2019 Nominee Watch – November 27th

There are a few Oscar long shots this week, along with some films that have been submitted for consideration in the Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best International Film categories.

​Let me know what you're seeing this weekend with a comment below.

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Knives Out
A family gathers together to celebrate their 85-year-old father only to have him die during the party. They are forced to stay together in the house while the police undertakes an investigation into the circumstances behind the death.

The ensemble cast here is tremendous including Daniel Craig (Skyfall, Logan Lucky), Chris Evans (Avengers: Endgame, Snowpiercer), Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Halloween), Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water, Nocturnal Animals), Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine, Hereditary), Don Johnson (Miami Vice, Django Unchained), and Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, A Beautiful Mind). Just a few of these names in a film together would be worth the price of admission, but all of them together in a huge ensemble only serve to make it even better.

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I have it on good authority that this is a good film, funny and engaging with plenty to go around. It plays on the classic idea of setting a film in one location and forcing the characters to adapt to the location whether they like it or not.

While I think the multiple roles could end up feeding on each other come Oscar time, there is a good chance that at least a few of the leads mentioned above will receive acting nominations.

The other name to note is the director, Rian Johnson. Yes, the same Rian Johnson who directed 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This is obviously a much different film than his previous stint on the big screen, and might just land him a nomination for Best Director and/or Best Picture.

Queen & Slim
Loosely based on the story of Bonnie and Clyde, this film stars previous Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) as Slim and Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen, a young couple out for a date after meeting earlier that day on a mobile dating app.

​When they are pulled over on the drive home and Slim shoots and kills the police officer, the pair are forced to run from the authorities.

Exploring race relations and the issues that we often see on the news these days, this film will likely hit hard at the those who have strong opinions about race, regardless of which side of the debate they fall on.

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While sure to be a polarizing film, I'm still up in the air whether it will get any Oscar attention. There is certainly the possibility for strong acting here, but I worry that it may be a little too polarizing for The Academy.

Then again, the Oscars often love a story like this and the original Bonnie and Clyde was nominated for a bevy of Oscars.

Limited Releases

• The Two Popes – A biopic about the current and former popes and the transition. ANthony Hopkins stars as Pope Benedict XVI with Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis. (Netflix)
• After Parkland – An intimate portrait of the students and parents who were forced to deal with the aftermath of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. (November 29th)
• Away – A boy and a bird journey across a remote island to find home in this film submitted for Best Animated Feature. (November 29th)
• The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open – A young woman fights against abuse with the help of a stranger she meets on the street. (November 29th)
• Kind Hearts and Coronets – 70th anniversary presentation of the 1949 classic film starring Dennis Price and Alec Guiness. (November 29th)
• Tremors – Not to be confused with the 1990 Kevin Bacon film, this is a Guatemalan film about a father who comes out to his family. (November 29th)
• Ximei – Documentary about a woman in China fighting for the rights of her and other AIDS victims. The film has been submitted for consideration for Best International Film. (November 29th)
• After She Wakes – A mother and daughter have terrifying visions in their sleep that become reality upon waking. (December 1st)
• Compton's Finest – Two Compton detectives try to hunt down a notorious drug lord. (December 1st)
• When Harry Met Sally... – Special presentation of the 1989 Rob Reiner film starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. (December 1st Special Engagement)
• Sleepless in Seattle – Special presentation of the 1993 classic Nora Ephron film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan . (December 2nd Special Engagement)
• Gundam 4th Anniversary Celebration: Chars Counterattack – A special event with the Gundam team fending off a huge attack. (December 5th Special Engagement)