Meet This Year's Best Picture Contenders
As we head into the holiday season, we also head into the heart of film awards season. And once again, we are looking at a rather unpredictable year. Though cinemas have mostly reopened this year, the Oscar race is once again being impacted by the pandemic, with many films failing to reach the large audiences that would have greeted them in a normal year—or reaching them directly in their homes rather than on the big screen.
But the uncertainty doesn't mean we don't have a general idea of which films will contend for best picture nominations at the upcoming Oscars. We have surveyed industry experts, calculated the Metascores, and examined the top performing films at this year's major film festivals to come up with a list of 20 potential best picture contenders from 2021, plus a few bonus wildcards.
What is it? The latest Coen brothers film—it's actually Joel working without brother Ethan for the first time—is a noir-ish, black-and-white take on Shakespeare's Macbeth starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as an older-than-normal Lord and Lady Macbeth.
Why is it a contender? Go back to the part where we mentioned Shakespeare, Denzel Washington, and Frances McDormand. Two of the latter's past three live-action films have been best picture nominees (and the one that wasn't is the just-released The French Dispatch, which still has a chance at a nomination).
What are its chances? After a rousing New York Film Festival debut in September that saw the film earn raves from critics, the Scottish film's Oscar chances have never looked better. It would be a bit of a surprise if it isn't nominated for best picture—and an even bigger surprise if it doesn't bring additional nominations for its two leads. (McDormand, as a producer on the film, could be nominated twice this year, much as she was for last year's Nomadland.)
When can I see it? A limited theatrical run begins Christmas Day. The film then streams on Apple TV+ beginning January 14, 2022.
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