This has been the strangest year, not just at the movies, but for life in general. With all that being said, and with the Oscars seemingly deciding to go on as planned on April 25th, 2021, we have a Best Picture race to talk about and it’s as unpredictable as you might imagine.
First and foremost, the films vying for top honors this year are not the absolute best we were going to get this year. There were lots of scheduling delays due to lockdowns and cinema closures, to the point where I’m suspecting that next year will be stacked to the roof with quality films.
As it stands, 13 major contenders have been released, with another potential three titles ready to be released between now and the Oscar eligibility deadline of February 28th, 2021. Four of the thirteen contenders were released directly via Netflix, with Aaron Sorkin’s bombastic “Trial of the Chicago 7” leading the charge as the frontrunner. Meanwhile, Chloe Zhao’s Venice-winning, and critical darling, “Nomadland” is not too far behind Sorkin’s film, although it is not as accessible a film.
Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is the only film to have been released exclusively in theaters and had no showing whatsoever on streaming.