It’s officially awards season! From Anora to The Brutalist, check out all the top movies that are awards contenders this year. Find out when you can see them yourself, as well as early-season predictions for the 97th Academy Awards.
Each year brings its own slate of blockbusters, indie darlings, box office bombs, shameless cash-grab sequels and pretentious critics' favorites. For those who keep an eye on the Oscars, each year also means ten films will receive the ultimate privilege of being nominated for Best Picture, and one will emerge victorious. Last year’s Academy Awards saw Oppenheimer dominate, taking home Best Picture and six other awards. However, this year looks to be much more competitive, with almost every major award up in the air. Here are the major contenders and when you can catch them in theaters!
Tier 1: Frontrunners
Anora, dir. Sean Baker
Release date: Oct. 18, playing now at AMC Evanston 12!
If you missed the raucous A&O Productions free student screening in late October, you still have time to catch this absolute blast of a film at the Evanston AMC. It tells the story of a Brooklyn stripper who meets an immature (and very attractive, I should add) son of a Russian oligarch with way too much money for his own good and the subsequent chaos that ensues. Although Mikey Madison’s breakthrough lead performance anchors the movie, it also features a brilliant, thoroughly hilarious ensemble cast that really shines over the two-hour plus run time.
Why you should watch this movie in one sentence: Anora will match your freak.
Awards: After receiving the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes earlier this year, Anora is a strong contender in multiple Oscar categories. Madison, mentioned above, seems poised to win the Best Actress award for her performance. She is the unquestioned favorite. Similarly, it would be a major upset if Baker didn’t win for Best Original Screenplay. Baker is widely regarded as one of the most promising American directors working today. He has long been critics' darling with acclaimed films including The Florida Project and Tangerine. However, Anora is his biggest project yet, with the largest budget, longest runtime and greatest appeal to both indie fans and mainstream audiences. Baker will likely also earn a nomination for Best Director, another award he can win come March. This package of Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay and potentially Best Director (along with a less emphasized predicted nomination for Best Editing) means Anora is the current favorite for Best Picture. Yet, there remains some doubt as to whether Anora truly has what it takes to win: It’s certainly far from a runaway leader like Oppenheimer.
The Brutalist, dir. Brady Corbet
Release date: Dec. 20
With a colossal 215-minute runtime, The Brutalist is an epic historical drama that tells the story of a Hungarian Jewish architect who emigrates to the United States post-WWII in pursuit of the American Dream. Shot using the VistaVision process and cameras (technology which was actually developed in the 1950s) and presented with a fifteen-minute intermission, The Brutalist’s strongest traits are its ambition, both in craft and content, and the quality of its acting performances.
Why you should watch this movie in one sentence: Fear not, you too can achieve ultimate film bro status by logging The Brutalist on Letterboxd.
Awards: The Brutalist wasn’t expected to be a hit with critics. Corbet is far from an established director, having made only two feature films before The Brutalist. Yet, that didn’t stop him from crafting the most visually stunning cinematographic achievement of the year on only a $10 million budget. The film has vaulted up the prediction rankings in Best Picture and Best Director, while Adrien Brody appears to be a virtual lock to win his second Best Actor Oscar. On the supporting side, Guy Pierce and Felicity Jones seem on pace to pick up acting nominations, with Guy Pierce currently being the favorite to win Best Supporting Actor. However, The Brutalist gets its biggest advantage from its below-the-line awards dominance. Below-the-line awards refer to work done by crew members, so think of awards like Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Sound, Best Makeup, etc. The Brutalist is the favorite to win Best Cinematography and Best Score while also being essentially guaranteed nominations for Best Editing and Best Production Design. Considering all of these nominations and likely wins, it’s impossible to deny that The Brutalist is a serious Best Picture contender.
Tier 2: Nominations Nominations
Nickel Boys, dir. RaMell Ross
Release date: Dec. 20
This adaption of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel premiered at Telluride earlier this year and immediately received plenty of buzz for its innovative directorial choices (NO SPOILERS…find out for yourself what I’m referring to) and highly acclaimed source material. The novel, set in the 1960s, tells the story of two African American boys who are sent to an abusive reform academy in Florida. While some are divided on the film’s visual style, it has maintained critical acclaim among audiences. Many critics have labeled it a masterpiece that successfully melds a bold premise with powerful performances and artful cinematography. Nickel Boys stays true to the original novel’s story while offering its own unique merits as a visual art form.
Why you should watch this movie in one sentence: POV: you decided to watch Nickel Boys ;)
Awards: How the Academy views this film depends on its wide release in December and reactions to member screenings during the height of awards season. Best case scenario, Nickel Boys could earn nominations for Best Director, Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture while taking home Best Adapted Screenplay. If it truly catches fire with critics, a Best Picture run isn’t out of the realm of possibility. A more realistic outcome would be a bottom-half Best Picture nomination, one nomination for either Supporting Actress or Director and a competitive race in Adapted Screenplay.
Emilia Pérez, dir. Jacques Audiard
Release date: Nov. 13 (on Netflix)
Emilia Pérez is unlike any film you’ve ever seen. A musical crime thriller about a Mexican cartel leader who finds a lawyer to help her disappear and transition into a woman, it jumps from poignant family drama to explosive, brilliantly choreographed musical numbers that showcase what a musical movie offers that a regular film cannot. Some critics call it the best film of the year, while others are much more critical of the depiction of the trans experience. The film is undeniably entertaining, but it’s up to you to decide whether certain thematic elements hold up to greater scrutiny.
Why you should watch this movie in one sentence: Selena Gomez!
Awards: Though critical opinion is mixed, this film is going to rack up a ton of nominations. Audiard, who won the Palme d’Or in 2015, has an established reputation as one of Europe’s premier auteurs. This film represents a departure from the style of Audiard’s previous work. Still, given his prestigious legacy and the ambitious, genre-bending and stylish visual presentation of Emilia Pérez, he’s guaranteed to land his first Best Director nomination. Similarly, Karla Sofia Gascón looks to have secured a Best Actress nomination, although she seems unlikely to unseat Mikey Madison for the win. Zoe Saldana has a ton of screentime, and her strong performance makes her the favorite for Best Supporting Actress. Additional nominations for Emilia Pérez will likely include Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Score and Best Original Song (where it will likely receive two nominations). Add onto all of this the fact that it’s the favorite for Best International Feature, and Emilia Pérez seems like a top three Best Picture contender simply due to its success across various categories, despite mixed audience and critic responses.
Conclave, dir. Edward Berger
Release date: Oct. 25, playing now at AMC Evanston 12!
After earning nine Oscar nominations for his previous film, All Quiet on the Western Front, Edward Berger returns with a tightly woven thriller about a Cardinal who forms a papal conclave to elect a new Pope. Adapted from a 2016 novel by Robert Harris, Conclave isn’t the most groundbreaking film this year, but it doesn’t have to be when it has an Oscar-baity premise and solid execution. It’s gripping, well-acted and beautifully shot.
Why you should watch this movie in one sentence: It’s like Succession but way more Catholic!
Awards: Conclave isn’t really a serious threat to win any categories, but it’ll sneak into plenty of nominations. Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci are solidly entrenched in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor races, respectively. Best Adapted Screenplay seems to be the best shot for Conclave to take home an Oscar, where it’ll compete with Sing Sing and Nickel Boys. Additional nominations will likely include Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Score.
Dune: Part Two, dir. Denis Villeneuve
Release date: March 1, 2024, stream it on MAX
Awards: Given that Dune: Part Two came out earlier this spring, I’m assuming that everyone who wants to watch this film has already had the chance to, so I won’t bother explaining the premise and will talk strictly about awards prospects. Perhaps due to its earlier release, Dune 2 has lost some steam in terms of being in the winning conversation for Best Director or Best Picture. However, it’s not under any serious risk of losing out on nominations for either category. Dune 2 will also feast on tech awards: It should sweep Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. Best Cinematography will be a fun race between Dune 2 and The Brutalist. With the right momentum, Dune 2 could become competitive in Best Picture, but it’s looking more likely that it’ll pick up a swath of below-the-line wins and only nominations for Best Director and Best Picture.
Tier 3: Quick Shots
Sing Sing, dir. Greg Kwedar
Release date: Aug. 2, 2024 (A24 will be putting the film back in theaters in January 2025 for a full wide-release, date TBA)
My personal favorite movie of the year, Sing Sing tells the true story of Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), a theater program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Upstate New York, which sees the arts as a means to transformation and connection. Shot on location and featuring a cast of real-life RTA alumni, the film is a moving, deeply intimate look at one inmate’s journey with the program as the group puts on an especially ambitious production. An early-season favorite, A24 royally butchered the initial distribution of this film, but cast members recently confirmed a January re-release that will bring the movie to theaters across the country. The film has a strong awards profile: Colman Domingo’s lead performance looks to be the only one that can compete with Adrien Brody for Best Actor, while Clarence Maclin (who plays himself in the film) similarly competes with The Brutalist’s Guy Pearce for Best Supporting Actor. Currently, the film is also slated to pick up additional nominations in Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. If the January rerelease coincides with a late-season surge, Sing Sing can challenge for the win in both of these categories and pick up a couple other nominations.
However, if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend seeing this movie beyond just the context of the Academy Awards: It’s worth it.
The Substance, dir. Coralie Fargeat
Release date: Sept. 20
“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? You. Only better in every way. Seriously. You've got to try this new product. It's called The Substance. It changed my life. It generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect, you. And there's only one rule: You share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy. Right? If you respect the balance... what could possibly go wrong?”
The Substance is insane. You simply have to experience this film for yourself, preferably in theaters (it’s still playing at AMC Evanston 12). It’s a maximalist body-horror film about an aging actress who takes a black-market drug that temporarily brings back a younger version of herself. Keep in mind, this film is definitely not for the faint of heart (or stomach), as it is very explicit and grotesque. What makes this film truly masterful is how it leverages its genre to tell an extremely compelling and even relatable story about misogyny, beauty standards and self-loathing. The direction never skips a beat even as the film descends further and further into madness, while Demi Moore’s lead performance is impeccable. It is diabolically entertaining, and the pacing is superb. The fact that this film is even a remote contender for the Oscars (who never nominate horror movies) is a testament to how great it is. A very dedicated fanbase is making a serious push for The Substance to make it into the Best Picture ten, which will hinge on Demi Moore being nominated for Best Actress. If it does happen, it would be one of the most surprising (but best!) nominations in Oscar history.
GO WATCH IT!
Tier 4: Worth Mentioning
These films will likely pick up a few nominations, but aren’t serious threats to win any awards.
Gladiator II, dir. Ridley Scott - Nov. 22
A Real Pain, dir. Jesse Eisenberg - Nov. 15
Wicked, dir. Jon M. Chu - Nov. 22
Blitz, dir. Steve McQueen - Nov. 22
Keep in mind that the film that gets the most Oscar nominations is not necessarily the best movie of the year. The awards season is just one way that films are singled out to be recognized, and I’d encourage you to go and see whatever films interest you personally. I’ve included below a list of my top recommendations from the movies I discussed in this article.
The top five films I’d recommend this awards cycle:
Anora
The Substance
Sing Sing
Nickel Boys
Conclave
Films listed by release date:
Out now: Anora, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, The Substance, Sing Sing
Nov. 13: Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Nov. 15: A Real Pain
Nov. 22: Wicked, Blitz, Gladiator II
Dec. 20: The Brutalist, Nickel Boys
Thumbnail graphic by Angela McKinzie / North by Northwestern