10 Possible Oscar Contenders From The First Half Of 2014

9. The Immigrant

James Gray’s long-anticipated Ellis Island drama The Immigrant was expected to be one of the major 2013 awards players, but it was bumped by distributor Harvey Weinstein to a release this past May. Why? I couldn’t tell you, but the film’s commercial prospects, Weinstein’s crowded 2013 slate (which also included August: Osage Country and Philomena) and the packed Best Actress race (which ended up included both Meryl Streep and Judi Dench from those aforementioned dramas) likely all contributed to the move. Regardless, The Immigrant is phenomenal, and the might of its cast, led by Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Renner and Joaquin Phoenix, will likely give it a decent shot at awards attention this year, despite it opening out of Oscar season.

Unless this fall yields a flock of turkeys, I wouldn’t expect that The Immigrant could manage a Best Director nod for Gray, but Cotillard has received raves, so she stands a stronger shot at a Best Actress nomination. Renner has Kill the Messenger this fall, so he’ll be honored for that role if at all, and the same definitely goes for Phoenix, who’s leading Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice. Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography are also (admittedly small) possibilities for The Immigrant.