As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, all but delaying a slew of this year’s would-be Oscar contenders, the Academy Awards are still scheduled to happen in 2 months’ time, meaning that certain movies need to be discussed. Is it so surprising that nearly all of the following 13 Best Picture contenders are available on either Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus or Amazon Prime? Of course not. This will be the strangest Oscars yet and, for that, consider us absolutely intrigued at the prospect of seeing them pull this ceremony off.
1) “Nomadland” (HULU)
The undoubted early favorite. Having debuted at Venice to outstanding reviews, and claiming the festivals top prize, the golden lion, Chloe Zhao (“The Rider”) has created a masterpiece as she continues her rise to directorial superstardom. Starring Frances McDormand as a woman who embarks on a journey through the American West following the Great Recession, the film could also see McDormand win her second trophy in three years and third overall. The critics are with this movie and, we presume, so is the Academy.
2) “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (NETFLIX)
Aaron Sorkin and Netflix will be hopeful of a return to the Oscars with this latest courtroom drama from the legendary writer of “The Social Network” and “A Few Good Men”. Based around the uprising at the 1968 Democratic national convention, the film’s heralded performances and slick screenplay drive the audience-friendly courtroom theatrics. The term Oscar-bait is too-often tossed around by pundits these days, but it’d be rather silly to deny that Sorkin’s film isn’t just that.
3) “Mank” (NETFLIX)
David Fincher’s return to feature films will probably have him firmly in the mix for his first Oscar. If there’s anything the Academy loves more than films about Hollywood, it’s surely films about the making of Hollywood classics and this biopic on “Citizen Kane” writer Herman Mankiewicz shot in black and white will have Netflix firmly at the front of the queue for the big prize. However … mainstream audiences have not responded as well to “Mank,”and there seems to be an all-too-important disconnect between critic and moviegoer. Its low audience score on Rotten Tomatoes should also be of great concern. Nominated? Absolutely. Winning? Meh.
4) Minari (A24)
Lee Isaac Chung’s heartfelt autobiographical film won the prestigious Grand Jury and Audience awards at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Despite a lack of presence at the fall festivals, it is almost a shoo-in for a Best Picture Oscar nomination. That’s how head over heels Academy members seem to be about “Minari.” The fact that A24 is backing this film only reinforces the likely outcome that it will be honored come nominations morning.
5) “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (NETFLIX)
George C. Wolfe’s retelling of the tensions between Ma Rainey and her ambitious horn player Levee (Chadwick Boseman) is yet another of Netflix’s huge players this awards season. Starring former winner (and best actress favorite) Viola Davis, the film will be getting its awards boost from the fact that Chadwick Boseman, in his final role, is the driving force behind the drama. His performance will most likely make him only the third actor to win an acting award posthumously, its remnant effects will also drive Wolfe’s film to a sure-fire Best Picture nomination. Bank on it.
6) “One Night in Miami” (AMAZON)
Regina King’s feature film debut behind the camera shot right to the top of a lot of people’s best picture lists following its debut at Venice last week. Portraying a fictional night in which Mohammed Ali (Eli Goree), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) gather to discuss their roles in the civil rights movement of the ’60s, King’s film is said to be both compelling and urgent and littered with a plethora of engaging performances. Definitely one to watch.
7) “The Father” (SONY PICTURES CLASSICS)
Florian Zeller’s brutal take on aging has been raved about since its Sundance world premiere. Currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (as is “Nomadland”) many are calling the lead performance from acting legend Anthony Hopkins the best of his career. If that wasn’t enough, the film also stars Oscar winner Olivia Colman as Hopkins daughter. The subject matter may be as morose as it gets, but there’s no denying the artistry at hand here. Voters will absolutely go for this movie when all is said and done.
8) “Judas and the Black Messiah” (HBO MAX)
Shaka King’s take on the story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton and the betrayal from William O’Neal has earned some of the best reviews of any Best Picture contender. The film has two heavy hitters leading it in former nominee Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield. The subject matter is timely, and seems to be resonating with anyone who has caught it thus far in its short run on HBO Max. Ignoring this film would lead to heavy backlash from the #OscarsSoWhite crowd. The academy doesn’t want that to happen again.
9) Promising Young Woman (FOCUS FEATURES)
The reason why this film is at the bottom of the major contenders list is due to my hearing whispers that Academy members, especially the male contingent, are not responding positively to this vehemently feminist film. Emerald Fennel’s debut takes RISKS that would most likely alienate half of its viewers. Regardless, it is a much-talked about film and represents a major moment in 2020 cinema. Carey Mulligan is also a potential Best Actress winner for her ferocious performance as a woman scorned, but never defeated.
10) Sound of Metal (AMAZON)
So, are the odds that one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2020 gets a Best Picture nomination? Sometimes, a movie is so good that It just needs to be seen by enough voters. Word of mouth keeps building for this independent movie. The IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes ratings are very positive, audience-wise. Amazon is in charge of the awards campaigning. There is no reason for Sound of Metal to not be nominated, right?
11) Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (AMAZON)
Yes, this sequel to the 2006 comedy classic is a contender. Why? Well, quite simply because it recently received a prestigious nomination from the Producers Guild of America, a major precursor to Oscar nominations as it includes many of the same voters. Sacha Baron Cohen’s return to his beloved Kazakh- born reporter was met with divisive reviews last fall, but industry has fallen for it — especialy the Globes who awarded Cohen and his film the Best Comedy/Musical award last week.
12) “News of the World” (UNIVERSAL)
Paul Greengrass’ reunion with Tom Hanks was the kind of crowd pleaser that people appreciated during our locked-down holidays. The film follows Hanks as a well-traveled Texan who brings news to townsfolk across the west, but finds himself embroiled in the rescue attempt of a kidnapped girl. It’s the kind of earnest, and Capra-esque feel-goodery that many people need at the moment. Plus it has Tom Hanks. The only thing preventing it from being higher on the list is its polite, but none-too-ecstatic positive reviews.
13) “Da 5 Bloods” (NETFLIX)
It may be tough for Spike Lee’s powerful and moving war tale to really make headway in 2021. The April date for the Oscars means it will be over a full year from the film’s release on Netflix, and with the streaming giant’s crowded contender list, we could see this incredibly poignant and necessary story, sadly fall down the pecking order. It doesn’t help that the guilds have, for the most part, ignored it this year. Delroy Lindo’s performance, said to be a potential winner when it premiered, is now a major question mark for even being nomination.
14) “Soul” (Disney Plus)
It’s clear Disney has extremely high hopes for the latest Pixar original from Pete Docter and his team. Their first black-led story (fronted by Jamie Foxx) was originally selected for Cannes. What is less known, however, is if this existential animation will break through the usual divide that comes with Academy voters and the genre. You can count in a single hand the times an animated movie got nominated for Best Picture in the Academy’s 92 year history (3 times). The task is daunting, but don’t ever count out the mouse house.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.