How about some seriously great films to go with that tie?

88th Oscars are coming up. 88 years. Phew, that's a lot of black ties and red carpets. And, of course, a ton of films. And just because the Academy recognizes a film doesn't always mean the public does. So many films, so little time, right?

Well, here are five must-sees from Oscar's past that the film buffs here at tieroom believe are definitely worth your time. So put on your best black tie and award yourself. Go. Find. Watch. And then watch again. They're that good.

The Third Man (1949)

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American pulp novelist Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) arrives in postwar Vienna for a job promised to him by an old buddy, Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Unfortunately, Lime has been killed in a traffic accident. Or was he murdered? Or is he even dead? Martins hooks up with Lime's old flame, Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), to find out the truth. What awaits Martins and Schmidt at the end of their search is disturbing enough to still raise eyebrows these 67 years later.

From Graham Greene's novel of the same name, this classic is perfect in every way. If you ask me, Casablanca can take a hike. And there's zither music to boot--trust me, not a bad thing.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%                                                                                                                                  tieroom FilmBuff: 5 ties

Barry Lyndon (1975)

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The film version of William Makepeace Thakeray's novel of the same name. An Irish rouge, Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal), cheats and lies his way up the social ladder in 18th century Britain, eventually marrying a rich widow, Lady Honoria Lyndon (Marisa Berenson), and assuming her dead husband's aristocratic position and a new title: Barry Lyndon. But there are consequences to cheating your way through life and Barry must pay the piper.

It's Kubrick. That should be nuff said, but if you need more... This one is as close to a novel on film as you can get, truly epic. Every scene could hang in a gallery. And despite taking its time--which is the only knock I could think of against it--Barry Lyndon pays off with a duel scene that is worth the wait.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%                                                                                                                                    tieroom FilmBuff: 4 ties

Wild Tales (2015)

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Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2015, from Argentina, Wild Tales is a collection of six stories of regular people dealing with distressing situations in the most extreme, hilarious, questionable, dark, insane, and, in every case, understandable, way.

Road rage to the nth degree; a man with access to dynamite deals is wrongfully given a parking ticket; a husband's infidelity is revealed at his own wedding... and that's just three of the juicy scenarios that set off the stories in what this humble blogger believes is the best movie of 2015. Period.

Rotten Tomatoes: 95%                                                                                                                      tieroom FilmBuff: 5 ties
In the Loop (2009)

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Trying to stop a war can be hilarious. Right? In this case, Yes Yes Yes! Especially in the hands of director Armando Iannucci who went on to create the HBO hit, Veep. In this political farce,  war is on the horizon for the US and Britain--not with one another, of course. To avoid said war of which the two countries are on the verge of, cabinet underlings of the leader's of the two superpowers go to... well, war! Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, this one has witty back and forth to make Aaron Sorkin squeal. Here's a taste: Malcolm Tucker: You concentrate on nothing! You stay detached, or else that's what I'll do to your retinas. Simon Foster: Can I go to bed now, please? Malcolm Tucker: Oh no. We're gonna stay here, and you are gonna rehearse saying nothing.
Simon Foster: ...Am I being tortured?
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%                                                                                                                       tieroom FilmBuff: 4 ties
Mullholland Drive (2001)

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A woman is left with amnesia following a car accident, and nothing is what it seems from there on.  It's a puzzle, a dream, a nightmare, it's a David Lynch mindbender for which he received a Best Director nod. Lynch is an acquired taste, but this is one of his best offerings. It defies typical explanation, but if you like a film to stick with you for days and days, Mulholland Drive fits the bill. A scene in a dinner where a man realizes he's inside a dream he once had is worth the price of admission. Rotten Tomatoes: 82%                                                                                                                      tieroom FilmBuff: 3 ties

*Entertaining, informing, and inspiring the person behind the tie*