Here is a very brief guide - which won't really guide you at all - to all 53 nominated films.
20 Days in Mariupol: Devastation, up close and personal, as Russia invades Ukraine. You will be haunted by some image forever; for me, it's the simple pet turtle.
American Fiction: It seems like the type of people who stand up to applaud at the reading of We's Lives In Da Ghetto are in charge of a lot right now.
American Symphony: Mostly forgettable documentary that tells two stories and doesn't quite strike the chord I think it wants to. Jon Batiste is fascinating but do I need to watch him lie around and have talk therapy sessions via phone? I think no.
Anatomy of a Fall: Maybe she did, maybe she didn't, I'm straight trippin' about that dog, though!
Barbie: Feminism for Absolute Beginners, but to make it palatable to the mens we'll let the interminable Kens sequence go on and on and on for 50 times longer than a snippet of Closer to Fine plays
Bobi Wine: The People's President: If you weren't already thoroughly demoralized by politics in your country, try becoming thoroughly demoralized about Uganda's instead!
El Conde: Manic pixie dream exorcist
Elemental: The main character is named Ember which is what I call Emma the Cat, and that is not the only reason I rather liked this!
Flamin' Hot: I was definitely the first one on my Awards Season block to see this. I am, simply put, a changed woman when it comes to the Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
Four Daughter: Another documentary, another devastating experience, this time in Tunisia.
Godzilla Minus One: **completist minus one -- this isn't showing anywhere and I can't watch it**
Golda: I could watch Golda Meir and Henry Kissinger banter all day. This is likely not the correct takeaway from this film.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: I find the GotG films refreshing and funny and thoroughly entertaining and was NOT prepared for an animal experimentation torture plot. What the. Come on, Marvel. Escapism? Please?
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: Time travel has never ever ever made sense in movies so why should it start now?
Invincible: (SHORT) Powerful performances, although the title is technically a lie, spoiler alert.
Io Capitano: More powerful performances, man's inhumanity to man, a series of terrible events, and my goodness I am so into international human rights tragedy films. Why are they my type.
Island in Between: (SHORT) Probably more interesting for me for the nostalgia/hey-I-used-to-live-around-there factor than the doc itself.
Killers of the Flower Moon: More humans? More terrible things done to other humans. This is one of the most meticulously researched, planned, and well-executed pieces of filmmaking ever, but the pros made it look too easy.
Knight of Fortune: (SHORT) The quirky tug-at-your-heartstrings short.
Letter to a Pig (SHORT): The beyond-quirky avant-garde quietly bizarre and profound short.
Maestro: The scene with the family where the grown kids put on the record and dance nostalgically and joyously seems to represent so much. Your hard work was worth it, Bradley.
May December: Off the charts fucked-up humans and so delicious to watch them all self-destruct.
Mission:Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One: Adrenaline x 1,000,000
Nai Nai & Wo Po: (SHORT) For me it's a hard pass on the fetishizing of grandmas.
Napoleon: Batshit crazy Napoleon! Really makes me want to re-read War and Peace soon.
Nimona: Woe is me no one understands me alas but I can't explain anything or answer a question because then I'd have to maybe stop whining? #1 pet peeve alert.
Ninety-Five Senses: (SHORT) What does it in fact mean to be alive? This will sneak up on you with that question.
Nyad: Pitch perfect performances from Annette and Jodie as they depict Diana Nyad's quest to swim from Florida to Cuba.
Oppenheimer: Manly male humans blowing up the world, 'cause they can
The Color Purple: Adaptation of an adaptation of an adaptation. Fantastic production and dancing. The songs themselves leave a bit to be desired.