5 Movies To Keep An Eye Out For This Awards Season!

As the end of the year comes around, it is time to start plotting the nominations for this year's Awards Season. If you’re like me, by the time the award shows are here, you’ll have your ballots ready to predict the winners! Compiled together is a list of five films that have a good chance of sweeping Awards Season! 

1. Everything Everywhere All At Once 

This A24 hit came out last Winter and blew audiences away with its multiverse story. The film can expect nominations in many categories; from the acting to the technical elements, it is an all-around great movie. The story follows an aging woman as she goes through the adventurers in the multiverse. As she connects with the Universe, she lives out the lives that she had. It is likely it will get recognition for Best Feature and Screenplay. Michelle Yeoh is a strong possibility for Best Actress, and Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert seem to be sure deals for Best Director, while comeback story of the year Ke Huy Quan has already been racking up trophies for Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards, the Gotham Awards, the New York Film Critics Circle, and more. Nominated for 25 awards total this year so far, Everything Everywhere can expect to creep into categories like special effects and sound desig, which could see this film earning 8 or 9 nominations at the Academy Awards alone.  

2. The Fabelmans

Lighting up the Holiday season is Steven Spielberg’s latest film. Showing the magic of filmmaking, it is biographical to the director's life. The Fabelmans is about a boy who wants to become a young filmmaker just after World War II. He uses the power of filmmaking to discover the truth behind his family’s secrets. This drama feels like a sure thing for many awards this year. Spielberg should see a nomination in direction as well as Best Picture, while the performances by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano could see best performance nods in their respective categories. Other key elements that may get recognized include cinematography (from long-time Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski) and original score (by the legendary John Williams). 

3. Avatar: The Way of the Water 

Although not out yet, Avatar is one of the most anticipated movies of the year -- one that may spring up last minute to sweep awards. Over a decade since the first film premiered, director James Cameron has developed new techniques to bring The Way of the Water to life. Although you can never count Cameron out for the Big 5 awards, it is almost certain Avatar”can sweep the technical categories. Editing, visual effects, make-up, and sound are all up up for grabs. We will have to wait until the film opens on December 16th to find out the impact. 

4. Elvis 

With 29 nominations and 4 wins this year already, Baz Luhrmann’s spectacular biography is likely to rack up more nominations once the Golden Globes and Oscars roll around. Elvis chronicles the iconic musician's journey from childhood to his death, emphasizing the relationship with his manager. The outstanding cast includes Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker -- both in contention to receive a nomination for their performances, while Luhrmann's dazzling perspective is always a contender to earn recognition. Meanwhile, Doja Cat could be granted her first Oscar nomination for Original Song for "Vegas", giving Elvis a chance to come away with the most nominations. 

5. Nope

Jordan Peele brings the horror genre to a new level (again) with his latest film about a brother and sister who make chilling discoveries on their Southern California horse ranch. Peele has been turning heads since his debut film Get Out, which earned him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It's possible for Peele to be nominated again for both Original Screenplay and Best Director categories, not to mention the visual effects, editing, and cinematography categories, considering most of the film was shot day-for-night. Nope has already been recognized by the Saturn Awards as Best Science Fiction Film, and star Keke Palmer recently took him Best Supporting Actress at the NYFCCs. With Peele's track record, he can’t be counted out with this film.  

Honorable Mentions:  Although these aforementioned 5 films seem to be those that may do the best this year, there are many others that should (and likely will) be recognized. Brendan Fraser has been getting tons of accolades for his performance in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, while other films that are yet to be released but already getting tons of buzz include Noah Baumbach’s White Noise and Damien Chazelle’s Babylon. Others, such as Tár, Blonde, The Banshees of Irisherin, can all be expected to make some noise during this year's Awards Season.