What to Know About the 8 Best Picture Nominees (in Case You Didn't Watch Them All)

Even if you didn't see it (who are you?), you know of Black Panther. It was a smash hit in 2018, sweeping the box office, begetting a number of memes, and leaving an indelible mark on pop culture as we know it. Taking most by surprise, the film received a well-earned Oscar nomination for best picture, a rare recognition when it comes to the world of superhero movies.

The plot revolves around Prince T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), who assumes the Wakandan throne after his father's death and soon faces threats to his country from a black ops mercenary named Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Besides its talented, predominantly black ensemble cast, the movie also features an epic soundtrack helmed by Kendrick Lamar. In addition to best picture, Black Panther has also received nominations for five other categories, most of them technical.

Director Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman brings to the big screen the true story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), a black police officer who joins forces with a white officer (Adam Driver) to infiltrate a KKK chapter in Colourado Springs.

Besides best picture, the movie is also up for five more nominations. Most notably, this marks the first time Lee, a well-known and seasoned auteur, is up for both the picture and director categories.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic about the rise of the rock band Queen that specifically focuses on the life of its iconic frontman, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek has been praised across the board for his portrayal of the legendary rock star, who was brought back to life with deft sound mixing and a special mouth prosthetic.

Despite Malek's performance, Bohemian Rhapsody has drawn much controversy because of its portrayal of Mercury's sexuality as well as the sexual abuse allegations against former director Bryan Singer. But it's been an award season darling nonetheless, picking up four more Oscar nominations, including Malek for best actor.

Yorgos Lanthimos's irreverent historical drama is based on a true story about the dark and twisty triangle between Queen Anne, her close friend Lady Sarah, and a new servant named Abigail. Even if you haven't watched the movie, you likely know its talented cast, which features Olivia Colman, her "b*tches" (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone), Taylor Swift's boyfriend (Joe Alwyn), and other prestigious A-listers.

The leading women, Colman, Weisz, and Stone, are all up for nominations during this round. The Favourite is also a contender across the board for six other major and technical categories.

Green Book is undoubtedly the most controversial film of this award season. The movie, which stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, captures the story between world-class black pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Ali) and a bouncer named Tony Lip (Mortensen) who drives him around during a concert tour.

So what's the drama? The film is written in part by Lip's real-life son, Nick Vallelonga, who has received flak after a past tweet containing a false Islamophobic statement resurfaced. Shirley's family has also refuted a lot of what happened in the movie, which has been dubbed a "poorly titled white savior film."

Despite the criticism surrounding it, the film received nominations in four other categories: best actor, supporting actor, original screenplay, and film editing.

Roma captures the life of an introspective housekeeper named Cleo, whose life turns around as her boss leaves his family and she herself undergoes an unexpected change. Drawing deeply from the life of director Alfonso Cuarón (who's known for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Y Tu Mamá También, and Gravity), it takes place in the middle-class neighbourhood of Roma in Mexico City during the politically turbulent '70s.

It's another Oscar darling with a grand total of 10 nominations to its name, including a best actress bid for Yalitza Aparicio, who is the Academy's first Indigenous woman in the category. In case you haven't already watched it, the film is available to stream on Netflix.

It's nearly impossible not to know about this movie if you've paid any attention to the buzz surrounding its press junkets, chart-topping soundtrack, and, of course, hilarious memes.

The fourth iteration of A Star Is Born features Lady Gaga as Ally, a budding vocalist who falls in love with Americana singer-songwriter Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper). The tragic love story certainly hasn't lost its charm — it's up for seven Oscars this year, including two for Lady Gaga in the best actress and song ("Shallow") categories. However, Cooper, a best actor contender, was notably snubbed for best director.

Based on a true story, Adam McKay's Vice takes on former Vice President Dick Cheney's ascent to power during the Bush administration. It's your traditional political biopic with a mega-talented cast. Clocking in with a total of eight nominations, the film has three bids for its actors: Christian Bale, Sam Rockwell, and Amy Adams. Yup, this could finally be the year that Adams brings home the prize after five(!) previous nominations. (Talk to us when she gets to Glenn Close status.)