This Award Season is looking light on the typical "Oscar Bait" films and heavy on some crazy good material. Shifting through the weeks of October, November and December, I've selected a few films that I have selected to run and go see the day it comes out. There is a lot that is coming out, but I feel as though these films (hopefully) will be the crème de la crème:
Moonlight
Dir. Barry Jenkins
Synopsis:
A timeless story of human connection and self-discovery, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.
Why I'm excited:
The rise of creative, original African American cinema is upon us. After the spiraling down of 'Birth of a Nation', it's great to see that we had a backup to be the front runner of the award season for the Afro-American community, and judging from reviews and buzz out of festivals, it might be even better than BoaN. It's the first movie that A24 (Room, Green Room, The VVitch) have financed, and they have done no wrong lately, so I can only see this as their crowning achievement. Think 'Boyhood' but nowhere near as long or as boring.
Arrival
Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Synopsis:
When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team - lead by expert linguist Louise Banks - are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers - and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.
Why I am excited:
Well, let's see. This is the director of 'Sicario' and 'Prisoners' follow up film. That alone has sold me. But add in an original sci-fi plot in the vein of 'Interstellar' and 'The Martian', throw in an A+ cast and you've got yourself a recipe for success. The reviews out of Toronto have been nothing but spectacular, and I wouldn't doubt it for a moment. I'm beyond excited for this one (it's tied with my most anticipated for the season.
American Pastoral
Dir. Ewan McGregor
Synopsis:
In 1968, a hardworking man, who's been a staple in his quaint community for years, watches his seemingly perfect middle class life fall apart as his daughter's new radical political affiliation threatens to destroy their family.
Why I'm excited:
Ewan McGregor's directorial debut is a pretty gutsy one to do: adapting a Philip Roth novel, and a heavy one at that. It's certainly got the correct tone and the performances look pretty good. I personally don't think it'll be the best film of the year, not by a long shot. But I like the book and the material should be enough to carry it through to the end without much disappointment.
The Handmaiden
Dir. Chan-wook Park
Synopsis:
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl (Sookee) is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress (Hideko) who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle (Kouzuki). But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until Sookee and Hideko discover some unexpected emotions.
Why I'm excited:
Mr. Park is best known for 'Oldboy', but his cinematic eye that was able to bring such a great piece of cinema didn't stop there. He's had a great career and this seems to be another height of it; a Cannes favorite and critic darling, Korean cinema has thus far brought us some truly unique and disturbing films that have not disappointed me. And this should not be any different.
La La Land
Dir. Damien Chazelle
Synopsis:
Mia, an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian, a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
Why I'm Excited:
I was blown away the moment the trailer ended. Chazelle, the director of the fantastic 'Whiplash' is back with his follow up, and it's nowhere near what one would expect. Toronto had a field day with this, already highly praising the film. A 1950s homage to the musical complete with Hollywood romanticization that was perfectly cast with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. This is my most anticipated film of this season (next to Arrival).
Live By Night
Dir. Ben Affleck
Synopsis:
A story set in the Prohibition Era and centered around a group of individuals and their dealings in the world of organized crime.
Why I'm Excited:
What's there not to be excited about? Another gangster film directed by Ben Affleck before he embarks on directing another Batman movie (ugh). With Robert Richardson (Tarantino's cinematographer) behind the camera, shooting anamorphic on the camera used on 'The Revenant', I could barely contain my excitement when I saw the trailer. Affleck can do no wrong, and I'm glad we got an original before DC sucks his soul away.
Honorable Mentions:
The Eyes of my Mother
Dir. Nicolas Pesce
The Unseen
Dir. Geoff Redknap
Under The Shadow
Dir. Babak Anvari
Manchester By The Sea
Dir. Kenneth Lonergan
Silence
Dir. Martin Scorsese
So, what movies are you excited for this season? Sound off below!
