Every year I make it my mission to watch every movie nominated in the eight major categories of the Academy Awards (Best Picture, Director, Acting, and Screenplay). And now, after checking out all of the big Oscar nominees for 2024, I can confirm that this year's field is very strong.

If you watch all 10 films nominated in the Best Picture category, you won't find a bad film among them. But if you are short on time and want to see only the truly outstanding films, here are my top seven favorites.

From courtroom dramas that had me on the edge of my seat so much I almost fell on the floor, to heartwarming comedy-dramas that are the cinematic equivalent of a warm embrace. This year's Academy Awards films are top-of-the-line, and here are seven to watch first.

Very unfortunately, "Anatomy of a Fall" will likely go into Oscar night empty-handed. The French courtroom drama is nominated in five categories, including Best Picture and Best Director (Justine Trent), but faces stiff competition in all of them. At least it already has a big trophy in its hands, having won the prestigious Palme d'Or at last year's 76th Cannes Film Festival.

One of the most engrossing films of 2023, Anatomy of a Fall follows a successful novelist (Sandra Hueller) accused of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis) by pushing him out of a third-story window. She pleads her innocence, but her blind son (Milo Machado-Graner) is caught in the middle as the only witness to the crime. Hüller, in the lead role, is the quintessential performer, but the acting is excellent throughout. In addition, the twisting plot keeps the viewer hooked until the very end.

By the time the credits roll on "The Holdovers," my jaw began to hurt from laughing so hard. Films like this don't get made anymore, but Alexander Payne's holiday-themed comedy proves the enduring appeal of unashamedly heartfelt cinema. This hilarious film will make you laugh one moment and cry the next.

In The Holdout, Paul Giamatti gives the best performance of his career as Paul Hanham, a grumpy professor at an exclusive New England boarding school. Forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to care for students with nowhere else to go, the inflexible educator forms an unlikely bond with a burnout young man (Dominic Cessa) and the school cook (Davin Joy Randolph) who is still grieving the death of his son. This odd trio are unlikely companions, but their bond will warm your heart throughout the festivities.

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"Oppenheimer" is sweeping the pre-Oscar awards race, and the narrative is building that it is Nolan's time in the spotlight this year. If "Oppenheimer" is to be the film that ultimately brings Best Picture (and almost certainly Best Director) to the British filmmaker, it could not be more fitting.

This biopic about the life of Robert J. Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project that produced the first atomic bomb has everything one could want in a film. First of all, the stellar cast, led by Cillian Murphy in the lead role, gives the best performances of their careers. Nolan's direction is superb, with inventive touches such as the sequence depicting Oppenheimer's speech after the bombing. Furthermore, the three-hour film flies by in a blur. In a full-blown film year, "Oppenheimer" would be deserving of an award, and it is no wonder that it is currently on the short list for the award.

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I am quite pleased with this year's Oscar nominations: that Greta Lee was not nominated for Best Actress for her strong performance in "The Last Life." "Lee anchors this stunningly beautiful drama as Nora Moon, a Korean immigrant who moved to Canada as a child.

Celine Song's semi-autobiographical debut, Past Lives chronicles the changing dynamic between two childhood friends, Nora and Hye (Teo Yoo), over a period of more than two decades. The film elevates what could have been a cheesy "Will They, won't" story with Song's impressive and tender screenplay and wonderfully sensitive performances from the two leads. The entire film is truly enchanting, but it is the melancholic ending that leaves the biggest impression.

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"Poor Things" stars Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by a wacky scientist (Willem Defoe), on an adventure to find herself with a corrupt lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) by her side. She embarks on a wickedly wonderful leading role in this wickedly funny comedy. Along the way, she discovers more about herself and learns more about the wider world around her.

A word of advice: "Poor Things" is not a movie to watch with your parents. The main cast clearly enjoyed making this film, and director Yorgos Lanthimos does an excellent job of bringing these people to the screen. Other than that, it's probably the most consistently entertaining film on this list.

It seems odd to call "Zone of Interest" a must-watch. At least, I don't intend to rewatch it for a very long time. But that's not because of its quality, but rather because I had such a haunting experience the first time I saw it that I'm not sure I can still stomach this harrowing drama a second time. Nevertheless, this is a very important film, and I strongly recommend seeing it at least once.

Inspired by the 2014 novel of the same name, Zone of Interest follows Rudolf Hess (Christian Friedel), a German officer assigned to oversee the operation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. He happily raises five young children just a stone's throw from the site of unimaginable atrocities. The film is brutal, but it is also an important look at a dark chapter of history that must never be forgotten

. The only nomination in the eight main categories is for Best Screenplay, which is a real shame. The trio of leads, Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton, all deserve recognition for their excellent performances in this oddly funny drama directed by Todd Haynes. Natalie Portman plays an actress who takes on the role of a notorious woman (Julianne Moore) who is found to be dating a minor; 20 years later, the mismatched pair are still together and now married, despite what became a national tabloid scandal when the revelation first broke. However, their relationship faces new pressures as they are forced to reflect on their past when an actress is making a film about their controversial story. Melton, in particular, has received high praise for her portrayal of Joe Yu. Joe Yoo is a husband who begins to wonder if he was set up as a child and who is really in control of his marriage.

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