2018 Nominee Watch – April 6th

Following up on last Friday's post, I am writing this week about the films slated for wide release this weekend.

The docket this week includes the John Cena comedy Blockers, the historical drama Chappaquiddick about Ted Kennedy, The Miracle Season about high school volleyball, and the horror thriller A Quiet Place starring and directed by John Krasinski.

Overall, I don't see many nominations coming out of this group of films, with the possible exception of Chappaquiddick.

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Blockers
When I first saw the trailer for this film, I thought for sure it was a Judd Apatow product. It stars his wife (Leslie Mann) as many of his films seem to do, but was surprised to see Kay Cannon's name in the director listing. Blockers is her directorial debut after performing writing duties for all three Pitch Perfect films.

As noted above, I don't see any possibility of a nomination coming for this film. No doubt it will have some laughs and there may even be a few good one-liners that become part of our cultural dialogue, but that's where it ends.

Reviews
Roger Ebert
EW.com

Chappaquiddick
This was a new topic for me but one I'm very curious about. Apparently I'm not up on my 1969 Martha's Vineyard celebrity tabloid stories, since I had never heard of the Chappaquiddick Incident (as Wikipedia calls it).

The "incident" recalls an automobile accident where a car driven by Senator Ted Kennedy was driven off a one-lane bridge in Chappaquiddick Island and resulted in the death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

The trailers for this film look interesting and it will certainly bring awareness of this event to younger audiences. I think the only legitimate possibilities for nominations here are in the Best Original Screenplay category, with very slim chances of nominations for supporting roles.

Reviews
EW.com

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The Miracle Season
This was another film I haven't heard much about leading up to the release this weekend. I'm very inspired though, just from watching the trailers. Based on a true story, this The Miracle Season is about a women's high school volleyball team who loses their team captain and best player Caroline Found , during their run at a second consecutive state championship.

While I don't see this garnering any Oscar buzz or nominations, it is great to see a sports film about women and girls where the characters are looking up to another female leader and learning to be leaders themselves. Lead by their coach (Helen Hunt) and Caroline's best friend Kelly (Erin Moriarty), they will make an improbable run back to the state championships and learn to play for their lost friend, but more importantly, play for themselves.

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A Quiet Place
I was pleasantly surprised by Krasinski's portrayal of Jack Silva in 2016's 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. Having only seen him in The Office and an episode of Lip Sync Battle on television, I wasn't sure of his range.

Typically horror isn't a genre that garners much in the way of Oscar buzz, and from the previews, it seems like that will hold true here as well. The film looks terrifying, claiming in the trailers that "if they hear you, they will hunt you." It's not clear what "they" are, which is part of the creepiness. All that said, I sincerely doubt any nominations will come from this one.

Reviews
​EW.com

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