Besan Ka Halwa

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri What works: Everything. From nowhere to nowhere- an overwhelming ride in a small town with hateful yet lovable characters. Ground breaking screenplay and a brilliant ensemble. This film is THE must-watch for this year. What doesn't: McDonagh not getting nominated. Oscars Expected: 4/7 (Best Actor Female, Best Supporting Actor Male, Best Screenplay, Best Film)

The Shape of Water What works: Conviction. This outlandish tale brings you home. Score, performances, production design. Green is good. Direction is earnest and committed to del Toro's style of filmmaking. What doesn't: Nothing new per se. Predictable storyline. Polarized characters. Oscars expected: 3/13 (Best director, Best production design, Best score)

Darkest Hour What works: Gary Oldman. Winston Churchill. Gary Churchill. Winston Oldman. Production design, lighting, decor and ominous ambience. What doesn't: There are no fireworks here. The story is predictable (duh). The film is clenched by the leading man so tightly that you just do not have time to appreciate other efforts. Oscars Expected: 2/6 (Best Actor, Best Make up)

Phantom Thread What works: One of the most unique romances. Impactful performances by the lead and supporting roles. Greenwood's score. Elegant costumes. PTA's weirdly effective dialogue.  What doesn't: It's an imperfect movie just like its imperfect characters, that's a plus as well as a minus for it.  At certain places, the pace of the film is testing.  Oscars Expected: 1/6 (Best Costume Design) 

Dunkirk What works: Use of three distinct time-threads. Nolan's technique. Earnest performances. Minimum dialogue, maximum experience. Hans Zimmer's quintessential tension building score. What doesn't: The realist view of war instead of the idealist glorified version might put off some in the audience. Oscars Expected: 2/8 (Best Sound editing, Best Editing)

Call me by your name What works: Chalamet, Hammer and Stuhlbarg. The chemistry, the landscape of Italy, the soundtrack, the performances. The intimacy. What doesn't: Gets stretched and bland. Sticks to the indie-ness a bit too much. Oscars expected: 2/4 (James Ivory for 'Best Adapted Screenplay' 'Best Original Song' to Sufjan Stephens)

Lady Bird What works: Extremely empathizing and direct. Coming-of-age theme seems nuanced by working on pace and incisive dialogue. Crisp editing and screenplay. Brilliant performances by the lead and the supporting cast. What doesn't: A bit stretched at the end. Some predictable elements. Oscars Expected: 0/5      

Get Out! What works:  Unconventional plot with comic and horror genres intertwined with satire. Performances and initial ominous ambience of the setting. What doesn't: Shoddy and inexplicable pieces.  A huge part of the audience might not gauge where the movie is headed. Oscars expected: 0/4

The Post What works: An extremely relevant theme encompassing a (un)popular political sequence of events woven into a litmus test of media ethics. Touches upon gender, maladministration, facets of good and bad journalism.  Strong character development by Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Bob Odenkirk and supporting cast pitch in beautifully.  Pace of the film is engrossing. What doesn't: Typical Spielberg direction. Offers nothing new except a few bright spots.  In front of biggies like 'Spotlight', the film looks over-simplified. It tries to be an 'all-white' drama and a thriller at the same time.  Partially succeeds in its attempt but seems unconvincing.  Unique Selling Point: Spielberg-Hanks-Streep first time trio of legends. The climax! Outstanding tribute to 'All the Presidents' Men'- still the best Nixon-era-journalism film. The Post can be considered a riveting prequel.      Oscars expected:  0/2...