Consider this my post fall festivals high outlook into the Best Picture race for the 96th annual Academy Awards, which will be celebrating and awarding their choices for the best films from 2023. I’ve presented all 35 films via 7 tiers that I have on my radar at this current stage of the campaign, and during the unofficial start of the awards season. If you want more detailed thoughts on my thinking on why I believe a certain movie may currently be a contender, and why I have them placed where I do in the running, look out for my much more in-depth piece on the matter that might be over at Ordinary Times by the time this is published.
TIER 1: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS FRONT-RUNNERS
01. Oppenheimer (+3 Since The Last Update)
02. Killers Of The Flower Moon (-1 Since The Last Update)
03. Poor Things (+5 Since The Last Update)
04. The Holdovers (+14 Since The Last Update)
05. The Color Purple (-3 Since The Last Update)
TIER 2: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDERS
06. Barbie (+15 Since The Last Update)
07. Maestro (+2 Since The Last Update)
08. Rustin (+6 Since The Last Update)
09. Past Lives (+2 Since The Last Update)
10. Anatomy Of A Fall (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
TIER 3: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS “ON THE BUBBLE” CONTENDERS
11. American Fiction (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
12. Air (+4 Since The Last Update)
13. Saltburn (-6 Since The Last Update)
14. Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse (+27 Since The Last Update)
15. The Zone Of Interest (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
TIER 4: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS LONGSHOTS ON THE VERGE OF BEING TAKEN SERIOUS
16. Napoleon (-1 Since The Last Update)
17. Priscilla (+17 Since The Last Update)
18. The Bikeriders (-6 Since The Last Update)
19. May December (-6 Since The Last Update)
20. All Of Us Strangers (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
TIER 5: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS LONGSHOTS WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE
17. Perfect Days (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
22. The Boy And The Heron (+20 Since The Last Update)
23. The Promised Land (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
24. The Taste Of Things (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
25. Asteroid City (-19 Since The Last Update)
TIER 6: THE POST FALL FESTIVALS LONGSHOTS WITH A SLIM PATH
26. Nyad (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
27. Hitman (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
28. The Killer (+1 Since The Last Update)
29. Ferrari (+8 Since The Last Update)
30. Origin (Newly On The Board Since The Last Update)
TIER 7: THE LONGEST OF LONGSHOTS WITH SOME SLIM HOPE LEFT
31. Elemental (+12 Since The Last Update)
32. Wish (+12 Since The Last Update)
33. Bottoms (+4 Since The Last Update)
34. Next Goal Wins (-8 Since The Last Update)
35. Dumb Money (-13 Since The Last Update)
OFF THE BOARD SINCE THE LAST UPDATE IN MARCH
- Beau Is Afraid: Not Accessible At All; Came And Went
- Blitz: Not Releasing This Year
- Bob Marley - One Love: Seemingly Not Releasing This Year
- Creed III: Came And Went
- Dune: Part Two: Not Releasing This Year
- Fast X: Unsurprisingly Wasn’t Anything Awards-Buzzy
- Golda: Came And Went
- Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny: Came And Went
- John Wick - Chapter 4: Came And Went
- Joy Ride: Came And Went
- Magazine Dreams: Not A Priority For Searchlight Pictures Post-Majors’ Issues
- Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One: Didn’t Become Next Top Gun: Maverick
- Our Apprenticeship: Not Releasing This Year
- Shirley: Not Releasing This Year
- Spaceman: Not Releasing This Year
- Talk To Me: Came And Went
- Tetris: Not A Priority For Apple Studios Anymore; Came And Went
- The Book Of Clearance: Seemingly Not Releasing This Year
- The Iron Claw: Doesn’t Seem To Have Any Real Path To Be A Picture Contender
- The Little Mermaid: Unsurprisingly Wasn’t Anything Awards-Buzzy
- The Piano Lesson: Not Releasing This Year
- The Way Of The Wind: Not Releasing This Year
- The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar: More Of A Shorts Collection Than A Feature
- Theatre Camp: Came And Went
- Wonka: Doesn’t Seem To Have Any Real Path To Be A Picture Contender
