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As we get deeper into the fall, the outlook of what films will be serious award-season contenders is becoming much clearer.
In the best picture category, Fox Searchlight's Taika Waititi Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit" has an edge coming off the coveted audience award win at the Toronto International Film Festival. But don't count out Netflix, which continues its quest for a best picture win with two very different titles: Martin Scorsese's gangster epic, "The Irishman," and Noah Baumbach's Adam Driver/Scarlett Johansson drama, "Marriage Story." Indie distributor Neon will compete with its critically acclaimed Bong Joon-ho movie "Parasite." And don't forget Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," which is still a favorite though it's been in theaters since late summer.
Meanwhile, on the acting side, Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of DC Comics' biggest villain in Warner Bros.' "Joker" is one of the favorites for best actor, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio for "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" and Driver in "Marriage Story."
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For best actress, Johansson may be competing with herself thanks to her great performances in both "Jojo Rabbit" and "Marriage Story." And Renée Zellweger is also wowing audiences playing Judy Garland in "Judy."
Here are 18 Oscar contending movies that you shouldn't miss in theaters:
There are a lot of things to love about this movie.
There's the incredible ensemble cast that includes Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart, and Cardi B. Then there's the talents of its writer-director Lorene Scafaria ("Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, "The Meddler"), who takes the "us versus them" mentality following the financial crisis and turns it into a gripping crime drama.
But the true standout is Jennifer Lopez, who as the "mamma bear" of the group of women looking for a better life gives a career-best performance.
“Joker” — In Theaters
Hyped beyond belief following its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and then earning huge money at the box office, this origin story of the iconic DC Comics villain will keep director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix busy for the rest of the year.
"Judy" — In Theaters
Renée Zellweger is receiving universal praise for her performance as Judy Garland in this adaptation of the stage play, "End of the Rainbow."
“The Laundromat” — In Theaters (Available on Netflix October 18)
Steven Soderbergh's latest project for Netflix takes on the Panama Papers. And Soderbergh does it the only way he knows how: by putting it all in a playful tone.
Reminiscent of his 2009 movie "The Informant!," Meryl Streep plays a widow who investigates the scam that kept the rich extremely rich.
“Parasite” — In Theaters
The latest from Bong Joon-ho ("The Host," "Snowpiercer") has already found huge acclaim as it won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in May, marking the first Korean film to take the honor. And the hype has since been heightened after the movie opened on just three screens this weekend and earned the biggest per-screen theater average since 2016's "La La Land." Expect the director's familiar mix of dark comedy and thrills to impress many Oscar voters.
“Jojo Rabbit” — October 18
Taika Waititi ("Thor: Ragnarok") brings his unique brand of comedy to his most controversial story yet. His latest movie follows a young German boy whose imaginary friend is Adolph Hitler (played by Waititi). The movie also stars Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson, who delivers an Oscar-worthy performance.
“The Lighthouse” — October 18
Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe play 1890s lighthouse keepers on a remote New England island in the latest movie from Robert Eggers ("The Witch"). Expect the performances by the leads and the movie's crisp black-and-white cinematography to be in the award-season conversation.
"The Irishman" — November 1 (Available on Netflix 27)
It's a project that Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have been talking about doing for decades and it was Netflix that finally got them to do it (and wrote a check big enough to pull it off). Told over the span of decades and using de-aging technology to make the actors look younger, De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci star is this gangster epic that explores the hitman who supposedly ended the life of teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa.
“Marriage Story” — November 6 (Available on Netflix December 6)
Get ready to see a lot of Adam Driver for the rest of the year. Along with playing Kylo Ren once more in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," he will also be in two very different dramas. In the first one, he stars opposite Scarlett Johansson as the two play a couple going through a divorce. It's the latest writing-directing effort from Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the Whale," "The Meyerowitz Stories").
“Honey Boy” — November 8
From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, director Alma Har'el examines the actor's childhood and rocky relationship with his father (played in the movie by LaBeouf himself). You can't have more of an awards-bait feel than this one.
“Ford v Ferrari” — November 15
Another one you'll be hearing a lot about through awards season is the latest from James Mangold ("Logan"). Here he casts Christian Bale and Matt Damon to depict the real-life men who built the car for Ford to go up against Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
“The Report” — November 15
In this Adam Driver movie, he plays a Senate staffer who is tasked with investigating the CIA's interrogation tactics after 9/11.
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” — November 22
Tom Hanks takes on a character even more likable than him: Fred Rogers. Playing the man behind "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" could lead to Hanks receiving Oscar notice once more in his career.
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” — December 6
Compared to "Call Me by Your Name" set in the 18th century, this touching story of a female painter who falls for her subject has grabbed the attention of many since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
"Richard Jewell" — December 13
Clint Eastwood has a knack for coming out of nowhere with an Oscar contender, and it's happening again this year. Shot less than four months ago, in his typical quick fashion, Eastwood has turned around a gripping look inside the true story of security guard Richard Jewell (played by Paul Walter Hauser), who saved thousands during the 1996 summer Olympic games after discovering a backpack filled with explosives. However, Jewell was not regarded as a hero at the time as media reports falsely reported that he was a terrorist.
“Uncut Gems” — December 13 (Limited), December 25 (Wide)
The latest movie from Benny and Josh Safdie ("Good Time") stars Adam Sandler as a New York City jewelry store owner who is struggling to pay his debts. Combining Sandler with the Safdie brothers is a lethal combination that is sure to wow audiences and could score Sandler an Oscar nomination.
"Bombshell" — December 20
This look at the female staff at Fox News who say they were sexually harassed by the network's head, Roger Ailes, includes the all-star cast of Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, and Margot Robbie as associate producer Kayla Pospisil. Ailes will be played by John Lithgow. Get ready for some big time performances from this group.
"1917" — December 25 (Wide releasing beginning January 10, 2020)
After two James Bond movies ("Skyfall" and "Spectre"), Sam Mendes takes on an ambitiously epic World War I story all told in what feels like one continuous shot. The movie follows two British soldiers who must go behind enemy lines to stop 1,600 men from being ambushed. Universal has already teased DP Roger Deakins' method of making the entire running time of the movie feel like it's in real time.
