The critics are beginning to chime in with their picks for movies that will be nominated to win for Best Picture next year. There is only one Oscar given but there actually should be two based on the Academy’s willful neglect of nominating superhero movies of any type throughout its tarnished history. However, given the fact there is no clear front runner this year, anything is possible. Three of the last five Best Picture awards have been given to movies that have a historical bent to them, so two World War 2 themed movies will likely be in the mix. Despite what the critics say, this year’s Oscar will be wide open, including a movie that has yet to be released? Well, that is what has been circulated in the media. But should the yet-to-be-released movie be nominated it may say more about the selection process than is publicly known.
Dunkirk
What this movie has going for it is audience appeal, the aforementioned historical theme. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, and has grossed more than $187 million thus far. The basic storyline is about a group of soldiers from France, England, and Belgium who were cut off from retreat by the German army and were safely evacuated. Besides having Nolan as director, the other shining feature of this movie is its length. It is a snappy 1 hour 46 minutes. Instead of intense graphic warfare filling the screen for more than 2 hours, it gets its message across quickly, and is available on IMAX to enhance the battle scenes.
I, Tonya
This was a favorite at the Toronto International Film Festival, with actress Margot Robbie get rave reviews for her performance. The storyline is about the complex life of ice skater Tonya Harding, including her botched attempt to have US Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan crippled to eliminate her from the upcoming Olympic trials. This is definitely a dark horse just to be nominated, and will require Robbie’s performance to carry it to a nomination. It has the advantage of being set in a historical context, and for it to get noticed by the public it will need a willingness for people to recall or care about Olympic ice skating drama. That said, the evidence is that there were more than a few people who became interested in Robbie and the subject matter.
Wonder Woman
Why not? Perhaps a better question is, What is there not to like about Gal Gadot in this movie? As been noted earlier, no superhero/superheroine movie has even been considered for a nomination. Interestingly, it also has a historical context in a large part of the movie and, if the Academy opts to really pay attention, it has a positive image of a female in a modern context. Gal Gadot has not come out with any accusations of the recent Hollywood sex scandals, so choosing this movie has both Oscar and political advantages just be its nomination. It would be a first for the Oscars and would show Hollywood can give star power to women actresses without having to be traumatized. One more thing. The movie grossed over $400 million so far.
Call Me By Your Name
This is the current critics favorite, and it is generally agreed to be one movie certain for a nomination. Was there ever a year when some type of romantic genre was not considered for nomination? Set in Northern Italy in the 1980’s, the film is about a romance between a male student and his male professor and has been a favorite at the various film festivals held around the country. It is scheduled for release to the public on November 24th.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Actress and Academy Award winner Frances McDormand stars in this movie about an unsolved murder case where the daughter’s mother paints three signs leading into the town that deliver a controversial message to the town’s chief of police. Though winning the Audience Award at Toronto’s International Film Festival, the fact that it is a dark comedy makes it a dark horse, as few comedies ever get nominated for best Picture by the Academy. Its scheduled release date is November 10th.
Yes, there were other movies left out but these 5 are a broad sample of what the critics will be debating over the next few months.
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