These are metformin weight loss pcos the films studios big and small bank on racking up buzz that will carry them through all the critic and guild awards, and even some of the later film festivals. Last year Up In The Air came out of the Toronto International Film Festival as the clear Oscar favorite. Well, we know how that turned out. Since almost all of these films are not yet released, this section will be simply highlighting what I think they could be as contenders. Some will be based on trailers, some on pure speculation of the actors, writers and directors involved. It’s not science. It’s just an opinion. For Part 2, here’s what to watch for in September and October, with November/December/January to come in Part 3.
The American – Focus Features, September 1st
Man I love the George Clooney career rejuvenation. And it’s a strange one because it’s not like he was ever really unsuccessful. He just never seemed to be taken as a truly serious actor to be in the awards season conversation. In the last decade that’s changed. In 2006 he saw his first 3 nominations, 2 of which were for Good Night, and Good Luck. as a writer/director, and an Oscar win for his supporting role in Syriana. In 2007 we saw a lead actor nomination for his revelatory performance in Michael Clayton, followed by last years Oscar favorite in Up In The Air. At this point I feel like everything Clooney stars in seems to be an Oscar vehicle, and I’m more than happy to be along for the ride.
As an assassin, Jack (Clooney) is constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside. Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara (Violante Placido). Jack and Clara’s time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
What to Watch For: Best Actor (George Clooney)
( I wrote metformin hcl 500 mg price the above paragraph before I saw the film. Here’s my review.)
The Town – Warner Brothers, September 17th
This is one of my most anticipated. I was floored by Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone. It was very well received by critics everywhere, yet when awards time came, it got zero love. It had Oscars written all over it! Morgan Freeman! Ed Harris! Kidnapping! Amy Ryan was robbed! And how fitting, since The Town is about the town of Charlestown, Massachusets, the bank robbery capital of the America. And Jon Hamm! Jon Hamm! That’s Donald Draper! God I can’t wait to see this movie. I’ve been an Affleck supporter for years. It’s been a tough run. Another awesome career rejuvenation, and a truly difficult one at that. Jon Hamm!
Doug MacRay (Affleck) is an unrepentant criminal, the de facto leader of a group of ruthless bank robbers who pride themselves in stealing what they want and getting out clean. With no real attachments, Doug never has to fear losing anyone close to him. But that all changed on the gang’s latest job, when they briefly took a hostage–bank manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall).
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (Ben Affleck), Best Adapted Screenplay (Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Aaron Stockard), Best Actor (Ben Affleck/Jon Hamm), Best Cinematography (Robert Elswit)
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger – Sony Classics, September 22nd
Well, here it is. The obligatory Oscar season Woody Allen film. It may be quirky and talkative. My parents always told me to stay away from tall dark strangers. But in Woody’s films they’re usually guys like Javier Bardem, or in this case, Antonio Banderas.
Follows a pair of married couples, Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) and Helena (Gemma Jones), and their daughter Sally (Naomi Watts) and husband Roy (Josh Brolin), as their passions, ambitions, and anxieties lead them into trouble and out of their minds.
What to Watch For: Best Original Screenplay (Woody Allen)
It’s Kind of A Funny Story – Focus Features, September 24th
Watch out The Kids Are All Right, because here comes Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. The writing/directing team has already taken on the indie favor of critics and fans alike with Half Nelson and Sugar, and here we’ve got a really interesting story filled to the brim with humanity and relationships. It really does seem like a funny story. And I think we can all agree one one thing: we’ll watch Zach Galifianakis in anything. Could he even get an Oscar nomination? I can dream.
With a minimum five days’ stay imposed on him by the adult mental ward’s staff psychiatrist Dr. Eden Minerva (Viola Davis), Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist) is sustained by friendships on both the inside and the outside as he learns more about life, love, and the pressures of growing up.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay (Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck), Best Supporting Actor (Zach Galifianakis)
Waiting for “Superman” – Paramount Vantage, September 24th
The final death blow to my Banksy-for-Best-Documentary dreams. A film about America’s failure to establish a strong education system for children? and our future? Directed by Davis Guggenheim, who already holds a Best Documentary Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth? Banksy’s done. Damnit. This doc is gonna be incredible though. Have you seen the trailer? They should just give it the Oscar. Probably the biggest sure thing you’ll find come February 27th. It may even score a spot in the Ten.
As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying “drop—out factories” and “academic sinkholes,” methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems…Guggenheim offers hope by exploring innovative approaches taken by education reformers and charter schools that have—in reshaping the culture—refused to leave their students behind.
What to Watch For: Best Documentary, Best Picture
The Social Network – Sony Pictures, October 1st
Here come the big guns. David Fincher. Aaron Sorkin. If you told me 3 years ago there’d be a movie about Facebook and it would be a major Oscar player, I probably would have smacked you across the face for your bold-faced lies. Then I read the script. And my mind was blown. With a slew of young actors, and likely to make careers for many of them (already has for Andrew Garfield, your next Spider-Man, and probably will for Rooney Mara, who’s taking on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), we might not see any critical support for anyone as a real contender. Nevertheless, this film might be the most anticipated film of the year, and since I’ve already been blown away by every piece of marketing and from reading the script itself, it’s definitely my most anticipated.
On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea…what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history… but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (David Fincher), Best Adapted Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin), Best Cinematography (Jeff Cronenweth), Best Original Score (Trent Reznor), Best Editing (Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall)
Secretariat – Walt Disney Pictures, October 8th
This seems like a contender only because of Seabiscuit and The Blind Side, two of the few “sports films” who were ever able to make a splash at the Oscars. It’s also being directed by Randall Wallace, who was nominated for an Oscar for writing Braveheart and last wrote/directed We Were Soldiers. The only way I see Secretariat coming into the mix is by way of an incredible performance from Diane Lane. If that’s there, then we might see a few other nominations follow.
The life story of Penny Chenery (Lane), owner of the racehorse Secretariat, who famously vied for the Triple Crown in 1973.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Actress (Diane Lane)
Conviction – Fox Searchlight, October 15th
An inspiring true story is always prime material for Oscar bait, and this looks like it may have what it takes. The trailer is pretty solid, has a great cast in Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver & Melissa Leo, as well as an interesting director in Tony Goldwyn who’s mostly done some TV work including four episodes of Dexter. Look for this to make some acting splashes, particularly in the female categories.
When Betty Anne Waters’ (Swank) older brother Kenny (Rockwell) is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne, a Massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Convinced that her brother is innocent, Betty Anne puts herself through high school, college and, finally, law school in an 18 year quest to free Kenny.
What to Watch For: Best Actress (Hilary Swank), Best Actor (Sam Rockwell), Best Supporting Actress (Minnie Driver & Melissa Leo)
Hereafter – Warner Brothers, October 22nd
Clint Eastwood was on an awesome run. Then came Gran Torino & Invictus. Torino should have just been cut down to a 12 minute short of Clint growling and yelling and being awesome, instead of the two hour pain of otherwise bad acting and dialogue. Invictus…I don’t want to talk about it. Seeing that in a theatre was a long, painful experience. Nonetheless, I’ve always got high hopes for a Clint film. He’s a very good director and always rolls with some heavyweights. Here he’s got Matt Damon again alongside Bryce Dallas Howard from a script by two-time Oscar nominated writer Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen). Film comes out in less than 2 months and we haven’t even seen a trailer. All we’ve got is the image above, and Clint’s own plot synopsis below he gave to the UK’s “Daily Telegraph” back in February. Clint only makes Oscar contenders anymore, so we must be watching for…everything?
“…three different stories with people who have gone through some sort of stressful time and it’s about how they sort of converge together. Much like a lot of French movies have been in the past, where the stories kind of converge together, and destiny drives each person towards the other.”
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Original Screenplay (Peter Morgan), Best Actor (Matt Damon), Best Actress (Bryce Dallas Howard), Best Cinematography (Tom Stern)
127 Hours – Fox Searchlight, November 5th
Danny Boyle dominated the ’08 Oscars with Slumdog Millionaire, a film that steamrolled through Oscar season with all the momentum in the world. His followup was highly anticipated, and at first was rumored to be another film set in India, but alas he went with the true story of Aaron Rolston. I’m always interested in seeing directors do the “actor alone” situation, and here most of the film will be Franco by himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Literally.
127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah…Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral, thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (Danny Boyle), Best Adapted Screenplay (Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy), Best Actor (James Franco), Best Cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle & Enrique Chediak)
Morning Glory – Paramount, November 12th
I’m not really sure how much of a player this one will be. Maybe I’m mentioning it by way of my undying love for Rachel McAdams. But my cop-out response would be that it’s written by Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote the surprisingly great The Devil Wears Prada. So it might fit into that kind of audience and get some attention, as well as Harrison Ford looking like he’s in his first great role in…100 years? Really solid trailer as well. But again, I could be saying that because of Rachel McAdams’ ass. Sorry, it’s just spectacular. There’s your morning glory. (I just couldn’t resist that line. It was so obvious.) What to watch for? All of these are probably wishful thinking, best case scenarios, which is probably stating the obvious and applies to every single film on this list. Whatever. McKenna is from New Jersey. Just saying.
When hard–working TV producer Becky Fuller (McAdams) is fired from a local news program, her career begins to look as bleak as her hapless love life. Stumbling into a job at “Daybreak” (the last–place national morning news show), Becky decides to revitalize the show by bringing on legendary TV anchor Mike Pomeroy (Ford). Unfortunately, Pomeroy refuses to cover morning show staples like celebrity gossip, weather, fashion and crafts…and soon Becky is struggling to save her relationship, her reputation, her job and ultimately, the show itself.
What to Watch For: Best Actress (Rachel McAdams), Best Actor (Harrison Ford), Best Original Screenplay (Aline Brosh McKenna)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – Warner Brothers, November 19th
Could the pen-ultimate Harry Potter film be the first to break into the Oscar mix? Half-Blood Prince was very well received by critics and was even thought to have a chance at the Ten. This certainly could make the Ten and possibly get some writing/directing recognition that HP has never received. As was the case with Lord of the Rings, it’s doubtful Oscar voters will give awards to something that’s not the final chapter, but recognition is overdue and with the critical reception of HBP don’t be surprised to see a handful of nominations, technical and the like, come January. Check out the trailer, which really is a trailer for parts 1 & 2 collectively. Be forewarned.
Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction–the Horcruxes. Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (David Yates), Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Kloves), Best Supporting Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Best Cinematography (Eduardo Serra), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat)
The Next Three Days – Lionsgate, November 19th
Paul Haggis hasn’t directed a film since 2007′s In The Valley of Elah, which I didn’t really personally care for. Haggis’ last credit was for writing the horrible Casino Royale followup Quantum of Solace. So I’m not sure what’s going on with him, but Three Days has a great 1-2 punch in Russell Crowe and Liam Neeson. The trailer probably shows too much but the premise is interesting. We’ll see what Haggis can do in his attempt to re-claim Oscar glory, although this may just be a run-of-the-mill thriller not intended for Oscar contention at all.
Life seems perfect for John Brennan (Crowe) until his wife, Lara (Elizabeth Banks), is arrested for a gruesome murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (Paul Haggis), Best Original Screenplay (Paul Haggis, Fred Cavayé & Guillaume Lemans)
Burlesque – Screen Gems, November 24th
If you know me well as a person you’re likely aware that the thought of a musical winning Oscars makes me want to crawl into a cave and die. I plan on expanding on this point further one day in an article, and give my reasons why I despise musicals, so I won’t get into it now. But we all know Oscar voters love musicals. Consequently, we also all now know that I’ll be on suicide watch come Oscar night if Burlesque has several nominations in the big categories. Watch the trailer, if you must.
a small-town singer who takes her shot at stardom performing at a neo-burlesque nightclub in Los Angeles. Situated in a regal old theater that’s still dazzling despite having fallen into disrepair, The Burlesque Lounge is the kind of club where legends are born. When club owner Tess (Cher) hires charismatic Ali (Christina Aguilera) as a cocktail waitress, the ambitious big-city newcomer goes to great lengths to make a good impression.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Actress (Christina Aguilera), Best Supporting Actress (Cher), Best Original Song (probably the entire category)
Love and Other Drugs – Fox, November 24th
Welcome to the life of writer/director Ed Zwick, where you’ve directed Glory, Legends of the Fall, Courage Under Fire, The Last Samurai (also wrote), Blood Diamond, and Defiance (also wrote), yet never been nominated once for a Best Director Oscar. How does that happen? This guy hasn’t directed a ton of films, in fact that’s nearly his entire filmography right there, but he’s produced a bunch and been nominated twice, with a win for Shakespeare In Love. What’s Zwick got to do to get noticed? Well, this could be it. Truth be told, I read a draft of this script last summer, and it’s totally outside of a movie you’d expect Zwick to direct. Zwick did rewrites on it, and it’s a solid script, and I’m looking forward to the film. It’s got a great cast led by Jake Gyllenhall, Anne Hathaway, Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt. Don’t base your opinion on the trailer, which I agree is awful. Looks like a run-of-the-mill sex comedy, but as far as the script goes it’s a lot more than that. This one could be great. We’ll see.
Hathaway portrays Maggie, an alluring free spirit who won’t let anyone – or anything – tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie’s evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.
The King’s Speech – The Weinstein Co., November 26th
Another Queen Elizabethera (I know I could say Elizabethan, or Elizabeth-era, but it sounds much cooler dropping the dash and making it one word) drama. And it stars Geoffrey Rush! Shocker. Great actor, but the guy has been in too many films during Elizabethera (this word defies grammatical tense). If we’re counting Pirates of the Caribbean, which we should, then I believe this will be his 8th. Not making that number up. I wanted to skip over this in the forecast, but this is a comprehensive forecast, and with such a cast of characters as Rush, Colin Firth, Guy Pierce, Michael Gambon and Helena Bonham Carter, I couldn’t just completely skip over it. Then I’d get someone calling me out when they go on to all get nominated or something insane because for some reason unknown to me people love Elizabethera films. But whatever, Firth is incredible, and he probably should have won Best Actor last year (sorry, the Dude).
The story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George, ‘Bertie’, (Firth) reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Rush). Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country into war.
What to Watch For: Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Supporting Actor (Michael Gambon, Geoffrey Rush), Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter)
The Tree Of Life – Apparition/Cottonwood Pictures, no one knows, hopefully November
Terrence Malick is an enigma. The guy’s made 5 films in the last 40 years, excluding The Tree of Life. And Life finished production in 2008, and Malick has been toiling away ever since continually delaying the release date. Personally, I think Malick’s a genius. Visually, his films are unmatched. The photography through all of his work is just insane, and Emmanuel Lubezki (The New World) also shot Life. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain play the main leads. Not too much is known about the film overall, but here’s a reaction from a member over at the Home Theater Forum who just recently caught a screening of the Life:
The main bulk of the film is about his childhood growing up in Texas. The “creation” footage is outstanding, absolutely jawdropping, and does indeed feel like 2001 – a lot of the effects are practical and your eyes can see that, which makes it really fascinating to watch. The story is framed around the death of his middle brother and is a reflection on the circle of life, the evolution of life out of the mess of the Big Bang, but also about life itself (the strained relationship with his severe father, a stunning performance by Brad Pitt, just stunning), and the end of the Universe. The film just has to be seen to be believed! One feels like a child again, seeing the world through young wide eyes.
I feel like a child again just reading that reaction. Comparisons to 2001: A Space Odyssey?? Brad Pitt stunning?? I think Brad Pitt has been criminally underappreciated as an actor for a while now, especially his performances lately in Babel and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. So…yeah…I pray this film sees the light of day come November, but who knows with Malick.
What to Watch For: Best Picture, Best Director (Terrence Malick), Best Original Screenplay (Malick), Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn), Best Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat)
