From biopics about scientists to biopics about civil rights leaders to biopics about women trekking through the wilderness, here are the most likely contenders for the 2014 season.
Adam B. Vary for BuzzFeed / Fox Searchlight; The Weinstein Company; 20th Century Fox; Paramount Pictures; Sony Pictures Classics; Universal Pictures; Focus Features; Disney; IFC Films; AMPAS; iStock
By this point last year, 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, and Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine had all but engraved their respective Oscar statues. But thus far, not one movie or performance has come close to declaring itself "a lock" for an Academy Award — and that means it could prove to be an especially fun "awards season."
In looking over the this year's field (both previous releases, and films yet to come), I've kept to just the films with a great-to-halfway-decent shot for at least one major nomination — that is, Best Picture, Best Actor or Actress, Best Supporting Actor or Actress, and Best Original or Adapted Screenplay. Although, within that group, I've also noted films that have a strong chance in the craft and technical categories.
As is the case almost every year, of course, there is every chance a wild card not listed below could slip in with a surprise nomination (like, say, Chef for Best Original Screenplay). And although I've made my best attempt at calculating which actors, directors, and writers could be up for their respective categories for the films listed below, a few surprise nominees could reveal themselves as the season progresses. (A classic example: No one thought Ethan Hawke was going to be nominated for 2001's Training Day.) Similarly, for some actors, figuring out whether they fall under the lead or supporting categories can be a complicated dance, sometimes because it's genuinely unclear, sometimes because the competition in one of those categories is steeper than the other.
Which is all to say, take this list in the spirit of good fun, like this season should be. The Oscars — and preceding accolades like the Independent Spirit Awards, Golden Globes, guild awards, and critics awards — are meant at their best to single out the feature films worthy of being called The Best. This is just one attempt at culling together that list.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Best Director (Wes Anderson), Best Original Screenplay (Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness), a bunch of craft categories (Art Direction, Costume, Makeup, etc.)
You might think Anderson's intricate, artisanal movies would be catnip to Oscar voters, but, to date, only two of his live-action films have earned any Oscar nominations (The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom), and only for their screenplays. (Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score.)
The Grand Budapest Hotel — Anderson's most successful film to date, and a true sensation overseas — may finally change all that. It was pretty much the only major "awards"-y movie in the first half of the year, and it is dense with some brilliant craft filmmaking, including its sets, costumes, score, and cinematography.
Or it may be yet another of Anderson's films that is passed over by the Academy.
Regardless, if you haven't see in yet, you should!
Release date: March 7
Bob Yeoman / Fox Searchlight
The Immigrant
Possible nominations: Best Actress (Marion Cotillard)
This film, about a 1920s woman (Cotillard) who falls into prostitution after immigrating to America, won some critical acclaim, but it came and went without making much of a cultural blip. But, like so many years before it, the competition for the Best Actress category remains shallow in comparison to the vast number of contenders for Best Actor, and many asserted that Cotillard has scarcely been better than she is here.
Release date: May 23
Anne Joyce / The Weinstein Company
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