A Thanksgiving Feast: 7 Oscar-Caliber Films Out Now

Be grateful: It should be pretty easy to avoid a turkey at the movies this Thanksgiving weekend. Unlike the past few years, several Oscar-caliber movies are out before Christmastime.

 

The Family Film: Lincoln

Honestly, it’s worth the hype. Expect a political thriller, not an exhaustive biopic.

Award potential: May get more nominations than any previous film, and a likely win for Daniel Day-Lewis. Maybe one for Sally Field — who is really, really likable for redefining Mary Todd Lincoln.

The Drama: Flight

I thought this was going to be a typical airplane disaster film, but it was one heckuva different ride — with one heckuva performance from Denzel Washington.

Award potential: Denzel Washington outdoes even himself in this picture and you can expect him on the Best Actor shortlist. If the film sustains buzz, you can expect nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and some technical awards. Wild card pick: John Goodman (who’s also in Argo but better here) for Best Supporting Actor.

The Crowd Pleaser: Skyfall

It’s what you like about Bond, shaken slightly. Director Sam Mendes does a bang up job, as does Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Javier Bardem.

Award potential: There’s buzz about Skyfall taking one of the top ten Best Picture slots, but Javier Bardem and Adele’s song are better bets.

The Thriller: Argo

Hold on tight for one of the best movies of 2012.

Award potential: Hollywood saves the world? Oscar is gonna love this: Best Picture, Best Director, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin), Original Screenplay and other technical awards.

For Dessert: Life of Pi

Follow your pumpkin pie with the newest treat from director Ang Lee.

It’s expected to be faithful to the bestseller and it’s getting early raves after playing at the New York Film Festival.

Award potential:  It’s already on most Best Picture Oscar short lists.

Life of Pi opens in theaters on Nov. 21.

The Weepie: Silver Linings Playbook.

I loved the book, and can’t wait to see the film. Those who have seen it, can’t stop talking about it.

Award potential:  It’s in the top 3 of most Best Picture Oscar short lists.

Silver Linings Playbook opens in theaters on Nov. 21.

Don’t Take Your Mom: The Sessions

50 shades of uncomfortable, but you won't be bored by this tale of a man confined to an iron lung, and the sex therapist who helps him.

Award potential: I don’t think it’s going to live up to the Best Picture hype, but I do expect nominations for John Hawkes and Helen Hunt. It won’t be the first time Oscar notices an able-bodied actor playing a disabled character and an actress playing a hooker with a heart of gold.

BONUS:
 The homebody: Moonrise Kingdom/Beasts of a Southern Wild

Available on DVD or pay per view.

Award potential: Both have a chance at one of the ten Best Picture slots.

Lincoln

We all knew that Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Kushner and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, was going to be good. But honestly, is Lincoln “great”? Well, I’d safely put this one on the “great” Spielberg shelf with Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List — and above the shelf with War Horse and Amistad.

Wisely, the film doesn’t try to tell the life story of the 16th president of the United States. It focuses on a single moment in time: the final four months of the chief executive's life as he attempts to get The House of Representatives to pass the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery.

Day-Lewis is haunting and powerful in the central role. Through him, we see our heroic President’s fabled communication skills and his gift for reconciling irreconcilable points of view. The dilemma of the film challenges strong men to move beyond partisan thinking to accomplish a greater good. 

Ironically, Lincoln is a story about our democratic system that couldn’t be timelier.

Simply put: Lincoln is a grand ol’ Spielberg film. Expect a political thriller, not an exhaustive biopic.

Award potential: It will certainly garner more nominations than any other film this year. And it’s very likely to have the most ever. 15? Maybe. Titanic and All About Eve had 14 nods, but unlike Titanic, this film will score with multiple acting noms in addition to nods for Best Picture and technical categories.

It’s too early to tell if we’ll have a single winner in Daniel Day-Lewis or a sweep. If Spielberg is snubbed, expect Daniel Day-Lewis to be the sole winner. Next best bet? Sally Field, who’s really, really likable for redefining the “crazy” Mary Todd Lincoln with a layered performance for the ages.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks

Skyfall

James Bond is back. 

And in the 50^th year of the series, we get one of the best 007 films to date. Some Bond films have weighed style over substance, but the better films, Thunderball, Goldfinger, Goldeneye, Casino Royale—and this glorious one, have both.

Director Sam Mendes, obviously schooled in the Christopher Nolan School of Rebirthing Heroes, does a bang up job of delivering thrills to old and new fans and raising the bar on what to expect from a 007 movie in 2012.

It doesn’t hurt that Mendes has Daniel Craig, in full possession of the role, alongside Judi Dench (M) and pitted against an exceptional Javier Bardem (Silva) as the latest Bond villain. And did I mention the Ashton Martin yet? My vote for Best Supporting Actor.

Simply put: It’s what you like about Bond, shaken slightly. And a near perfect film. Trimming the back section a bit would have taken it to A+.

Award potential: If there was ever a time to nominate a Bond movie for one of the possible ten Best Pictures, it would be Bond’s 50^th year. And since enough studios own this film, there’s a reasonable chance.

In a long shot for Best Supporting Actor, Javier Bardem’s villian is every bit as good as Heath Ledger’s celebrated Joker and a nice nod to the anniversary. One thing for sure, you can expect to hear Adele’s haunting Skyfall piece as Best Original Song on Oscar night.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.

Flight

 “No one could have landed that plane like I did. No one.”

And no one could have pulled off this movie quite like the actor who said that line: Denzel Washington, as seasoned airplane pilot Whip Whitaker who miraculously crash lands a plane – leaving devastation and mysteries to be resolved.

I was fortunate to see this film without the story being spoiled in a trailer or ad, so I won’t mention one the film’s major themes. Know only that it’s a fully layered story that additionally touches on themes of god, destiny, heroism and more.

This film is guided by director Robert Zemeckis ,who creates precise tension throughout the film, including one haunting scene featuring a single object on top of a refrigerator. Flight is one of the best surprises of 2012.

 Simply put: One heckuva ride. And one heckuva performance from Denzel Washington.

Award potential: Denzel Washington outdoes even himself in this picture and you can expect him on the Best Actor shortlist. If the film sustains buzz, you can expect nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and some technical awards. Wild card pick: John Goodman (who’s also in Argo but better here) for Best Supporting Actor.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.

Argo

Argo recreates the true story of a CIA rescue mission that sounds like something only Hollywood could come up with. As we soon find out, there's a reason for that.

Director Ben Affleck recreates the historical events with clear attention to detail and non-flashy casting. A montage of photos during the closing credits shows us how much the actors looked like their subjects (which was really just the filmmakers showing off). But I didn’t mind; for the previous two hours I felt like I dropped right into 1979.

And Affeck’s throwback approach is crafted like the smart, tense, heart-stopping films of that time period too. It would sit nicely on a shelf with All The President’s Men. 

Simply put: Hold on tight for one of the best movies of 2012.

Award potential: Hollywood saves the world? Oscar is gonna love this. Nominations and some wins for Best Picture, Best Director, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin), Original Screenplay and other technical awards. Affleck will surely be nominated for Director, but it’s unlikely he will be recognized in the acting category.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.