Pre Oscar watchlist: films from the past five years that deserve more attention

There are days when I am capable of watching three films in a row. It is usually this time of year, when I still have enough time to watch all the films nominated for the Golden Globes while eagerly awaiting the Oscar nominations and slowly filling in my list of everything I need to see by March. Sunday, phone on do not disturb, thick socks, a favorite blanket, and a bottle of water next to the bed, or a glass of wine if you are feeling especially indulgent. The only problem I have on those days is choosing what will occupy my attention for the next few hours, so I have relied on various methods. Sometimes the first film would be a big, well known, award winning and critically acclaimed title that I had not seen before or had only seen once long enough ago for it to feel interesting again, while the next would be a film from the same year that I happened to come across on TikTok and never thought I would actually watch. These are usually films released in the same year as that major title, and naturally I have lower expectations of them. Lower expectations might mean that a film has much more room to surprise me, because how does that old saying go: the less you expect, the less disappointed you will be? Right? Maybe. But no matter how many films ended up disappointing me during those marathon, cozy Sunday afternoons, the number of those that truly delighted me was greater. Below is a list of films from the past five years that I believe deserved more recognition and that you can watch before the Oscars, films that did not appear on any of those famous nomination lists.

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Pleasure (2021), Ninja Thyberg

Pleasure (2021), Ninja Thyberg, Imdb

Pleasure (2021) by Ninja Thyberg is a film that does not yield even a millimeter to the reality of the porn industry. Told from the perspective of the workers, it is an exceptionally important work because it shows the experiences of those whom the industry treats as disposable goods rather than as people. The scenes are brutally disturbing, there is no softening, no smooth transitions, no aestheticizing of pain or humiliation. Thyberg does not try to romanticize the characters or offer false hope. There is no happy ending, no light at the end of the tunnel. Every frame carries the weight of choices that are not truly choices, of exploitation and the pressure of a system that profits from the humiliation of women. The premise of the film is deeply feminist because it exposes the industry from within, insisting that expectations and promises of glamour are a lie. Pleasure is not entertainment but a confrontation with harsh reality, and that is why it lingers

On The Count Of Three (2022), Jerrod Carmichael

On The Count Of Three (2022), Jerrod Carmichael, Imdb

On the Count of Three (2021) stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. The story follows two friends who are grappling with heavy thoughts and decide to plan how they will take their own lives, but before that they want to spend one last day together and make a “big final move.” The film is extremely dynamic and emotional, but it also uses dark humor to open space for an honest conversation about pain, friendship, and how we cope with difficult feelings. The subject matter is obviously serious, but the film does not glorify suffering or offer easy answers. Instead, On the Count of Three delivers a raw, realistic, and often moving portrayal of two people trying to deal with what they carry inside. If you are drawn to stories that can take you from tears to laughter within minutes, this will be the ideal film for you.

Little Trouble Girls (2025), Urška Đukić

Kaj ti je deklica (2025), Urška Đukić, Heretic Films

This may be an unpopular opinion, but if you ask me, Little Trouble Girls is one of the best films of this year, not only in our small and often not particularly film rich region, but far beyond it. One reason for this may be that I am a lifelong lover of coming of age films and always look forward to them endlessly, even as I discover, in my late twenties, all the emotions that a period of life I am now almost a decade removed from can awaken in me. Little Trouble Girls, aside from being visually stunning and dealing with themes of sexuality and religion in a very specific way, also allows you to enjoy the girls’ mischief while at the same time reminding you of your own.

Bones and All (2022), Luca Guadagnino

Bones and All (2022), Luca Guadagnino, Imdb

Although perhaps one of the most well known and acclaimed films on this list, I still feel it is not talked about enough, at least not three years after its release. As someone who always watches films with as little prior knowledge as possible and never watches trailers, this one literally left me breathless for several seconds when the end credits appeared. For days and even weeks afterward, I could not stop thinking about it, returning to certain segments multiple times, and in total I have watched it at least ten times. I think this year is perfect for watching a film like this, in line with the disturbing and deeply consuming themes present on this year’s nomination lists leading up to the Oscars. It offers a powerful foundation for experiencing something profoundly unsettling, honest, devastating, and painfully beautiful. Bonus advice: add this film to your must watch before you die list.

Sick of Myself (2022), Kristoffer Borgli

Sick of Myself (2022), Kristoffer Borgli, © Oslo Pictures

Sick of Myself (2022) by Kristoffer Borgli is a film that strikes without restraint exactly where it hurts most, in this case our contemporary obsession with attention, validation, and self image. Once again we are in the realm of bizarreness, dark humor, and a narrative that constantly pushes the boundaries of discomfort, but it does so for a reason. Borgli takes narcissism, social media, the art scene, and the cult of victimhood and turns them into a grotesque satire in which no one is spared, least of all the protagonist. The film is simultaneously funny and uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than funny, often within the same frame, and forces you to ask how far we are willing to go in order to be seen. There is no moralizing, no easy messages, just an escalation of absurdity that leads to an ending that will leave you stunned. Sick of Myself is a mirror that does not flatter, and that is precisely why it works so well. Definitely something to watch when you want a film that will hold your attention from beginning to end.

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Enough for Now (2024), Marko Đorđević

Za danas toliko (2024), Marko Đorđević, KCB

I can freely say that this is one of my favorite films of all time. What makes it so phenomenal is that it gave me nothing and everything at the same time. It gave me release, laughter, happiness, giggling in my cinema seat, joyful tears as well as those less joyful, life kind of tears. This film is about everything and about nothing, about ordinary everyday life, about human fears, laughter, primal family love and loss. Enough for Now does not try to be bigger than it is, it does not explain emotions or force a message down your throat. It trusts the viewer. Perhaps it did not receive enough attention because it lacks a “big” theme or spectacle, but its strength lies precisely in that modesty and honesty. If you want something that will relax you at the end of the day and has a strong chance of becoming one of your favorite films that you will recommend to everyone, as I am recommending it to you now, watch Enough for Now.

Babysitter (2022), Monia Chokri

Babysitter (2022), Monia Chokri, Imdb

Babysitter (2022) by Monia Chokri is a film that combines sharp humor, mild discomfort, and incisive social satire. The story follows a woman who works as a babysitter and becomes drawn into increasingly complicated situations that reveal the gap between what the world expects of her and what she actually wants. It is also perfect for lovers of so called artsy films, and the colors will certainly catch your eye. What sets it apart is the way it observes ordinary human relationships and ambitions without sentimentality, but with plenty of intelligent dark humor. It is worth watching now because it is a film about periods in life when you are expected to “know what you are doing,” while in reality you feel lost or confused. This is a film to watch when you are in a phase of self questioning, but also when you simply want something smart, witty, and sincere.

Sanctuary (2022), Zachary Wigon

Sanctuary (2022), Zachary Wigon, Courtesy of TIFF

Sanctuary is a powerful film about the search for belonging, faith, and what we do when we feel lost. The plot follows a young woman who becomes involved with a mysterious cult and its charismatic leader, exploring how people can be drawn to ideas that promise meaning and community. The film works without spectacular effects or loud explanations, but that is exactly why it is what I wanted. Every frame and line of dialogue builds layers of insecurity, doubt, and emotional vulnerability. It is worth watching because it will make you think about the boundaries between community and control, and about how trauma and loneliness influence the decisions we make.

Rotting in the Sun (2023), Sebastián Silva

Rotting in the Sun (2023), Sebastián Silva,Imdb

Rotting in the Sun is a film that deliberately pushes you out of your comfort zone while clearly enjoying your reactions. You enter a story that constantly slips away, changes tone, and dismantles expectations, as if the film is telling you to relax and let go of control. You get dark humor, rawness, uncomfortable silences, and characters who feel too real to be fictional. It is special because it plays with the boundary between fiction and reality, public and private, art and pure chaos. It gives you a reset, a reminder that a film does not have to be perfect to be absolutely unforgettable. At this time of year, while you are waiting for Oscar nominations and that familiar, safe taste, Rotting in the Sun prepares you for something different. It reminds you that the most interesting films often come from the margins, without any ambition to please everyone.

Yugo Florida (2025), Vladimir Tagić

Yugo Florida (2025), Vladimir Tagić

The first thing I thought after watching this film was that I now experience the song “Mišo moj” by Ana Nikolić much more seriously, painfully, and deeply than ever before. If you have not seen this film, let that be the reason you do. The film follows a father and son whose relationship has long been broken, but not in a clearly explained, cinematic sense. These are cracks that have accumulated over years, through failures, silences, small aggressions, and unspoken expectations. The characters are not symbols, nor are they there to convey a message. They are people constantly tripping over their own weaknesses. The film is both brutal and humorous, with humor that can suddenly put a smile on a face full of tears and realistically show the emotional burden and the silences between generations. Yugo Florida is a ruthlessly precise portrait of masculinity, family, and emotional illiteracy, with no desire to save or justify anyone. And believe me, you will cry in front of strangers if you go to the cinema to see this film, just like in the song “Mišo moj.”

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