2019 Nominee Watch – November 15th

Awards season is really starting to heat up as we move through the middle of November. There are three films hitting wide release this weekend that have a good shot at some Oscar nominations.

You'll also find several films getting their qualifying limited releases for nominations in Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best International Film this weekend. Check out all the details below.

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All Rise
If you've never read Walter Dean Myers's book Monster, you should definitely check it out before watching this film. I know many people read it in school as kids, but I had never picked it up until recently when I saw it was the inspiration for this film.

The book is written in the form of a movie script, written by the young man on trial as an accessory to murder. It explores race relations and the struggles that young men of color face in the prison system, from that direct point of view.

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I am excited to see how this book translates to film, since the book itself is set up like a film. Will the creators take the script as it is in the book, or will they make changes to adapt it further to film.

Initially I didn't think there was anything here for the Oscars, but I do think there is an outside chance of a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Charlie's Angels
If you saw the two previous film version that were made in the early 2000s, you know they certainly lacked a bit in the plot and character development department. They were not great films by any stretch, but if you were looking for female driven action (which is always in short supply in Hollywood) they were just about the only game in town at that time.

Now the angels are back with a new cast (Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska) along with an updated threat that reflects the world we live in today. Elizabeth Banks, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Djimon Hounsou join the team as three very different members of the "Bosley" clan.

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The one major difference from the previous films here is that there is a woman behind the camera. Banks not only appears in the film, but also directs, and based on the trailers, there is a little less focus on the female body as a result. Hopefully this means more focus on what these women are capable of doing.

Don't get me wrong, there won't be any Oscar nominations for this one. It's still just a fun action film to take your mind off the worries of the day.

Ford v. Ferrari
If you're looking for racing action and awesome car driving scenes, look no further than Ford v. Ferrari this weekend. Starring none other than Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity, The Martian) and Christian Bale (Vice, The Dark Knight), the film tells the story of the challenge Ford Motor Company undertook in 1966 to build a car that could best Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

It's great to see two heavyweights step into the ring together with Damon and Bale joining forces for the first time. Damon plays car designer Carroll Shelby (yes, Shelby of the Shelby Mustangs and Shelby Cobras) who is the one tasked with creating the car to take down Ferrari's dominance. Bale in turn plays Ken Miles, the wild driver who is one of the best, but a bit of a hot head.

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I don't think we've had a really big period piece focused on the car world in quite some time so this one shows up at a great time. With director James Mangold at the helm who last received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (Logan) and two strong performers in the lead roles, there are bound to be some Oscar nominations in hand for the film.

I would also look to some nominations in technical categories including sound editing, sound mixing, visual effects, and perhaps even cinematography.

The Good Liar
It's great to see another strong acting pair here, this time Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men) and Helen Mirren (Red, The Queen) as a pair of romantics that meet on a online dating service and begin a relationship.

All is not what it seems though when McKellen's character appears to be after his new love's vast fortune rather than love itself. He admits deception to her on their first date, but only in the form of his name. It seems that there is much more deception going on here than meets the eye.

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The film was adapted from a novel by the same name and as such stands a good chance of a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. McKellen and Mirren are both strong actors and may get attention for their roles in the film.

There is also an outside chance that the film could receive a Best Director nomination and perhaps even a nod for Best Picture, though that field is looking much larger these days.

Limited Releases

• Atlantics – Senegalese film submitted for Best International Film about a woman who runs off to marry a man despite being in lover with someone else. (Netflix)
• Autonomy – Famed thinker Malcom Gladwell explores the cultural changes that we will have to deal with as we move toward self-driving cars and their move into the mainstream.
• Enai Noki Paayum Thota – Indian film about a man  who falls in love with a woman but has to face dire consequences as a result.
• Everybody's Everything – Documentary look at the late artist Lil Peep.
• Feast of the Seven Fishes – Romantic comedy about a group of friends reunited at Christmas.
• Hollywould – Mystery thriller about a man who returns to Hollywood but doesn't find what he expects.
• The Hottest August – New Yorkers talk about the changing world around them including political division and climate change. Submitted for Best Documentary Feature.
• I Lost My Body – Animated film about a man trying to find the girl he loves while a severed hand tries to find its body. The film is currently under consideration for Best Animated Feature. (Netflix)
• Jhalle – Indian film about a family that only wants Jhalle to find a husband in spite of her craziness.
• Line of Duty – After a police officer shoots a suspect, he finds out that the dead man is the only lead they have in another investigation.
• Mickey and the Bear – A young girl struggles to keep her family going while dealing with her addict father.
• Radioflash – An electromagnetic pulse shuts off power to a town and a young girl must find her way to her grandfather in a remote woods.
• Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project – Story of a woman who taped 24 hours of television every day for 30 years. Submitted for Best Documentary Feature.
• The Report – Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, BlackKklansman) and Annette Bening (American Beauty, 20th Century Women) star in a film that explores the creation of the 9/11 report.
• Scandalous – Documentary look at the National Enquirer and its affect on popular culture. Submitted for Best Documentary Feature.
• Sequestrada – A group of westerners attempt to move native peoples from their homeland.
• The Shed – A man tries to protect his best friend from bullies in school while he discovers a creature in his tool shed.
• Somewhere Winter – Chinese romance film about two people falling for each other.
• The Turkey Bowl – A man returns home after 15 years to finish a football game that they played long ago.
• The Warrior Queen of Jhansi – A woman leads her army against the British East India Company in the 19th century.
• Waves – A suburban family deals with the trials and tribulations of raising kids and dealing with overbearing parents.
• White Snake – Chinese animated film about a lover story between a snake charmer and a snake.
• National Theatre Live: Fleabag – The 1974 follow-up to 1972's The Godfather continues the story of the Corleone crime family. (November 18th Special Engagement)
• Lionel Richie at Glastonbury – Special presentation of Richie's performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2015. (November 19th Special Engagement)
• Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest – A look at the band and their fans including footage from their 2017-2018 world tour. (November 21st Special Engagement)