10 Upcoming Movies That Will Be Serious Oscar Contenders

We've seen some truly brilliant films so far this year, but whether any of them scream "Oscar" is debatable. Out of what has hit screens so far in 2014, the only movie I really expect will be getting some serious attention on that front is Wes Anderson's whimsical period piece The Grand Budapest Hotel (for its visuals, his direction, Ralph Fiennes' performance and possibly Best Picture). The Lego Movie is a lock for Best Animated Feature, and "Everything is Awesome" should earn a nomination for Best Original Song, but I don't imagine that the Academy will honor it elsewhere. And Noah is divisive, but not in a way that has anyone claiming it will hold a place as a cinematic classic.

Isaac Feldberg

Published: Jun 25, 2014 04:18 pm

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5. A Most Violent Year

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J.C. Chandor has struck Oscar gold before, receiving a Best Original Screenplay nomination for Margin Call. And his Robert Redford-powered survival drama All is Lost was considered one of the most egregiously snubbed films of last year’s Oscar race. So all eyes are on the director for what’s definitely his most Oscar-friendly movie yet, a period piece called A Most Violent Year.

Set in New York City in the winter of 1981, statistically one of the city’s worst years for crime, A Most Violent Year centers on an immigrant (Oscar Isaac), his wife (Jessica Chastain) and their family as they attempt to expand their business without getting dragged into the crime and corruption of the day. The strong supporting cast includes Albert Brooks, Alessandro Nivola and David Oyelowo.

Though period pieces are nothing new on the awards circuit, I’m confident in Chandor’s ability to deliver a fresh spin on the genre. He’s working with a truly remarkable cast, and the costuming and sets look very promising from what we’ve seen so far. I’m predicting that A Most Violent Year could make the cut for Best Actor (for Isaac), Best Actress (for Chastain), Best Original Screenplay (for Chandor) and Best Cinematography (for Bradford Young) and Best Costume Design (for Kasia Walicka-Maimone).

A Most Violent Year opens November 12th.

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