So now that Telluride, Venice, and Toronto are (nearly) behind us, almost all of the big awards-baity movies have been seen by critics, Hollywood likes, Academy members, and a few fans who were lucky enough to get tickets to those film festival.
The Times' awards team broke down who they think'll be the big contenders in the six big categories come Oscars time, including those that premiered at the film festivals, and movie releases prior to that (oh and the Dick Cheney movie people still know nothing about?). Here's a breakdown of potential nominees.
Best Picture and Best Director-- Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler
-- A Star Is Born, directed by Bradley Cooper
-- Roma, directed by Alfonso Cuaron
-- If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins
-- Widows, directed by Steve McQueen
-- First Man, directed by Damian Chazelle
-- Green Book, directed by Peter Farrelly
-- BlacKkKlansman, directed by Spike Lee
-- Can You Ever Forgive Me?, directed by Marielle Heller
-- The Favourite, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Best Actor-- Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
-- Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun
-- Ryan Gosling, First Man
-- Hugh Jackman, The Front Runner
-- Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased (or Ben is Back)
Best Actress-- Nicole Kidman, Destroyer
-- Julia Roberts, Ben is Back
-- Viola Davis, Widows
-- Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
-- L. Gaga, A Star Is Born
-- Glenn Close, The Wife
-- Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
-- Keira Knightley, Colette
-- Carey Mulligan, Wildfire
Best Supporting Actor-- Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy
-- Daniel Kaluuya, Widows
-- Sam Elliott, A Star is Born
-- Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther
-- Richard E Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
-- Russell Crowe, Boy Erased
-- Adam Driver and Topher Grace, BlacKkKlansman
Best Supporting Actress-- Claire Foy, First Man
-- Nicole Kidman, Boy Erased
-- Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
-- Elizabeth Debicki, Widows
-- Tilda Swinton, Suspiria
The only ones they have questionable are the 'Green Book' stars Viggo Mortensen & Mahershala Ali, and which categories they'll be divvied into. Same with 'The Favourite and its three stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, which is why they're missing from the list above (as in, who will be put for lead, and who'll be supporting). Also some of the ones listed above are kind of far-fetched but who knows with the Academy to be honest.
The NYT also noted films that haven't been released but might have buzz, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Mary Queen of Scots, and On the Basis of Sex (and the Cheney movie).
Source:
https://twitter.com/nytimesarts/status/1040657769769185280