When I was a teenager, every year my mom and I would embark on a fun challenge–seeing every Best Picture nominee at the Academy Awards. Although we were not always successful in completing these lists, the films I did get to see opened my eyes to what cinema had to offer.
Up until that point, my favorite movies consisted of whatever Pixar had released, and “Forrest Gump.”
Exposure to works from auteurs like Tarantino or Scorsese really opened my eyes to what movies could offer.
Since then, I have endeavored to keep this challenge going. My taste in movies has obviously developed since I was a young teen, so I don’t necessarily agree with the Academy’s yearly lineup. Nevertheless, the challenge always leads to me finding new favorites I wouldn’t have otherwise sought out.