2018 Nominee Watch – November 2nd

We fly into November with several new offerings, some of which will surely be up for Oscar consideration come winter time.

We have two very different types of films based on music (Bohemian Rhapsody and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms) as well as a buddy/relationship comedy (Nobody's Fool) and a fantasy horror mystery expanding into wide release (Suspiria).

On the limited release front, there are a few documentaries that might make some hay at the Oscars along with some films that will surely see wider release in a few weeks.

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• Bohemian Rhapsody
• If you're a fan of Queen's music, you're probably going to love this movie as the hits are sure to be populated throughout the film. Everything I've read about this film indicate that Rami Malek delivers a tremendous performance as Freddie Mercury, completely with the flash and flamboyance he was known for.

Chronicling the band's rise to stardom, Bohemian Rhapsody is part biopic, part drama, and part movie musical. As anyone who reads my blog knows, I'm no fan of musicals in film, but will make an exception for a film such as with. It's telling a story that is inextricably linked with music, so telling the story with the music actually makes sense in this case.

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As you may remember back to Mamma Mia over the summer, there is unfortunately no opportunity for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score here since the songs are not new. It's a shame there is no category for performance of existing music, or even adaptation of music, because I have a feeling this would be a fantastic application of such a category. The one other area where I see a slim potential for a nomination is in Best Costume Design. Just the feat of dressing Malek as Mercury alone had to be a huge task, but add to that the multitude of period costumes across the film and that is worth a nomination.

Nobody's Fool
​I feel like I'm putting up a preview of a Tiffany Haddish movie on this site every other week. Haddish is everywhere, this being her fourth feature film of 2018 (Uncle Drew, The Oath, Night School) and she is sure to bring her big personality to this relationship film as well.

Haddish plays a woman just released form prison who goes to live with her highly successful sister who is on the verge of becoming the first black female VP in her company. Impressed by the life her sister is living, Haddish finds a job and settles in, only to uncover that the man she's dating doesn't really exist. The sisters work together with a best friend to find the person behind the catfish scheme and "take care of him."

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Now, I said this was a relationship film, and there is sure to be plenty of non-family relationships to deal with in the film, but I believe at the core, this will be a film about family. Whoopi Goldberg plays the mother and if you watch to the end of the trailer, you'll see there is some disconnect between her and Haddish. Ultimately, I feel like this relationship, as well as the sister/sister bond, will be most under the microscope in this film from Tyler Perry.

Ultimately, don't look to this film for any Oscar nominations. It may be a fun date night movie and is sure to have more than a few laughs, but doesn't appear to be in the running for any major awards.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
I'm just going to come out and say it right away, if this film doesn't receive a nomination for Best Visual Effects, I'm not sure what will. Just watching the trailer for this film shows me plenty of effects that will have audiences spellbound.

You likely know the story of the Nutcracker as made famous in the classic Tchaikovsky ballet. Many of the famous characters from the original story will surely make an appearance in this film version, but from all appearances there will be plenty of newcomers. The score will likely sound familiar too as it is an adaptation of Tchaikovsky's original music for the ballet, brought into the modern day with some new twists.

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The film itself looks like it has some twists and turns as well. Mackenzie Foy (Twilight, Interstellar), Morgan Freeman (Invictus, Driving Miss Daisy), and Keira Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride & Prejudice) highlight a strong cast, supported by Helen Mirren (Red, The Queen) as a trouble making queen. While I doubt that any of these actors will be nominated for an Oscar for a film such as this, the costumes they inhabit are sure to land a nomination for Best Costume Design as well as potential for Best Make-up and Hairstyle.

There is one other area where I see potential for a nomination here and that is in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. The story is based on previous work, but the treatment seems fresh, even if some of the worlds in the film look vaguely reminiscent of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

There are plenty of new films aimed at kids coming out this month and they all look fairly strong. This one may be better for slightly older children, but is sure to have plenty to keep adults entertained as well.

Suspiria
​If you checked out last week's Nominee Watch, you may recognize this title from the limited releases. It expands into wide release after a week in limited release.

​Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) stars as Susie Bannion, a young dancer admitted to a prestigious dance academy in Germany. Once there she begins to discover that there are mysterious things happening, including the recent disappearance of another student.

This one is tough for me to call in terms of Oscar buzz. As it is based on a book (of the same name) there is an outside possibility that it could receive a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer) looks decidedly creepy as the instructor at the academy but I doubt neither she nor Johnson will receive any Oscar love.

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I'm happy to see a film like this expanding to a wider audience because this is not your typical multiplex fare. I feel like this film is what Red Sparrow was tried (and failed) to be earlier this year.

Definitely the darkest film of the weekend, if you're looking for laughs or fun, skip this one.

Limited Releases

• ​The Ballad of Shirley Collins – A documentary look a the folk musician Shirley Collins.
• Bodied – Producer Eminem brings a YouTube original to theaters with a comedic look at the world of rap battles. Think 8 Mile with more laughs.
• Boy Erased – Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe play devoutly religious parents who sent their son (Lucas Hedges) to a reform camp when they find out he is homosexual.
• Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – The title says it all, this documentary deals with the rise in popularity of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in the 60s and 70s.
• The Grief of Others – One family's struggle to deal with life when things start to unravel.
• In Search of Greatness – A look at the individuals that have dominated the top of their sports such as Jerry Rice, Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan, specifically WHY they dominated as they did.
• Marfa Girl 2 – Sequel to the 2012 film Marfa Girl which continues the story of a young man dealing with life in Marfa, Texas.
• Number 37 – South African film that feels like a modern retelling of the Hitchcock classic Rear Window.
• The Other Side of the Wind – A mockumentary by Orson Wells (Citizen Kane) that is finally finished after languishing for over 40 years. (Netflix)​

• Possum – Horror film about a man returning to his childhood home to confront the demons of his family.
• A Private War – Biopic about journalist Marie Colvin and her travels through war zones around the world to document atrocities against humanity.
• Prospect – A man and his daughter journey to a far off moon in search of riches only to find themselves caught up in an interplanetary fight.
• Rampant – Korean vampire action film.
• Searching for Ingmar Bergman – A documentary look at the life and work of the famous film director.
• Time Trap – A group of students go searching for their lost teacher in a cave, only to find themselves trapped where time passes differently than the world around them.
• Distant Constellation – A documentary portrayal of the odd assortment of characters in a Turkish retirement home. (Oscar Qualifying Run)
• The Front Runner – Hugh Jackman plays Senator Gary Hart in during his 1988 presidential campaign in a story about the affair that derailed his campaign. (November 6th)
• Narcissister Organ Player – Documentary look at performer Narcissister as she reflects on the loss of her mother. (November 7th)
• Thugs of Hindostan – High seas adventure, love affairs, and plenty of piracy. Think Pirates of the Caribbean, but made in India. (November 8th)