A token of friendly advice:

Do yourself a favor one evening this week. See the excellent Academy-nominated Denzel Washington film “Fences” ahead of Sunday night’s Academy Awards.

Best movie I have seen since “High Noon” in 1953.

Fences, from August Wilson’s stage production of the same name, is a piercing portrait of the real-life struggles of a middle-class family in Pittsburgh in the 1950s.

One of the numerous gem-like conceptions of Fences is that racism is an after-thought, a soft, barely detectable burp as relevant to compelling, don’t-look-away story as a random dog dashing across the street.

More, it is about the seemingly – but not always — dazzling relationship between a typical American husband, Mr. Washington, and his pragmatic, peacekeeping wife, the hugely gifted Viola Davis and two sons.

Mr. Washington is up for Best Actor. Ms. Davis, truly his co-star, his equal, not foil or sub-partner, is nominated (and favored) to win Best Supporting Actress.

Mr. Washington, who delivered the performance of his starry career, probably should have been nominated for Best Director, too.

Late on Saturday night, we sat there mesmerized by Fences for 2½ hours.

At 1 o’clock, an usher was dispatched to remind us that not only were we the last people in the auditorium, the lights soon would be doused.

Haven’t you sat around after spectacular theatrical events to reflect, to absorb and to replay?

If you want to be qualitatively entertained by the strongest talent Hollywood can offer, see Fences.