As the 90th Academy Awards quickly approaches, movie buffs are flocking to theaters to see all the nominated flicks. This year’s Oscars will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, making him the second person to host the show consecutively since Billy Crystal in 1997 and 1998. The awards show will air on March 4.

The nominated movies this season create one of the most diverse watching experiences in recent years, attracting many Fordham students to walk over to the AMC located minutes from campus on Broadway and 68th Street.

This popular movie theater even houses some of the costumes from recent releases, with one of the skating competition costumes from “I, Tonya” currently on display. Though the movies can be pricey, the Office of Student Involvement offers $9 movie tickets on Thursdays 2 to 4 p.m. They can also be purchased from the Residence Hall Association for $9 on Thursdays 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in McMahon 102A and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in McMahon 108. Another affordable option for frequent movie goers is MoviePass, a subscription service that allows its members to see an unlimited number of movies for only $9.95 a month.

Many students are taking advantage of these features to see every single movie nominated for an Oscar this season. Simone Schade, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20, is a Film and Television major who has taken the initiative to see as many nominated movies as possible. So far, she has seen 24 films.  

“‘Lady Bird has been my favorite film to see so far because it was very relatable and written very well,” Schade said. Saoirse Ronan, the three time Academy Award nominated Irish actress who plays the titular character, has given Schade’s favorite performance of the season.

Meg Johnson, FCLC ’20, is another Oscars aficionado. When it comes to Best Picture, Johnson thinks “‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri’ will win—it  speaks of a very relevant issue and is a well told story, but I would really like to see ‘The Shape of Water’ take home Best Picture. It is so fresh and new and thought provoking—it took a classic story and made it unique.” After the 2016 #OscarsSoWhite controversy in which people of color were noticeably left out of the nominations, and last year’s Best Picture mishap when “La La Land” was mistakenly named as Best Picture instead of “Moonlight”, both Schade and Johnson spoke about the flaws in the The Academy’s decision making process.

“The old men of the Oscars would not choose ‘The Shape of Water’ to win. I feel like ‘Moonlight’ was their token out of the box movie, and I don’t think they would do that two years in a row,” said Johnson. Schade added, “The Academy also loves Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, so I think ‘The Post’ will win.”

The fun of awards season is watching the live broadcast. Watching the Oscars is something fun, entertaining, and can be done from the comfort of a nice, cozy couch. For those who may want to celebrate the artistry of the movies in a crowd, many events will be hosted throughout New York City. On awards night, the restaurant Ocean Prime on West 52nd Street is hosting an Oscars viewing party with just a two drink minimum and complementary truffle popcorn!

So hurry up and buy your movie tickets! Take the time to join in on all the Oscars buzz!