Every February 8, the world celebrates Global Movie Day, a tribute to the magic of cinema and its lasting impact on global culture. It’s the perfect time to revisit some of the most powerful films of the past decade—works that have been recognized by the Academy Awards for their storytelling, innovation, and emotional resonance. From profound explorations of the human condition to genre-defying narratives, these Oscar-winning films have not only captivated audiences but also left an indelible mark on film history.
1. Oppenheimer (2024)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing
Synopsis: A compelling portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, as he faces the moral and ethical dilemmas of developing nuclear weapons during World War II.
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2023)
Directors: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing
Synopsis: A Chinese-American woman is thrust into the multiverse, connecting with alternate versions of herself to prevent reality from collapsing in this genre-blending, emotional rollercoaster.
3. CODA (2022)
Director: Sian Heder
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), Best Adapted Screenplay
Synopsis: Ruby, a hearing girl in a deaf family, must choose between pursuing her passion for music or staying to help with the family’s fishing business—a heartfelt story of identity and belonging.
4. Nomadland (2021)
Director: Chloé Zhao
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director (Chloé Zhao), Best Actress (Frances McDormand)
Synopsis: After losing everything in the recession, a woman adopts a nomadic lifestyle, journeying through the American West and redefining the meaning of home and community.
5. Parasite (2020)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film
Synopsis: A brilliant dark comedy and social satire about a poor family infiltrating the lives of a wealthy household, unraveling the deep inequalities that exist between them.
6. Green Book (2019)
Director: Peter Farrelly
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali)
Synopsis: Based on a true story, this film follows a Black pianist and his Italian-American driver as they tour the segregated American South in the 1960s, forming an unlikely friendship.
7. The Shape of Water (2018)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Production Design
Synopsis: A romantic fantasy set during the Cold War, where a mute janitor falls in love with an aquatic creature held captive in a government lab.
8. Moonlight (2017)
Director: Barry Jenkins
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), Best Adapted Screenplay
Synopsis: An intimate coming-of-age tale of a young Black man growing up in Miami, grappling with identity, love, and masculinity across three pivotal stages of his life.
9. Spotlight (2016)
Director: Tom McCarthy
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay
Synopsis: A gripping drama based on true events, chronicling the Boston Globe’s investigation into child abuse scandals within the Catholic Church and its massive cover-up.
10. Birdman (2015)
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography
Synopsis: A washed-up actor famous for playing a superhero tries to reinvent himself on Broadway, blurring the line between reality and fiction in a dazzling display of cinematic technique.
Which of these Oscar-winning films is your favorite? Without a doubt, this past decade has been a golden era for cinema lovers.
