex workers face, says CBC’s Eli Glasner. With multiple wins at the Golden Globes, Emilia Pérez looked set to run the table at the Oscars.
After years of campaigning for a Best Picture win, Netflix seemed to have finally unlocked the winning formula in the unlikely form of a Spanish-language musical centred around a transgender woman. But like the telenovela style that inspired Emilia Pérez , there was still another twist waiting in the wings. When Canadian writer Sarah Hagi brought to light the offensive tweets of lead actor Karla Sofía Gascón, the film fell hard from its progressive perch.
WATCH | Explaining the backlash faced by Emilia Pérez: Emilia Pérez leads Oscar nominations, faces backlash from critics 29 days ago Duration 2:12 Despite dominating the award show season and racking up 13 Oscar nominations, some critics argue Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez perpetuates stereotypes about Mexican and trans communities. Now, with the Oscars approaching, Anora is gathering awards like Marvel infinity gems, racking up wins at the Producers Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards and the Critics Choice Awards. But what should you, a normal person who doesn't live in a movie theatre, watch to prepare for the big night? Whether you're planning to bluff your way through an Oscar party, or just want to be part of the conversation from your sofa, we've got you covered.
Below, a viewer's guide to the Oscars, for pretenders, cinephiles and patriots. Anora WATCH | The official trailer for Anora: Currently the front-runner for best picture, actress and original screenplay, Anora has weathered a storm of scandals and could be the belle of the ball come March 2. Why watch it? Intense, comedic and chaotic, Anora is the ADHD son of Uncut Gems and Pretty Woman, thrusting us into a few weeks in the life of a sex worker desperate to buy into a fantasy that can't last.
A Complete Unknown WATCH | The official trailer for A Complete Unknown Timothée Chalamet is the Oscar season wild card. The film capturing the rise of Bob Dylan was a late entry into the race, but Chalamet has been omnipresent, appearing everywhere from NFL broadcasts to chatting with the iconic Nardwuar . This film, which has Dylan's blessing, is still a serious contender for risk-adverse Oscar voters looking for a pleasant film without a whiff of controversy.
Emilia Pérez WATCH | The official trailer for Emilia Pérez: At this point in the race, voters are talking about Emilia Pérez for all the wrong reasons. If the blowback from Mexican and trans communities wasn't bad enough, the revelation of old, racist tweets from lead actor Karla Sofía Gascón saw the film go from Oscar darling to long shot. With the film easily accessible on Netflix it's still worth watching to understand the conversations it inspired, but perhaps consider following it up by watching other better alternatives that explore the trans experience.
The Brutalist WATCH | The official trailer for The Brutalist If all you've heard about The Brutalist is that it's three hours and 35 minutes, you're missing the full story. A harrowing examination of the immigrant experience, Adrian Brody is astounding as László Toth, a Hungerian-Jewish architect battling with his patron and his own quest for perfection. It's a testament to the writing and performance that many viewers have been surprised to discover László Toth was not a real person, but rather a composite inspired by the very real architects that created the brutalist movement.
With that in mind, don't be surprised when Brody wins his second Oscar for the role. The Substance WATCH | The official trailer for The Substance: If there's a serious threat to Mikey Madison in the best actress race, it has to be Demi Moore's astounding turn in The Substance . Described as body horror, this is not a film for the squeamish.
But beneath the buckets of blood is Moore, baring her soul as Elisabeth, a woman confronted with the all-too real horror of aging in Hollywood. If your only recollection of Moore is in G.I.
Jane or Ghost, spend some time with The Substance to see what she's really capable of. Bonus points for true cinephiles In a just world Sing Sing ( my number one film of the year ) would be a best picture nominee and Clarence Maclin would be a lock in the best supporting actor category. A good film to watch to understand why best actor nominee Colman Domingo suddenly became a red carpet staple.
Perhaps the most artistically daring best picture nominee, Nickel Boys reinvents cinematic storytelling with a POV approach that bends your brain in beautiful ways. Timothée Chalamet, left, and Zendaya appear in a still from Dune: Part Two by Canadian director Denis Villeneuve. (Warner Bros.
Entertainment) Canadian connections While the Academy passed on the opportunity to nominate the bizarrely beautiful Winnipeg film Universal Language and Pamela Anderson's heartbreaking performance in The Last Showgirl , there's a small army of Canadians attached to other Oscar contenders. Dune: Part Two is in the hunt for best picture, from Quebec-born director Denis Villeneuve and Canadian producer Tanya Lapointe. The amazing lived-in quality of the desert setting is thanks in part to two more Canadians: Oscar nominated production designer Patrice Vermette and set decorator Shane Vieau.
Director Robert Eggers couldn't have realized Nosferatu ' s gnarly gothic look without Canadians Craig Lathrop (production designer), Linda Muir (Costume designer) and Traci Loader (Makeup artist.) WATCH | The official trailer for Sugarcane: Sugarcane is a documentary exploring what happened at St. Joseph's Mission, a residential school in Williams Lake, B.
C. What Canadian co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie capture is a story that is stunning in both its scope and intimacy as NoiseCat decided to allow himself to be filmed as he pushes his father, Ed Brave NoiseCat, to explain what happened. The generations of trauma caused by residential schools is now a familiar story to many Canadians, but the unexpected ways NoiseCat and Kassie capture this story make Sugarcane a must see.
For a full list of Canadian nominee and where to watch all the Oscar films click here ..
