2019 Nominee Watch – July 26th

Quentin Tarantino's 9th film shows up in cinemas this weekend as the only major wide release. Chances are it won't be as big as any of the recent releases from Disney, but will hold its own.

There are also a few documentaries releasing this week that stand a good chance of getting an Oscar nomination this time around so keep your eyes out for them as well.

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Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
It's time for the 9th film from Quentin Tarantino and we get Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt together for the first time on screen. The story is one of classic Hollywood, something that Tarantino has a tremendous love for. DiCaprio stars as Rick Dalton, a Hollywood star who pals around with his best friend and stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt). Dalton realizes/discovers he's turning into a "has-been" at the same time Sharon Tate  (Margot Robbie) arrives as a rising star.

It's important to note that Tarantino has claimed that he will only ever direct 10 films, and this is his ninth. His list of feature film directing credits reads like a who's who of films many consider to be modern classics. From his first forays into directing with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, to the Kill Bill duology and the more recent films Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, he has littered Hollywood with excellent movies just like the bodies lying dead on the floor in his films.

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With an all-star cast which not only includes Pitt, DiCaprio, and Robbie (all of whom have been nominated for Best Acting Oscars) but also sprinkles in copious amounts of Dakota Fanning, Al Pacino, and Kurt Russell, there are bound to be at least a few nominations coming out of this release. I wouldn't be surprised to hear Tarantino's name announced with an Original Screenplay nomination along with Best Director and Best Picture as well.

Limited Releases

• Astronaut – An aging man (Richard Dreyfuss) fights against his family and a heart condition when he wins a contest to journey into space.
• Be Happy – Sweeping movie musical with a huge cast of characters who find themselves in all sorts of situations.
• Conundrum: Secrets Among Friends – A group of friends from high school take a weekend vacation together and begin to uncover secrets about one another.
• Dead Water – A former soldier takes his friend up on an offer to journey out on his yacht and end up facing troubles on the high seas.
• For Sama – Documentary look at the troubles faced by a pregnant woman who must bring a child into the world in the middle of a war zone. Look for this in the Best Documentary Feature nominations.
• The Ground Beneath My Feet – A woman in a high powered professional role battles against herself as she loses control of her life and begins having hallucinations.
• Honeyland – An aging bee hunter must fight to save the bee population and bring balance back to nature.
• In Safe Hands – A social worker vows to find the perfect home for an unwanted child. 
• Jirga – A former soldier returns to Afghanistan where he fought in hopes of receiving redemption from the family of a civilian he killed during the war.
• Mike Wallace is Here – A documentary look at the 60 Minutes investigative reporter Mike Wallace.
• The Mountain – Jeff Goldblum stars as an eccentric doctor specializing in lobotomies who recruits a young photographer to document his work.
• See You Soon – A soccer star living the high life has his life changed in an instant when he injures his leg in a catastrophic car accident.
• Skin – Racist skinhead Byron (Jamie Bell) seeks to transform his life with the help of a black activist.
• Tel Aviv on Fire – A young Palestinian man becomes a star writer on a popular soap opera after being an Israeli soldier.
• ​Jay Myself – An intimate documentary look at the photographer Jay Maisel through the eyes of his protege Stephen Wilkes. (July 31st)
• Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies – The ninth annual Meet-Up at the movies allows Dead Heads the chance to relive some classic Grateful Dead moments. (August 1st Special Engagement)