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? A caustic Thanksgiving drama about three generations of a family that gather for the holiday at a run-down Manhattan apartment. The unsettling, dialogue-heavy film also veers from comedy to horror as it progresses through the evening.
Why is it a contender? It's adapted from one of the most heralded plays of the last five years, a one-act by Stephen Karam that won major Drama Desk, Obie, and Tony awards and finished as a Pulitzer finalist—and Karam himself directed the adaptation (as his film debut). And reviews were terrific following the film's TIFF debut. It also boasts a great cast in Richard Jenkins, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, June Squibb, Amy Schumer, and Jayne Houdyshell, with the latter reprising her Tony-winning role.
What are its chances? Not great, but that could change if buzz builds after its release to the public. It may not be cinematic (or likeable) enough for Academy voters, which could put a best picture nomination out of reach, but it is an acting showcase, which helps. Humans will have a much better chance at screenplay and acting nominations, and Jenkins already considered a frontrunner for best supporting actor.
When can I see it? It will get a rare simultaneous Showtime/theatrical release just in time for Thanksgiving on November 24.
| Stream On |
|
| Stream On |
|
| Stream On |
|
| Stream On |
|
| Stream On |
|