As the summer movie season fades into memory and a biting chill arrives in the wind, we mere mortals can be assured of two things: loads of white people in America are about to complain about seasonal Starbucks cups, and the Oscar movie season is about to restart. While completely unrelated (unless you enjoy a take-away coffee as an accompaniment to independent film), it's these subtle signals that mark the start of a long, long race towards the 2018 Academy Awards. If, then, like me, you find it hard to keep up with the tidal wave of Oscar-hopefuls, take some comfort in the fact that this little post has you completely covered. Granted, there are always surprises, but these are the films out now (or in the near future) that are creating the largest amounts of buzz as we head towards awards season this year...
In the following list I'll run down the films, their stars and directors, their release dates and their current rating on Rotten Tomatoes to provide a perspective on the current critical consensus on the film, but remember: Rotten Tomatoes scores aren't depicting the average rating, they are depicting the percentage of critics that gave the film a positive review. For example, the recent Spider-Man: Homecoming earned 92% on the site, meaning that 92% of the officially released reviews for the film gave it an above average review, not that the mean of their collective scores is equivalent to a 9.2 out of 10.
Mudbound
Directed by industry favourite Dee Rees, Mudbound is an authentic drama set in the American South after World War 2. It follows two men (Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund, above) having returned home from the fields as they attempt to fit back in to life after war in rural Mississippi. Even as a veteran, Mitchell's character Ronsel must deal with the challenges of violent racism on top of the traumas of battle, what follows proving to be a gritty, emotional and awe-inspiring cinematic event. While the film is currently enjoying an acclaimed run in select theatres (it has 98% on Rotten Tomatoes), Mudbound is available worldwide on Netflix - so you really have no excuse but to see it.
I, Tonya
You may know Margot Robbie from Wolf of Wall Street or as Harley Quinn in the DC film universe, but I, Tonya proves she really is more than a pretty face. This film, also produced by Robbie, explores the incredible true story behind one of the most controversial Olympians of all time: Tonya Harding. The acclaimed figure skater (played by Robbie) famously flew off the rails when her ex-husband began to interfere in her craft. With hilarious performances from Allison Janey (playing a more than problematic mother) and Marvel's Sebastian Stan, I, Tonya proves to be hysterical, moving and shocking in equal amounts. This Oscar front-runner glides into cinemas in early December with a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig makes a stunning directorial debut with Lady Bird, a film that follows a young woman living in California for a year (as succinctly put by it's official synopsis). Lady Bird, also written by Gerwig, is, though, so much more. Marinaded in deliciously dry humour, the film explores growing up in an oppressive Catholic faith-structure, the dynamics between a teenage girl and a fiercely strong mother, the desire to be intellectually free and the role of dreams that are realistically unobtainable. Starring Saoirse Ronan in the titular role, as well as Timothee Chalamet (more on him next), Lady Bird has left critics infatuated with it earning 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It seems like its presence at this years awards season isn't just a preference, its a given.
Call Me By Your Name
Perhaps the most high-profile independent film to come out this awards season, Call Me By Your Name is at this point a guaranteed Best Picture and Best Actor contender. Visually stunning and emotionally vulnerable, this book-to-screen adaptation from director Luca Guadagnino revolves around 17 year old Elio (portrayed by Lady Bird alum Timothee Chalamet), who develops feelings for his father's assistant, Oliver (played by Armie Hammer). Set in Nothern Italy in 1983, Call Me By Your Name's stunning landscapes proveide a beguiling location for a deeply moving tale about the transience of love and the emergence of sexuality. This is a genuine must-see, with 98% of critics declaring it 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Shape of Water
Arguably a spiritual successor to the now iconic Pan's Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro returns with another fantasy-imbued depiction of the past, this time round being Cold War-era America. During a lonely employment in a top secret government laboratory, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a research project that will change their lives forever. Also starring Academy favourite Michael Shannon, this thriller-romance-horror promises to deliver the same thrills and wonder that 2006's Labyrinth radiated in spades, with the The Shape of Water also boasting a superb 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dunkirk
Already available on digital, Blu-Ray and DVD, Dunkirk was Christopher Nolan's follow up to Interstellar and one of his few films outside of the science-fiction genre. Although many critics felt the film lacked an emotional hook due to its lack of a clear story through-line, its suffocating realism and artistic cinematography have led to many predicting the film will sweep in the Academy Award's technical categories. With 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Dunkirk would make for excellent matinee viewing in the colder months as we head toward the award's season.
Wonder Woman
So there you have it, the complete run down of the Oscar front runners so far! How many of these have you already seen? Who do you think will the Oscar race? Let me know in the comments below, and stick to JG Review for more awards coverage in the months going forward.
Written by James Green
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