Julianne Moore, John Malkovich Emerge as Early Oscar Frontrunners
As the fall film festival circuit concludes, early contenders for the Academy Awards begin to solidify, with 'The Odyssey' and 'La Bola Negra' vying for best picture and Julianne Moore and John Malkovich favored in acting categories.
The race for the Academy Awards is heating up, with early festival buzz pointing toward several frontrunners. As the fall film festival season, including Venice, Telluride, and Toronto, wraps up, the path to the Oscars is becoming clearer.
Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" has been a dominant force, but it now faces significant competition from the Netflix Spanish World War II epic "La Bola Negra." The film, which spans from 1932 to 2017, premiered at Cannes and received a rapturous reception at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), a festival known for its populist audience.
The reception at TIFF can be an indicator of broader audience appeal, as demonstrated by "Green Book's" win there in 2018, which ultimately led to a best picture Oscar. While "La Bola Negra" may not win TIFF's People's Choice Award, which often goes to foreign-language films less frequently, its strong showing positions it as a serious best picture contender. Even the film's directors, Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as "Los Javis," are seen as potential contenders for best director.
Despite the rise of "La Bola Negra," "The Odyssey" is still considered the likely best picture winner. Other potential nominees, such as "Dune: Part Three," Alejandro Iñárritu's "Digger," and Danny Boyle's "Ink," face challenges. "Dune: Part Three" is noted for lacking a traditionally likable hero, "Digger" is seen as an artsy satire potentially out of step with current moods, and "Ink" is considered less weighty than past best picture winners like "Spotlight."
The acting categories are also taking shape. Julianne Moore is considered the favorite for best actress following her performance in "The Debut," described as a role where she fully embodies a suburban housewife exploring musical theater. Her closest competition, Inde Navarrette in "Obsession," is seen as a distant contender.
In the best actor race, Andrew Scott for the AIDS drama "Elsinore" and John Malkovich for Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine" have emerged as new contenders. However, Malkovich, a two-time nominee, is widely regarded as the frontrunner, with critics hailing his performance in "Wild Horse Nine" as some of the finest work of his career.
Olivia Wilde's performance in the comedy "The Invite" has also garnered attention, with hopes that she could secure nominations for best actress, best director, and best picture. The article notes that there are still 176 days until the Academy Awards ceremony, leaving room for further shifts in the Oscar race.