With this year's Golden Globes now passed, 2018's awards season is finally kicking into high gear. If the eventful 75th Annual Golden Globes didn't satisfy your need for moving speeches or awkward encounters between celebrities, hopefully the upcoming Academy Awards will make up for it. For now, we'll have to wait until Oscar nominations are announced the last week of January.

If you're like most people, those esteemed Oscar-nominated (and eventually Oscar-winning) movies are usually ones you've never heard of before. With so many obscure films being thrust into the limelight, it can be hard for the average person to know which are worth watching, or which might be painfully slow and pretentious. This proves especially disappointing when you can't confidently cheer for your favorite film in a category of movies you never got the chance to see.

Thankfully, I've compiled a list of a 2018 Awards Season watchlist (in no particular order) to make your Oscar anticipation a slight bit easier. Here are the films from 2017 that will (almost) certainly make up the majority of Oscar categories:

2018 Oscar Contenders

"Wind River"

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Western

Rating: R

 "Wind River" presents an intense crime drama that starts off slow and gradually builds up to a satisfying and climactic conclusion. The film features Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olson (a pairing you might recognize as Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch), both of which give amazing performances and share a lot of fun chemistry.

"Call Me By Your Name"

Genre: Romance, Coming of Age

Rating: R

Explanation:

"Call Me By Your Name" is a coming-of-age tale set in Italy and centered around a 17-year-old boy who forms a relationship with a student working for his father. Its story covers the length of one summer as the two bond and discover more about themselves. It's been praised for its great performances, beautiful love story, and impressive cinematography.

"Get Out"

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Explanation:

You might be caught off guard seeing a horror movie getting considered a major Oscar contender, but "Get Out" completely deserves to be on this list. Jordan Peele's directorial debut proved not only an effectively terrifying horror flick but an astounding statement on the presence of racism in a modern setting. The film is rewarding because of the surprises involved, so I'll spare you the details so you can go check them out yourself.

"The Post"

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13

Explanation:

Hm, a Steven Spielberg film starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep? If there were a formula for making an award-winning movie, that'd definitely be it. Both actors showcase their dramatic acting talents in this historical thriller about journalists working to expose a deep-seated cover-up lasting three decades. The film sports an incredible ensemble cast and develops themes that reflect issues of the modern world.

"Lady Bird"

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Explanation:

Greta Gerwig's latest film "Lady Bird" has been a critical darling since it came out in November. Up until recently, it had maintained a solid 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics praising lead Saoirse Ronan for her stellar performance. Now it sits at a disappointing 99% but has found even more success elsewhere, even winning Ronan the Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film centers around a complex mother-daughter relationship as they bond and grow to understand one another.

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

Genre: Crime, Drama

Rating: R

Explanation:

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" has been floating around a lot of 'Top 10' lists when it comes to 2017 films, so it's no surprise it dominated at the Golden Globes. The film won Globes for Best Actress, Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.

"The Shape of Water"

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Rating: R

Explanation:

This movie is absolutely insane, and I think that's why it feels so fresh. Guillermo Del Toro's "The Shape of Water" is a fairy tale love story between a mute custodian and a government-hidden fish-man creature. Pretty much every time I've explained this movie to someone I've had to immediately follow it up with "It's good, I promise!" because of the face I get. The movie won Del Toro his first Golden Globe for Best Director and is sure to get some major recognition at the Oscars, so be sure to check it out if you get the chance!

"The Disaster Artist"

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rating: R

Explanation:

For years, Tommy Wiseau's absurd film "The Room" has been regarded as one of the worst movies all time, so much so that it has gradually developed a cult following of fans who ironically enjoy it as an unintentional comedy. James Franco's "The Disaster Artist" follows Wiseau's story as he puts together a hilariously bad film and comes to appreciate the notability it brings him, even though it came in an unexpected way.

"Darkest Hour"

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13

Explanation:

"Darkest Hour" has been commended for a number of reasons, the most prominent being Gary Oldman's insane transformation into Winston Churchill, an achievement not only in make-up and costuming but also through Oldman's stellar performance. The film follows Churchill as he navigates a diplomatic dilemma in his first days as Prince Minister during World War II.

"I, Tonya"

Genre: Drama, Sports

Rating: R

Explanation:

"I, Tonya" is a darkly comedic rendition of the well-known story of professional figure skater Tonya Harding as she rises in the ranks of her sport until her career is threatened when her ex-husband intervenes. Many are praising Margot Robbie's performance as the titular main lead, and the supporting actors also work brilliantly to enhance the story's emotional appeal.

"The Florida Project"

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Explanation:

From Sean Baker, the director who previously made an acclaimed indie flick shot from an iPhone ("Tangerine" in 2015), comes a character-driven drama about an impoverished mother and her six-year-old child, told from the child's unique perspective. It's devastating and is sure to tug at your heart-strings, so make sure you're up for a good emotional cleansing before diving in.

Since so many of the award-winning films are low-budget indie projects, they typically don't open widely in the same manner that blockbusters do. They often only open in certain areas at certain times or get shown on a limited number of screens, so it's inevitable that the majority of them are going to get overlooked by general moviegoers.

This, of course, is a shame considering that these are almost always the films that push the limits of the medium as a means of artistic expression. These are the films that make bold statements about the world we live in and aim to inspire strong emotions, whether that be fear, joy, or motivation. So don't pass up on watching these types of movies, because catching just one could alter how you view the world.