Amph 25 Potential 2013 Best Picture Oscar Contenders: Gravity DIR. Alfonso Cuaron

25 Potential 2013 Best Picture Oscar Contenders

By: Brad Brevet

"UPDATE: I've already realized I forgot to add Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly and John Hillcoat's The Wettest County to this list. That would make 27.

I haven't yet gotten around to cleaning up "The Contenders" section of the site just yet and while some may argue it's too early to look toward the 2013 Oscars considering we just closed the book on the 2012 Oscar ceremony I have to kindly disagree. If for no other reason, looking at films that might be vying for Best Picture next year we get to sort through a bunch of films that may end up being considered the year's best. What's wrong with that?

Granted, as is often the case when looking this far into the future, several of these films may end up being duds. Some may not actually hit theaters in 2012 (though most do have established release dates) and others just might not fit the Academy's "taste".

The biggest difficulty in compiling a list like this, however, is to try and not make it too long and still manage to not forget anything. With that said, please let me know of anything you think I may have left off that has a legitimate shot at Best Picture and also feel free to offer your thoughts on other categories as I still need to take a look at everything else before putting together a complete list of 2013 Oscar contenders.

This list is presented in alphabetical order so no favorites have been made yet though certain titles among these 25 certainly do bubble up closer to the top than others?

Anna Karenina
DIR. Joe Wright / TBA

Photo: Focus Features

So Joe Wright dabbled in non-period features the last two years with Hanna and The Soloist and so he's ready to head back in time with Keira Knightley once again. Last time he did that he scored a Best Picture nomination with Atonement and I have a hard time believing this adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel written by Oscar-winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love) won't be on most early year contender lists.

Cast: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew MacFadyen, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Emily Watson, Olivia Williams and Ruth Wilson"

There are already two decent sound adaptations in English, one starring Greta Garbo (1935) and one Vivien Leigh (1948). In both cases, the great performance was as Karenin--Basil Rathbone in the first and Ralph Richardson in the second. So Jude Law, who has that role, might be a contender. It depends upon the script, I guess.

 

Good thread. There are a ton of interesting movies coming out this year. Joe Wright's not really on my radar, but I suspect a number of the choices will be. With new films from Dominik, the Coen Bros, Anderson, Anderson, Tarantino, Park, Cuarón, Audiard, McDonagh, Cronenberg, Bong, Hillcoat, Spielberg, Glazer, Nolan and more, (not to mention a directorial collaboration between the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer!) this has the potential to be a hell of a year at the movies.

 

Only seen the Leigh version, but Richardson is so good that you wonder why she runs off with the other dud. I have no doubt that Rathbone is similarly good in the role.

Wright's approach sounds truly fascinating. Can't wait to take a gander at it, since he's assembled a fine cast.

 

Richardson was brilliant as domestic tyrants--see also: "The Heiress"

 

Argo
DIR. Ben Affleck / September 14

"Ben Affleck's directorial career has started off very strong with Gone Baby Gone and The Town, the latter of which many thought would get a nomination for Best Picture but it ended up falling short. The third time's a charm right? With Argo, Affleck has compiled a stellar cast to tell the "based on a true story" events chronicling the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis ? the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. The kicker is that the rescue mission is undertaken as the CIA poses as a Hollywood film crew scouting a movie."

Cast: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Scoot McNairy, Tate Donovan, Taylor Schilling, Clea DuVall, Richard Kind, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Victor Garber, Zeljko Ivanek, Chris Messina and Michael Parks

Starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Scoot McNairy, Tate Donovan, Taylor Schilling, Clea DuVall, Richard Kind, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Victor Garber, Zeljko Ivanek, Chris Messina, Michael Parks
Director: Ben Affleck
Studio: Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Rating: NR
Release Date: September 14, 2012

SYNOPSIS:

"Based on true events, Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis -- the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades.

On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies."

It is based on a true story--in 1979. Don't know how closely they will stick to the real thing.

 

IIRC it was successful. The attempt that is.

As for Gone Baby Gone being good...eh, I suppose. I'm a huge fan of the book and that movie totally failed as an adaptation. It's a good enough film on its own merit, but the novel has a larger-than-life appeal that the movie fails at.

 

Argo's got a great cast. Victor Garber and Zeljko Ivanek? I'm in. Seriously though, is anybody else digging this resurgence of Kyle Chandler? What a second act this guy's having; Early Edition just got left in the dust. He's just always great.

 

Beasts of the Southern Wild
DIR. Benh Zeitlin / June 29

I don't know much about Beasts of the Southern Wild outside of the fact that everyone that saw it at Sundance this year seemed to love it. Fox Searchlight quickly snatched it up, which is a sign in and of itself, and laid out plans for a June release date. My guess is they will get it into the Cannes Film Festival, hope it garner's as much buzz on an international stage as it did in Sundance and get it into theaters one month later.

Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13 (For thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality.)
Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Release Date: June 29, 2012 (Limited)

SYNOPSIS:
"Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink, in "the Bathtub," a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink's tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe; for a time when he's no longer there to protect her. When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack--temperatures rise, and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. With the waters rising, the aurochs coming, and Wink's health fading, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother."

"The Road" down South?

 

FWIW, here's a capsule review from one of my friends who saw it (who didn't like The Road): [One of the most affecting films I've seen recently is] the wildly different Sundance Grand Jury award winner, Beasts of the Southern Wild, a tale about apocalyptic events that or may not be happening in the head of a six year old girl, Hushpuppy, who lives with her father in a fictional Louisiana coastal community known as the Bathtub, a place that seems in a state of pre-apocalypse. Though a bit uneven, at times verging on the twee, Director Benh Zeitlin, who co-wrote the script with Lucy Alibar, has crafted a movie that resembles precious few other films, and one that will require a much more detailed review to summarize effectively. Suffice it to say that IMO this is the best of 2012's movies thusfar. A unique energy proceeds from its every frame. Amazing. It should be arriving in theaters this fall.

 

Always thought The Road took place somewhere in the South for some reason.

This sounds good, though. Post Apocalyptic + Pan's Labyrinth.

 

Brave
DIR. Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman / June 22

[image=http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jjr/headlines/2012/02/brave-poster-2.jpg]

"If there's a chance an animated film is nominated that chance lies with Pixar right? This year's field looks pretty strong and I'm not sure I see this one having the impact of say Up or Toy Story 3, but I couldn't not consider it.

Voice Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane and Kevin McKidd

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd
Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar
Genre: Animation / Comedy / Adventure
Rating: NR
Release Date: June 22, 2012
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/brave/#/h... Jump

SYNOPSIS:
Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida?s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it?s too late."

 

Cloud Atlas
DIR. Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer / TBA

"Will it be too weird? Will it be brilliant? Will it be a convoluted mess? The possibilities with this film are endless and to ignore its chances at greatness would be a mistake. If I was to bet I'd say it probably wouldn't end up among the final nominees, but that bet would only be partially due to the possibility of it not being any good, and more to the possibility that it just doesn't fit into the Academy's wheelhouse."

Cast: Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant and James D'Arcy

"SYNOPSIS: Based on the novel by David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas is an epic story of humankind in which the actions and consequences of our lives impact one another throughout the past, present and future as one soul is shaped from a murderer into a savior and a single act of kindness ripples out for centuries to inspire a revolution."

 

Cloud Atlas is a brilliant novel. It's not actually that convoluted once you get to grips with its Russian doll structure, where you progress through a succession of nested narratives, leaving each one incomplete before jumping forward to the next story. Once you reach the final story, the structure reverses and you begin going backwards, completing each tale until you've gone full circle.

I'm not sure how it will translate into a two-hour film, though, simply because it's not long enough to become engaged with each new story. It doesn't help that the stories are all separated by at least a few decades at a time, and the connections between them are seemingly tenuous. It could come off more as a series of interesting shorts rather than a cohesive film.

I very much doubt it will be in the running for Best Picture, in any case. It'll be too weird.

 

The Dark Knight Rises
DIR. Christopher Nolan / July 20

"In my opinion the only reason we are looking at the possibility of 10 nominees is due to the fact The Dark Knight was not nominated for Best Picture in 2009. Most everyone loved it and it would have increased the number of people watching the Oscar telecast and the Academy just couldn't let the possibility of a fan favorite be overlooked again, especially if it was as well-reviewed as The Dark Knight was.

Now we have The Dark Knight Rises, the last in Christopher Nolan's planned trilogy of Batman films and the film that could see a superhero among the Best Picture nominees and potentially see Nolan get his first nomination for Best Director. However, that latter one may be a tough get considering just how stacked this year is."

Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Juno Temple, Josh Pence, Nestor Carbonell, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Joey King, Marion Cotillard, Liam Neeson and Adam Rodriguez

I found "Batman Begins" very underwhelming (a giant yawn, in fact), so I didn't see "The Dark Knight". So no clue here.

 

Django Unchained
DIR. Quentin Tarantino / December 25

Even though Inglourious Basterds ended up with a Best Picture nomination I'm not as bullish on Django Unchained. It's a race-driven revenge thriller that is almost sure to inclde Kill Bill-level violence and probably in a less B-level fashion. It may end up being classic Tarantino, but it seems like a film the Academy won't be immediately biting on.

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Gerald McRaney, Dennis Christopher, Kurt Russell, M.C. Gainey, Don Johnson, Tom Savini, Kerry Washington, Anthony LaPaglia, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, RZA, Misty Upham, James Remar, Rex Linn, James Russo, Tom Wopat and Sacha Baron Cohen

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Studio: The Weinstein Co.
Genre: Western
Rating: NR
Release Date: December 25, 2012

SYNOPSIS:

"Centers on a freed slave who seeks to reunite with Broomhilda, his slave wife, a journey which will see him team up with Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German bounty hunter, to take down Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), an evil plantation owner."


No poster, photos, or trailer yet. Great title. Great cast. Sounds like IB way down South.

 

Great cast, agreed. Bit testosterone heavy, it seems, but we'll see how it plays. Really looking forward to this one. I don't understand those who persist in dismissing Tarantino as a hack.

 

The Gangster Squad
DIR. Ruben Fleischer / RELEASEDATE

Photo: Warner Bros.

I went back and forth with this one, primarily because I can't help but wonder if the director of Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less can actually pull off a sprawling crime epic. Of course, the cast he's assembled should help and the 1949 period setting sure doesn't hurt.

Cast: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Michael Peña, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Holt McCallany, Emma Stone, Robert Patrick, Mireille Enos, Nick Nolte, Troy Garity and Frank Grillo

"Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and--if he has his way--every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop...except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen's world apart. "The Gangster Squad" is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD's efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time."

The director has convinced a good cast that he can pull it off, though that's not always a good gauge (cf. the works of Robert Altman).

 

Gravity
DIR. Alfonso Cuaron / November 21

"There's a lot of excitement for Gravity in the online movie sector, but I'm not sure how that translates to Oscar. The same people excited over this film are the same people that loved director Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, myself included, and that film couldn't even earn a Best Picture nomination or even a win for Best Cinematography, despite having some of the best camerawork I've seen in the last ten years. Of course, having a pair of Oscar winners as your leads sure doesn't hurt."

Cast: George Clooney and Sandra Bullock

"Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone--tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth...and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space."

Very interesting director. Would be happier if this starred two other leads.

 

Very amusing little bit regarding Bullock's feelings about Cuarón's decision to shoot his actors sans make-up: link

 

This cast is soooo far over the top. I sincerely hope Tarantino can make this work.

 

Re the Alfonso Cuaron movie - I'm very excited, I don't think Cuaron has ever made a bad movie and I always look forward to anything he does.

Re the Django remake... I'm just gonna hope for the best.