Meet This Year's Best Picture Contenders
We may be living in unsettled times, but there's one bit of (minor) normalcy rapidly approaching: Hollywood's awards season. So which films from 2020 (plus next January and February, thanks to an extended eligibility period) could contend for a best picture Oscar next spring? We have surveyed industry experts, reviewed the reviews, and examined the top performers at this year's few surviving major film festivals to come up with a list potential contenders.
Despite the fact that so many potential 2020 nominees have taken themselves out of the running by shifting their release dates into late 2021 (a list that includes Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, Denis Villeneuve's Dune, Tom McCarthy's Stillwater, the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, and Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, among others), there are still over a dozen strong contenders to receive a best picture nomination when the Academy reveals its selections on March 15, 2021. (The delayed Oscar ceremony will be held on April 25.) Those films, and a handful of additional wildcards, are listed in alphabetical order in the gallery above.
Note that it looks like director Steve McQueen will be represented at least twice (and perhaps more) near the top of our list of 2020's best-reviewed films. But his five (!) upcoming releases are technically part of an BBC/Amazon anthology series (Small Axe) which will make his films Emmy-eligible rather than Oscar-eligible, so they are omitted here.
What is it? The third feature from Chloé Zhao (The Rider). It's a beautifully shot and moving drama about a 60-something woman (Academy favorite Frances McDormand) who loses her husband, job, and hometown during the late-2000s economic crisis and decides to live out of her van, traveling the country.
Why is it a contender? Nomadland instantly became this year's frontrunner when it debuted at the major fall festivals and became the first film in history to sweep the top awards at Venice and Toronto. (At the latter, it won the People's Choice award, which is a virtual guarantee of a best picture nomination.) Oh, and it's also 2020's best-reviewed movie.
What are its chances? It's an absolute lock. And Zhao alone could ultimately receive four nominations this year (for directing, writing, editing, and producing the film), which would be a record for a woman.
When can I see it? December 4, in whatever theaters are still around.
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