Oscar Nominations 2012: 5 Movies You Probably Haven't Seen

With the Academy Awards just around the corner, fans and film buffs are brushing up on the year's cinematic milestones. The most anticipated category, Best Picture, is flooded with familiar names of movies that have made an impact in the last 12 months.

Some other nominations may sound a little foreign to some, and we're not just referring to the international films. In a ceremony that strives to recognize the best cinematic accomplishments across various genres, there's bound to be at least a few titles that viewers aren't aware of. Here's a rundown of five Oscar-nominated films that may need some explaining.

With the Academy Awards just around the corner, fans and film buffs are brushing up on the year’s cinematic milestones. The most anticipated category, Best Picture, is flooded with familiar names of movies that have made an impact in the last 12 months. However, some other nominations may sound a little foreign to some, and we’re not just referring to the international films. In a ceremony that strives to recognize the best cinematic accomplishments across various genres, there’s bound to be at least a few titles that viewers aren’t aware of. Here’s a rundown of five Oscar-nominated films that may need some explaining.

This film features a Los Angeles gardener struggling to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents. The Chris Weitz directed drama tells the tale of a father trying to give his son the opportunities he never had. Casting includes Demian Bichir, Jose Julian and Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo. “A Better Life” is in the Best Actor category for Bichir’s performance, and is up against heavyweights such as George Clooney in “The Descendants,” and Brad Pitt for “Moneyball” among others.

A boxing-themed drama, “Warrior” shares the story of a son returning home to his father. The alcoholic former fighter trains his youngest son in mixed martial arts for an upcoming tournament. Anguish exceeds the boxing ring when the young competitor clashes with his older brother in this Gavin O’Connor directed film. Casting includes Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy as brothers, with Nick Nolte playing their father. Nolte is nominated for Best Supporting Actor, rivaling against performers such as Jonah Hill for his role in “Moneyball” and Max Von Sydow for “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.”

A dramatic cross-cultural tale, this film’s plot centers on a married couple in Iran faced with a difficult decision. The spouses struggle with the choice of improving the life of their child by moving to another country or staying in Iran to care for a parent with Alzheimers. In this conflicting story, which pits elements of the past and future against each other, Peyman Maadi and Leila Hatami play the lead roles. Director Asghar Farhadi received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, against Woody Allen for “Midnight in Paris” and Michel Hazanavicius for “The Artist” among others.

In this comedic drama, a young man is faced with two shocking revelations from his father: that he is terminally ill and he has been seeing a young male lover. Directed by Mike Mills, Ewan McGregor stars in the leading role, with Christopher Plummer playing the role of his father. Plummer is nominated for Best Supporting Actor against Nolte for “Warrior” and Kenneth Branagh for “My Week With Marilyn.”

This drama explores the theory that Earl of Oxford Edward De Vere was actually responsible for writing Shakespeare’s plays. The film is set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I at the time of the Essex rebellion against her. Directed by Roland Emmerich, Rhys Ifans plays the role of the Earl of Oxford and Vanessa Redgrave portrays Queen Elizabeth. “Anonymous” is nominated for Best Costume design against competitors such as “The Artist,” which is also up for Best Picture, and the Madonna-directed film “W.E.”