In my book, it's never too early to speculate which films could possibly take home an Oscar next March.
The Academy Awards and the buzz it generates is undoubtedly my favorite part of being a film critic. I love speculating about which films could possibly be nominated and even win! Today, I'm going to list a couple films that I believe could see some nominations for the 2019 Oscars!
"Black Panther"
"Black Panther" was a first of its kind in a film that could not only be considered a good superhero movie, but an excellent film all around. One of the toughest aspects about writing reviews for superhero films is that they're almost on a different scale because they're a completely different genre from everything else out there, but "Black Panther" surprisingly felt incredibly grounded and could draw a lot of Oscar buzz, and I believe as of right now it possesses a decent chance to be nominated for Best Picture.
"First Man"
If you've followed my movie-related articles for very long, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of Damien Chazelle's "La La Land." Well, he's directing a new film known as "First Man" which features Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong.
Yeah, that's cool.
Even Steven Spielberg was brought on as a producer for the film which only adds to its merits. I'm very excited for "First Man," and feel it could possibly draw Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director nominations.
"Isle of Dogs"
I was very high on "Isle of Dogs" when it was released, as the direction, voice acting, and animation were all just top-notch. Not just that but the film presents a very real take on the way politics works in the world today.
I won't spoil exactly how that relates to the film, but "Isle of Dogs" currently is and will most likely stay my favorite animated feature of the year. It seems highly possible it will get a nomination for and win in the Best Animated Feature category, and even maybe a Best Original Screenplay look.
"BlacKkKlansman"
If you haven't seen the recent trailers that have been released for "BlacKkKlansman," it stars Adam Driver and John David Washington and centers around an African-American cop who attempts to infiltrate the KKK and become the leader of his local chapter.
Sounds freaking awesome, right?
Based on recent buzz and the track record of the cast, "BlacKkKlansman" has a legitimate shot at winning Best Picture.
"Hereditary"
While this is probably my personal bias shining through a bit, I feel that "Hereditary" was one of the best horror films in recent memory, and forced audience members not just to be frightened about what's on the screen, but what's beyond it.
The writing from Ari Aster is simply magnificent, and Toni Collette gave one of the best horror performances of all time. Look for a possible Original Screenplay and Best Actress nomination.
"Eighth Grade"
Another A24 film that features the struggles of an adolescent eighth-grade girl, "Eighth Grade" displays the struggles that we all have had, including fitting in, being yourself, and other adolescent-y things. I haven't seen this one yet, but have heard the Bo Burnham did an excellent job with the writing, and that Elsie Fisher is excellent as well.
"Won't You Be My Neighbor"
This film and "Black Panther" are, I believe, the surest nominations for their respective categories.
"Won't You Be My Neighbor" might be the best documentary I've ever seen, as its interpretation of a well-mannered, loving man will bring even the toughest members of the toughest motorcycle gangs to tears. I feel okay saying that "Won't You Be My Neighbor" would get the Best Documentary win right here, right now.