Preliminary 2011 Oscar Contenders: Part One
The first 20 of many...
As of right now, I have a list of 72 individual films that could potentially go on to become 2011 Oscar nominees. If you take into consideration the additional films I currently have listed as animated and documentary contenders the list grows to 85 films. As a result I am going to break up this preliminary list of Oscar contenders into four articles and on the fifth day, this coming Friday, I will publish the list in its entirety. I felt it would be easier to digest everything this way as opposed to offering one massive list you probably wouldn't be able to look over all at once.
As for the list itself, it should be looked at as a guide to potential nominees, not a guarantee, not a lock, but simply films that could potentially go on to be remembered at the year-end Oscar race. A few of these films may not even be released in 2010. Several of these films still don't have distribution. A few of these films just started production. Suffice to say, this list, as the headline says, is preliminary.
However, taking that into consideration, each day will be presented in alphabetical order and the following day will pick up exactly where the previous left off. So, if you see a spot where a film may have been overlooked please comment below. I have not yet finished work on the new "The Contenders" section and once I open its doors I hope to have as comprehensive a list as possible. As the year goes on several of these films will drop off the list, others will be added and just like last year we will ultimately end up with our front-runners.
With all that said, let's get started with the first twenty films…
Quick Thoughts: 3 Backyards, directed by Eric Mendelsohn, doesn't currently have a distributor, but after winning the Directing Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival as well as being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize I have a hard time believing this one won't make it to theaters this year.
Quick Thoughts: George Nolfi is best known as the co-writer on The Bourne Ultimatum, but this year he'll make his directorial debut on The Adjustment Bureau which he adapted for the screen based on the Philip K. Dick short story "Adjustment Team". The film stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt for your acting consideration and with cinematography by two-time Oscar winner John Toll (Braveheart and Legends of the Fall), the score composed by ten-time Oscar nominee (never won) Thomas Newman and editing by Jay Rabinowitz (The Fountain and Requiem for a Dream) I think you can find more to consider.
Quick Thoughts: Newmarket Films picked up distribution rights to Alejandro Amenabar's Agora, but there is still no word on when they plan to distribute the picture, which has drawn mixed reactions from festival showings. Starring Rachel Weisz and considering Amenabar's previous films (The Others and The Sea Inside) it's hard not to think this film will have some sort of chance at awards recognition. Also look out for Oscar winner Dario Marianelli's score and this one could be prime for art direction and costume nominations.
Quick Thoughts: Anton Corbijn's follow-up to Control in the thriller The American starring George Clooney as an assassin out on his final assignment with a script by Rowan Joffe adapted from Martin Booth's novel. Corbijn's Control was unfortunately overlooked, but the casting of Clooney guarantees this one won't be which means other facets may also get recognized whereas they were dismissed before, such as Martin Ruhe for cinematography (which was spectacular in Control).
Quick Thoughts: Sony Pictures Classics picked up Animal Kingdom after it won the Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema – Dramatic) at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and while it may be more likely this will be a film for the Independent Spirit Awards, I won't count out David Michod's feature until I've had a chance to see it.
Quick Thoughts: Anytime Mike Leigh makes a film we must stand up and take notice. Personally I loved Happy-Go-Lucky in 2008, a film which earned Leigh an original screenplay Oscar nomination and this time he's brought back his Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) and reteams with Jim Broadbent for the third time. Leigh also has brought with him BAFTA Award nominated editor Jon Gregory (In Bruges and The Road). To say there is Oscar potential here is an understatement.
Quick Thoughts: Jodie Foster reunites with her Maverick star Mel Gibson, directing him in The Beaver, the story of a man who walks around with a puppet of a beaver on his hand and treats it like a living creature. Foster also plays a role in the film as Gibson's wife and Anton Yelchin is aboard as the son of the family. The script is an original written by first-timer Kyle Killen. Gibson's return to the big screen was a bummer earlier this year with Edge of Darkness, but perhaps The Beaver will have better results.
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Based on pure buzz and potential, I think James Franco can be considered an early Best Actor frontrunner, Swank – Best Actress, and Aaron Sorkin – Best Adapted Script for The Social Network (the amount of people on message boards praising the script to death is huge, like, really huge). But either way, it's sure as hell too early, and for now I think it's all just fun and games. At this time in past years, I haven't even heard of either Slumdog or The Hurt Locker, or The Blind Side, or Crazy Heart, and never dared to believe TDK and Basterds would get so much acclaim.
Damn. I clicked reply accidentally… gotta add something to that. While I haven't seen The Ghost Writer, with such a great praise from many people and not much competition, something leads me to believe Olivia Williams could be looking at an Oscar nom for Best Supporting Actress.
And after having seen Shutter Island twice, I can't tell you how much I'd love it if DiCaprio finally won for Best Actor. Also, Robert Richardson is a clear frontrunner for Cinematography at this point… I can't think of any film in coming 9.5 months that can possibly rival SI in that aspect. It was simply brilliant.
There are another possible contenders in my mind – Scorsese, Kingsley, Polanski, McGregor, Brosnan, Jesse Eisenberg for TSN, Rockwell for Betty Ann Waters, Tree of Life… but for now, they all are just too longshot. I say, we should wait.
I haven't heard of half of these movies
Well, that's exactly why I'm doing it. Getting everyone up to speed on the year to come. Now you'll be the one in the know. :)
To be honest, the only ones that REALLY interest me are Black Swan and Betty Anne Waters.
I doubt Shutter Island will get Martin Scorsese another Best Director nomination. It's the case of wrong timing.
He didn't deserve his nod for The Aviator. Some say that Robert Zemeckis was the most ambitious director of 2004 when he directed the first ever motion capture animated flick.
Clint Eastwood over Martin Scorsese you say?
Try Clint Eastwood over Robert Zemeckis!
Brad, do you know if there will still be 10 oscar nominations for best picture in the upcoming year?
The quote I last heard was that yes, they would be continuing with ten nominees.
austin: Hopefully. The movies this year actually sound better than last year's.
And Barbara Hershey will be back? Eff yeah! I hope it will be Natalie Portman, Darren Aronofsky, and Sam Rockwell's year this/next year.
Paolo: The movies always sound better until we actually see them. :)
Looking forward to The Special Relationship (to jump several letters ahead). It'd be nice to see Michael Sheen get a nomination, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Dennis Quaid pick up a Best Actor nod ahead of him (Sheen's a like a rabbit's foot for hardworking B-movie talent – Mirren wasn't exactly dynamite before The Queen and Langella's probably glad for the shot in the arm).
I'm mostly looking forward to Never Let Me Go and The Kids Are All Rifht
I see Leo Dicaprio getting a best actor nod hopefully and many tech awards for SI especially its score. As for best pic, with 10 nominees theres a good chance. What do u think Brad or anyone else?
Shutter Island, I don't see as a contender due to an early release and although reviews are good certainly not up to par with Martin Scorsese's best. My guess is that if any Dicaprio film is going to get oscar talk this year it will be Inception. Great cast, as The Hurt Locker proved summer isn't too much of a disadvantage and Christopher Nolan is considered by a strong majority to be overdue for a director nomination. (Hell, the academy expanded their BP noms because of the heat they took for snubbing The Dark Knight and Wall-E.) If Inception lives up to the expectations then this could be Dicaprio's Nolan's year.
I see maybe best supporting actor going to Christian Bale in The Fighter. He plays I think a man under the influence of drugs and gambling problems, I think, don't quote me on that, but it seems like Oscar bait already.
I'm hoping this year that finally Ryan Gosling or Dicaprio win a best actor oscar, I believe that along with Bale and Norton they are the best young actors around. Unfortunately I don't see Dicaprio winning or being nominated for SI mainly because of it's March release date.
In terms of best director, there are two that I'd love to finally see winning it – TM for Tree of Life or Nolan for inception.
However, it's a recent trend that the best picture winner seems to be a low budget movie with few known names (hurt locker, slumdog, crash and even no country for old men to a lesser extent)
I'm scared, we just finished the 2009 Oscar season only a couple of weeks ago!
"The Beaver" sounds pretty interesting to me. Also, I want to watch "Black Swan" because I'm a huge Aronofsky fan. Seriously. That's the only reason. I promise you.
OK I lied, there's obviously another reason why I want to watch "Black Swan". You all know what I'm talking about.
Just throwin this one out there mainly because early reviews have been so strong and I have high hope for it myself, but is there any chance that Kick-Ass could pull off nomination for best picture and say supporting actress among otheres?
Yes, it's a violent genre film but so were The Departed and Inglorious Basterds and that didn't seem to hold them down too much.
@Colin- I think Kick-Ass could be a hit with the GGs, but as far as Oscars go, that might be a bit much. MAYBE Adapted Screenplay and Art Direction.
A supporting actress nomination would make me scream, though.
Scream like in a good way or a bad way?
I'm looking forward to a string of terrific Mirren performances this year. This year she's starring in Brighton Rock, Love Ranch AND The Tempest, which all, to me at least, seem strong contenders for any number of categories this coming year, including Best Actress :) GO MIRREN!
Thanks so much Brad!
I've read these 2011 Oscar Lists on a lot of other websites and yours is by far the best one.
Thanks so much again!
My director predictions right now are:
Nicolas Roeg, Night Train
Sofia Coppola, Somewhere
Julian Schnabel, Miral
Derek Cianference, Blue Valentine
Peter Weir, The Way Back
Although I could definitely see Malick getting in.
Keep reminding me of any updates you get on Roeg's Night Train. It still hasn't started shooting or finalized casting to my knowledge and as such it won't be included in the preview.
Will do, Brad. I feel like this could be his year, considering he's 81 and has never been nominated- not to mention Soderbergh is on board producing.
Solid list though my guesses are quite different,
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are Alright
Julian Schnabel, Miral
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Coen Brothers, True Grit
My best Picture guesses are…
Black Swan
Miral
The Kids Are All Right
Inception
True Grit
127 Hours
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Somewhere
The Social Network
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Chances are I'll get 3 or 4 tops but like my list.
Just thought I'd let you know that ( being a huge Gosling fan) All Good Things has been delayed for a year now and The Weinsteins are no longer the distributers/
http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4944/all-good-things-comes-to-an-end-for-the-weinsteins
I don't care what happens as long as either Ridley Scott or Terrence Malick get the Best Director award this year. I don't want to hear about Nolan or anyone else being overdue until these two guys get their due.
Hopefully Aronofsky at least gets nominated, since he has always gotten snubbed.
Well, the fact that all Nolan has is a screenplay nomination, whereas both of those have been through the Best Picture gauntlet (and Ridley has emerged with the trophy) means I'd still rather see Nolan get some overdue recognition.
Besides, Ridley Scott winning Best Picture for Gladiator probably counts as "his due". Yes, I know it's technically the producers who get the award, but for "a Ridley Scott film".
See, I disagree with that. If "The Departed" only won Best Picture but Scorsese still lost Best Director, everyone would still be crying out that he has never won the Best Director trophy.
I don't think that Shutter Island will get any major noms.
I heard that there will be ten films nominated again next year.
Regarding Biutiful – I read that they are just putting the finishing touches on the film. I sounds like Inarritu is like Malick in taking his time to get the film just the way he wants it.
Hey Brad have you heard anything on Mickey Rourke playing a real hit man Richard Kuklinski aka The Iceman the notorious contract killer for the mafia who killed over 300 people in 30 years. I reed that Mickey Rourke said its going to be his Raging Bull but I haven’t heard anything about it ever sense. And I was wondering if there is any truth to it.
Haven't heard anything beyond that NY Post original story, which I didn't even report since they aren't exactly reliable. Sorry.
All right thanks I haven't heard anything about it so I was just wondering. Thanks man.
127 Hours, Black Swan, The Company Men, and The Conspirators are the most interesting sounding of this group to me. The Adjustment Bureau, The American, and Casino Jack also sound interesting.
I'm really excited for All Good Things. Heard great things about Gosling and Dunst. Seems like a sure contender during awards season.
You can read more about THE CONSPIRATOR here:
http://www.theamericanfilmcompany.com/films/detail/the-conspirator
It gives you a better idea about the story and has articles about the roles played by McAvoy and Wright.
I Think that Inception, 127 Hours, The Kids are All Right, Black Swan, Winter Bone (let's see if the best picture winner can also be the winner of the Grand Jury Prize 3 years in a row), The Conspiritor, either Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole, Toy Story 3, and The King's Speech and Salt will get best picture nominations.
I think Inception, Winter Bone, The Kids are All Right, The Conspiritor, and 127 hours could win.
Jesus Christ, are there any films you think AREN'T going to be nominated?
This wasn't about films being nominated, it was about potential, but then again you'd know that if you had read the entire thing. But I can only do so much, I can't force you to read or comprehend. Sorry.