It’s Almost Awards Season!

Current and soon to be released films that are already receiving Oscar buzz.

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Photo by P.J. Osheske

PJO Reviews: bringing you his comments on the movies.

The days of the 2019 summer blockbuster season are over. Say goodbye to epic superhero flicks and intense action movies, and say hello to the next season in film: awards season.

With so many films coming out in the coming months, here’s a list of must-watch films getting the most Oscar buzz for the 92nd Academy Awards:

Joker (October 4th, 2019)

Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, depicts the first-ever cinematic origin story of one of Batman’s most iconic villains; the Joker.

Although the Joker is a character in the DC Extended Universe of films, Joker is completely separate from the DC Extended Universe, which spans films from Man of Steel (2012) to Aquaman (2018).

Despite critics’ general disdain for DC movies, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as the Joker is being raved as extravagant and ground-breaking and Joker is being hailed as the new gold-standard for origin stories.

Given that this film took home the most prestigious prize possible at the Venice International Film Festival, I would say that Joker is extremely likely to be nominated for, and even take home, the 2019 Academy Award for Best Picture, and Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.

This film is personally my most anticipated one on this list, so if you can only see one of these films I would highly recommend seeing Joker.

 

Parasite (October 11th, 2019)

 

Parasite, a South Korean film directed by Joon-ho Bong, is a black comedy/thriller about the impoverished Kim family, and how one son becoming an English tutor for the wealthy Park family leads to the two families building a closer relationship.

Everything I’ve seen about this film is that it’s absolutely breath-taking and that going into Parasite with little to no knowledge about the plot is the best way to watch it.

Given that this film already has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, I’m going to take that advice and not spoil anything else.

This film is definitely a shoe-in for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, and is a solid contender for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Picture.

If you want a deeply unsettling horror film then Parasite is the film for you.

 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (November 22nd, 2019)

 

If you grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, then this is a film for you.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, directed by Marielle Heller and starring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers, tells the story of a journalist assigned to report on Mr. Rogers, and the eventual lasting bond between them that forms as a result.

In my own life Mr. Rogers is a huge inspiration, so getting to learn more about him as a person and how he truly was as kind to everyone as he was to the children on his show just never stops amazing me.

There’s a good chance this film will be nominated for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Picture, but there’s a better chance that Tom Hanks will be nominated for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

If you’re looking for a feel-good happy-cry movie, then A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is the choice for you.

Knives Out (November 27th, 2019)

Talk about a killer ensemble (haha).

Knives Out, directed and written by Rian Johnson, is a modern “Whodunit” murder-mystery story about who in this wealthy & eccentric family murdered their 85-year-old patriarch.

The punch of this film comes in the all-star cast, which stars Toni Collette (Hereditary), Chris Evans (Avengers: Endgame), Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Daniel Craig (Spectre); and still more.

This colorful and comedic film may be the least likely on this list to receive a nomination for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Picture, but it is the most likely to win the 2019 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, as Johnson’s story is where the majority of praise for Knives Out is originating from.

If you’re looking for a fun time with a compelling story, Knives Out is the choice for you.

Uncut Gems (December 13th, 2019)

When I was first told about this film, I thought it was a joke. No way is indie-film company A24 producing a crime/drama film starring Adam Sandler as the lead. But, it’s real and it kind of looks amazing.

Uncut Gems, directed by Josh & Benny Safdie, tells the story of a New York jeweler that needs to pay off debts after his girlfriend and wealthiest sellers are robbed.

I still can’t comprehend the fact that Adam Sandler, from Grown-Ups and Click, is a possible contender for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Actor.

With a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I’d say Uncut Gems does have a chance at a nomination for the 2019 Academy Award for Best Picture.

If you want to see Adam Sandler shine as the lead outside his comfort zone of family-comedies, I’d definitely recommend Uncut Gems.