Be prepared for the wide-open race for Oscar
There’s no doubt Harris vs. Trump is the most consequential race of the fall. But not far behind, at least for movie fans, is Hollywood’s mad dash for Oscars. And ready or not, it begins now and continues past Election Day, right up until the end of the year, with more than 50 legit contenders and wannabes fighting to rule the box office – along with the hearts and minds of Academy Award voters.
The campaign will be fierce and the voting close, with underdogs like Sean Baker’s “Anora,” winner of the Palme d’Or at May’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival, playing David to potential billion-dollar goliaths like Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked.” And then there’s the “in-betweeners,” like Mike Flanagan’s crowd-pleaser, “The Life of Chuck,” the Tom Hiddleston-Chiwetel Ejiofor charmer that snatched the audience prize at this month’s Toronto International Film Festival. It’s based on a Stephen King novella, as were past Oscar darlings, “Misery,” “Stand By Me,” “The Shining” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” So don’t count it out, even though many critics already have.
What we all can agree on is that unlike last year – when “Oppenheimer” dominated – the Best Picture race is wide open, as you will see in my rundown below, beginning with:
Sept. 27
Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola returns to the director’s chair with a sprawling futuristic epic set in New Rome where a caesar (Adam Driver) rules with a progressive agenda resisted by the city’s mayor (Giancarlo Esposito), who seeks to maintain the status quo of corruption and greed. Caught in the middle is the mayor’s daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel), conflicted by her love for the caesar.
Lee: In cinematographer Ellen Kuras’ directing debut, Kate Winslet plays American photojournalist Lee Miller, whose poignant images drew attention to women and children caught in the crossfire of war. Josh O’Connor and Andrea Riseborough co-star.
Oct. 4
Joker: Folie á Deux: Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck, aka the Joker, in writer-director Todd Phillips’ quasi-musical in which a woman (Lady Gaga) tames the violent, criminally insane inmate’s heart. Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener co-star.
A Different Man: A disfigured actor (Sebastian Stan) with an even deeper psychological affliction, undergoes plastic surgery that restores his looks but does nothing to save his soul. Aaron Schimberg wrote and directed.
It’s What’s Inside: In this Netflix horror offering, a group of college friends gather for a wedding threatened by the arrival of a surprise guest toting a mysterious suitcase. Brittany O’Grady stars.
The Outrun: Saoirse Ronan is earning raves for her portrayal of a recovering drug addict who returns to her childhood home on the Orkney Islands to rediscover herself and forge a productive path forward. Nora Fingscheidt directs.
White Bird: A Wonder Story: In a sequel to the hit “Wonder,” one of Auggie’s bullies, Julian (Bryce Gheisar), is somewhat ostracized himself but is emboldened by the tales of courage his grandmother (Helen Mirren) tells him about growing up in Nazi-occupied France. Marc Forster directs.
Oct. 11
The Apprentice: Ali Abbasi’s controversial biopic traces the “oranges” – make that, origins – and evolution of “The Donald” under the tutelage of unscrupulous attorney Roy Cohn (“Succession’s” Jeremy Strong). Rudy Giuliani’s “underage” honey-trap from “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” Maria Bakalova, co-stars as Ivana Trump.
Saturday Night: Director Jason Reitman (“Juno,” “Up in the Air”) goes backstage to recreate the 90 minutes leading up to the 1975 debut of “Saturday Night Live.” Keep an eye out for Lamorne Morris, as “SNL” original, Garrett Morris. No relation, but there’s a remarkable resemblance.
We Live In Time: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in an adaptation of Nick Payne’s play (he also wrote the script) that presents snapshots of the highs and lows of a couple’s romantic relationship in non-chronological order. It’s a bit of a gimmick, but word is that the chemistry between the two stars is powerful enough that it’s well worth sorting through the confusion. John Crowley (“Brooklyn”) directs.
Piece by Piece: Documentarian Morgan Neville (“20 Feet from Stardom”) takes an unusual approach to his profile of rock-soul legend Pharrell Williams by using LEGO puppets.
Oct. 18
Anora: Sean Baker (“Red Rocket,” “The Florida Project”) wrote and directed this Cannes winner starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker who falls for and weds the son (Mark Eydelshteyn) of a Russian oligarch whose parents fight to annul the marriage.
Woman of the Hour: Anna Kendrick stars and makes her directorial debut with an undeniably creepy true story about how a contestant on “The Dating Game” unwittingly selects the bachelor who just happens to be a ruthless serial killer.
Oct. 25
Venom: The Last Dance: Tom Hardy takes his third and final turn as Eddie Brock, aka Venom, as he and his alter ego fight to avoid capture. Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star.
Nickel Boys: An idealistic Black teen (Ethan Herisse) says the wrong thing to the wrong cop and finds himself incarcerated at the brutal Nickel Academy reform school where his only salvation is his burgeoning friendship with a fellow inmate (Brandon Wilson).
Nov. 1
A Real Pain: In this acclaimed dramedy, Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins touring their beloved grandmother’s native Poland when familial wounds fester, forcing them to confront their inner demons. Eisenberg directs.
Blitz: Saoirse Ronan plays a mother of a small child (Elliott Heffernan) whisked off to the English countryside to escape the Nazi bombing raids on London. But the boy has other ideas and runs away with his mum in a frantic pursuit. Oscar-winner Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) directs.
Nov. 8
Conclave: Ralph Fiennes is garnering praise for his portrayal of a besieged cardinal charged with overseeing the election of a new pope in the wake of the mysterious death of the former pontiff. Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) directs.
The Piano Lesson: Malcolm Washington (son of Denzel) directs an adaptation of August Wilson’s acclaimed drama about a troubled Black family fighting for survival in post-Depression-era Pittsburgh. The director’s brother, John David Washington, stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Danielle Deadwyler.
Nov. 13
Emilia Perez: Legendary writer-director Jacques Audiard (“A Prophet,” “The Sisters Brothers”) incorporates song and dance in telling the tale of four Mexican women (Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Carla Sofia Gascon) pursuing their happiness, with the focus on Gascon’s Emilia, a transgender woman seeking a means to be her true self.
Nov. 15
Red One: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson heads a star-studded cast playing a lawman called upon to “save Christmas” after Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped by an evildoer. Chris Evans plays Johnson’s sidekick, an infamous bounty hunter intent on claiming the large cash reward for returning St. Nick safe and sound. Jake Kasdan directs and Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Liu and Bonnie Hunt round out this family comedy.
Heretic: Hugh Grant is at his villainous best as a non-believer who engages in a clever game of cat and mouse with two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who make the mistake of knocking on his door. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods share the writing and directing duties.
Here: Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunite with their “Forrest Gump” director, Robert Zemeckis, to play a married couple aging (courtesy of AI) from teenagers to octogenarians in an unconventional film unfolding in one room and shot with a single static camera. Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly play the young Hanks’ parents.
Nov. 22
Gladiator II: Ridley Scott endeavors to recreate the magic of his 2000 Oscar-winner with this long-awaited sequel set years after Lucius (Paul Mescal) witnessed his Uncle Commodus murder Maximus. Now at the mercy of the formidable Roman emperors, Lucius must enter the Colosseum to defend his people and regain power. Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen, reprising her role as Lucilla, complete the dynamic cast.
Wicked: In perhaps the most anticipated film of the fall, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande step into the iconic roles of Elphaba and Glinda in the Hollywood version of the Broadway smash that serves as a de facto prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” The film also marks the reunion of director Jon M. Chu and his “Crazy Rich Asians” star, Michelle Yeoh.
Spellbound: From Skydance Animation comes this Netflix offering about a princess (voiced by Rachel Zegler) attempting to save her parents and their kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters. Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) directs.
Nov. 27
Moana 2: “Spellbound” faces some immediate competition via this sequel from Walt Disney Animation in which the title character (voiced by Auli’i Carvalho) sets out on a new, even riskier voyage with her sidekick, Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and a host of new characters for a thrilling musical adventure.
Dec. 6
Nightbitch: Writer-director Marielle Heller follows up her back-to-back Oscar-nominated features “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood” with the even more daring story of a woman (Amy Adams) who takes a career sabbatical to be a stay-at-home mom. But for mysterious reasons, she starts believing she’s becoming a canine.
Y2K: “SNL” vet Kyle Mooney co-wrote and directed this sci-fi comedy in which two teenagers crash a 1999 New Year’s Eve party with disastrous results once the clock strikes midnight. Jaeden Martell and Rachel Zegler star.
Dec. 13
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl: Writer-director Rungano Nyoni follows up her indie favorite, “I Am Not a Witch,” with another mystery-thriller, this one about a young woman (Susan Chardy) and her cousins unearthing disturbing secrets about their middle-class Zambian family in the wake of discovering her uncle’s body.
Dec. 20
Mufasa: The Lion King: Barry Jenkins (of the Oscar-winning “Moonlight”) directs this quasi-sequel to the animated hit, in which Rafiki is asked to recount (via flashbacks) the legend of Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) to Kiara, the daughter of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyonce).
Babygirl: Nicole Kidman is being touted for her portrayal of a powerful CEO who risks her career when she engages in a torrid affair with a young intern (Harris Dickinson). Halina Reijn (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”) directs and Antonio Banderas co-stars as Kidman’s cuckolded husband.
The Room Next Door: Two dear friends (Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore) who haven’t seen each other in years, touchingly reconnect in the latest female-centric offering from Spain’s iconic Pedro Almodovar.
Dec. 25
Complete Unknown: Timothee Chalamet morphs into a young Bob Dylan as the singer-songwriter graduates from playing small coffee houses to being the voice of his generation. It’s directed by James Mangold, who hopes to do for Dylan what his “Walk the Line” did for Bob’s old pal, Johnny Cash, played here by Boyd Holbrook. Edward Norton co-stars as folk legend Pete Seeger.
The Fire Inside: Acclaimed cinematographer Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther”) makes her directorial debut working from a script by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins about the life of Olympic boxer Claressa “T. Rex” Shields (Ryan Destiny). Brian Tyree Henry co-stars.
Nosferatu: Robert Eggers (“The Witch,” “The Lighthouse”) wrote and directed his remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror classic about a young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and her obsession with a vampire (Bill Skarsgard) that leads to death and destruction. Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson fill out the cast.
The Life of Chuck: As the apocalypse approaches, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s alcoholic sad sack, Marty, searches for his ex-wife, but soon becomes fixated on the cryptic messages he encounters, all featuring a wide-grinned gentleman named Chuck (Tom Hiddleston). But who’s Chuck? Thus begins a three-part odyssey told in reverse chronology, capped off by what critics are calling an overly sentimental ending. And as history has taught us (“Green Book”), that’s pure catnip for the Academy electorate.
