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The Critics’ Choice Awards Point to Must See Movies
by Sandra Olmsted
The Oscar race heats up with the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) announcing the Critics’ Choice Awards. The 2015 awards forecast 30 of the 33 Oscar nominees in the top six races, missing only directing noms for The Big Short and Room, and an acting nom for The Big Short.
The Critics’ Choice Awards show the studios which films they need to push in order to get not only a nomination, but one of those coveted Oscars. Here’s a breakdown and an early run at what will be Oscar contenders, and therefore, films to see this holiday season.
Here are some potential Oscar nominations opening in the weeks ahead and a few recent releases listed by the St. Louis permiere dates. Several films are yet to be scheduled for release. Dec. 16: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which might get a nom just as Mad Max: Fury Road was included last year. Also opening Dec. 16, La La Land, a retro-Hollywood musical and movie about Hollywood, written and directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone is likely to get noms, and the delightful holiday tale, Collateral Beauty, which could get an acting or screenwriting nod, might just be fun to see.
On Dec. 21, Jackie opens, and Natalie Portman’s winning a Critics’ Choise Award in portraying Jackie Kennedy means that Portman is in the short list for an Oscar nod although I think other actresses’ performances were stronger. Lion also opens on the 21st, and I think this moving film will get at least some recognition, such as Adapted Screenplay, when the Oscar Noms are announced Jan. 24. Julieta also opens on the 21st, and this gorgeous film by director Pedro Almodóvar is on my short list for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film although the Dec. 23 release, Elle, is likely to be in the running also.
On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Fences from director Denzel Washington and starring Washington and Viola Davis promises a number of Oscar noms. Other films on the Critics’ Choice noms for Best Pictures are Loving, Moonlight, and Sully which are likely to Oscar noms in at least some categories. Although Manchester by the Sea’s Casey Affleck won Best Actor from the BFCA and BTJA, I’m thinking there are stronger performances more worthy to win an Oscar.
Another holiday film opening 23 to consider seeing just for fun is Why Him? which combines the traditional elements of the holiday genre with a dash of Father of the Bride. The film Paterson sneaks in under the wire with a Dec. 28 release.
A great number of the Oscar contenders won’t open in St. Louis until after the new year, yet they will open in limited release in LA and New York so that they can be considered for the Oscars this year. Release dates are also always subject to change at the last minute by studios, and I go by the best information I can get by the deadline.
Some of the ones I highly recommend as potential Oscar nominations are Hidden Figures, most likely in the acting categories and for screenwriting and possibly direction. Silence, Live by Night, Patriot’s Day, The Founder, and Gold should also be on the short list of Oscar nominations although they are still very much under wraps, and the opinions on their value are limited. I’ll have to keep you posted.
A fantasy film for children that might garner some awards in the special effects and technical categories is A Monster Calls, which is also scheduled to open in St. Louis after the New Year.
Happy Holidays and Happy Moviegoing!
