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The best season is upon us: Oscar season. When the leaves start to change, people can assume the best movies of the year are close to their release. It’s no different with this year. Though some people have been keeping an eye on the Academy Awards race since The Shape of Water was named the Best Picture of 2017, those who like to follow along now have more to talk about. Here are the films people should keep their eyes on in the coming months:
Beautiful Boy — This film from director Felix Van Groeningen has all the potential to be the Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, of 2018. The film is based on a pair of memoirs by father and son David and Nic Schiff, highlighting the struggles of drug addiction. The film starring Timothée Chalamet, Steve Carell and Amy Ryan, presenting one of the best cast lineups of the year. Beautiful Boy will undoubtedly be nominated for its acting, and hopefully Carrel and Chalamet will win their first Oscar. The film has all the components to be nominated for Best Picture, but it would be a stretch if it won. No matter what happens, Beautiful Boy will surely pull at the heartstrings of those who watch it.
Bohemian Rhapsody — This movie is the epitome of Oscar bait: a biopic starring a person in a transformative role. Based on the events leading up to legendary rock group Queen’s Live Aid performance, Rami Malek steps into the platform shoes of lead singer Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody has been the talk of the movie industry for quite a while, and now it’s set to release in early November. There might be too much hype surrounding this film, which can hurt its Oscar possibilities. Malek will be certainly be a top choice for Actor in a Leading Role, but it will be hard to gain any traction elsewhere.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — The first Fantastic Beasts movie was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Achievement in Costume Design, which it won, and Best Achievement in Production Design. The 1920s era film will be contenders for these categories once again. That specific time period is arguably the most baity for those two categories at the Oscars.
First Man — Damien Chazelle is one of the most diverse directors and scriptwriters in the business, having created a drama about music, a musical and now a biopic about Neil Armstrong. Starring Ryan Gosling, the film documents the monumental space mission that put Armstrong on the moon. The year 2019 marks the landing’s 50th anniversary, so Chazelle is ahead of the game and will likely beat other filmmakers to celebrating the 1969 success. Chazelle could land his third nomination for Best Director. The space element could also land the film some technical awards.
If Beale Street Could Talk — Barry Jenkins really has nothing to lose. His breakout film Moonlight garnered him a Best Picture win, but he fell to Damien Chazelle in the Best Director race. If Jenkins were to win this time around, he would become the first black man to win Best Director. If Beale Street Could Talk is based on the novel by James Baldwin, so it has potential in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. Depending on the performances of from the lead actors, this film could be spotted in most of the top-notch categories.
Mary Poppins Returns — Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Dick van Dyke are all set to be in the sequel to the 1964 film that starred the lovely Julie Andrews. Blunt in the famous role will be a pleasure to watch, but it’s Manuel-Miranda’s performance that has fans wanting access to the film now. If Manuel-Miranda were to be nominated and win for his role as Jack, he would become an EGOT winner. The film could also be nominated for costume and set productions.
Mary Queen of Scots — Margot Robbie landed her first Oscar nomination for I, Tonya, and her role in Mary Queen of Scots could give her another chance to win a statue. Robbie stars opposite of three-time nominee Saoirse Ronan, which is reason enough to consider the film for acting nominations. Mary Queen of Scots might also be nominated for costume design and makeup achievements.
The Old Man & the Gun — This film marks Robert Redford’s final performance, so it will obviously be considered for an acting nomination. The Academy is known for taking an famous actor’s last movie into consideration when choosing nominees. Just last year, Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for Phantom Thread, the last film of his career.
Roma — Alfonso Cuarón takes his time with his movies. It has been five years since the director won for his latest feature film Gravity. Roma, which is filmed in black and white, has the artistic appeal the Academy looks for. If nominated for Best Picture, Roma would be the first Netflix Original nominated in the category.
A Star is Born — This film marks the directorial debut of Bradley Cooper, who stars alongside Lady Gaga. A Star is Born is a remake of the musical from the same name. It has been remade three other times and has starred Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. A lot of hype has been built up around the film and rightly so. Cooper and Gaga have recognizable chemistry in the trailer, and it will be a film people don’t want to miss.
