Awards Season 2020

August is half over. Soon there will be pumpkin spice everything, cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and the need for cozy blankets. This normally is also the official start of awards season. 

We usually begin to hear about film festivals round this time with them beginning to release their lineups and schedules. We usually start getting trailers and the buzz starts to begin.

2020's lead up to the Oscars is going to look VERY different this year thanks to Covid 19 but there are some things that make me hopeful that we'll still have some sort of Oscar race and it may end up being an interesting (if muted) year.

The Toronto International Film Festival is going to have some smaller, socially distanced screenings along with a much more robust digital presence this year. I am sad at how much this is changing but also sort of excited because I might be able to get some digital screening tickets and actually see some of these movies this year.

The New York Film Festival is going ahead with drive in screenings for those lucky enough to score tickets (and have a vehicle in which to attend). Venice is going forward with a smaller, more socially distanced event as well.

All of this leaves the question of what movies might still be coming out this year that could potentially have some awards buzz. This year will also answer the question what an awards ceremony might look like without all of the preamble that comes before it. There won't really be events for the nominees to meet and rub shoulders with those casting votes. It may also be harder to predict what movies are getting a swell of support as a result of everything looking a little different this year. All of this unknown could make for an exciting year.

Here are five of the movies that (as of right now) are still releasing this year that I think have the potential to have some awards buzz:

1: Ammonite

The description of the movie from Wikipedia states that:

The film is inspired by the life of British paleontologist Mary Anning played by Kate Winslet and centers on the romantic relationship between Anning and Charlotte Murchison played by Saoirse Ronan.

Both Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan are no stranger to awards nominations. This movie will get attention strictly from the casting alone. This movie was also one of the few that was set to make the rounds of all the major film festivals this year. I can easily see it getting a lot of nominations. 

2: Mank 

This is one of the films I am most expected about. As per Wikipedia it is:

about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his battles with director Orson Welles over screenplay credit for Citizen Kane. 

It is directed by David Fincher and is about Hollywood (which the Academy loves). The only real hurdle this one has is that it is being released by Netflix but in this strange upside down year that doesn't even matter. I expect this one to appear in multiple categories.

3: Nomadland 

I couldn't find much about this movie other than it is based on a book and is about a group of people who lost everything in the Great Recession and take to the open road in campers and RVs as a means of survival. It stars Francis McDormand and is directed by Chloe Zhao. It could easily be a contender in multiple categories. 

4: The Father 

This is going to be an acting powerhouse. As per Wikipedia it is about

A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

It stars Olivia Coleman and Anthony Hopkins so I expect lots of buzz just from that fact alone. The performances are said to be amazing from those who have seen it.

5: The Trial of the Chicago 7

This one is pretty timely and has a big name director in Aaron Sorkin. As per Wikipedia it is:

based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial transfixed the nation and sparked a conversation about mayhem intended to undermine the U.S. government.

It has a large ensemble cast of some pretty well known names and could catch a lot of interest. The downside, like Mank, is that it is a Netflix release, but that may end up helping this year with visability.

These are just five of the potentially promising releases set to come out. There is also Respect, I'm Thinking Of Ending Things, Promising Young Woman, French Exit, On The Rocks, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Da 5 Bloods just to name a few.

This awards season could either be one of the most exciting or one of the most predictable because of the lack of movies being released. I think, however, that there is still a lot of movies to look forward to and have discussions about.

Are there any movies you're hoping to see this upcoming awards season? Any movies that have been pushed back that you wish were still coming out this year? Let me know in the comments.