Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe

Welcome to the latest edition of a seasonal weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe. It’s a bit early to be able to accurately predict the eventual Oscar nominees, but around this time, plenty of likely contenders are being released. I’ll be looking every Wednesday at the awards chances for all of the films released the previous week. Chime in with your thoughts on the Oscar chances for these films in the comments section.

Films released December 7th-14th, 2013

American Hustle
David O. Russell’s last two movies made big Oscar splashes, earning Best Picture nominations and a handful of other mentions. Stars Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence even took home Oscars for their performances. Lawrence is a lock for the Best Supporting Actress field, and Bradley Cooper is a likely Best Supporting Actor nominee. Christian Bale and Amy Adams will have a harder time breaking into the lead races. In addition to a Best Picture nomination, this film should earn mentions for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing mentions are probable too, and a Best Art Direction nod is a possibility. This is sure to be one of the most-nominated Oscar movies of the year.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The “Lord of the Rings” films earned plenty of Oscar nominations and wins, and the first entry of the “Hobbit” trilogy nabbed three nods – Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. This film get slightly better reviews than the first, and finalist lists have confirmed that it’s eligible for Best Visual Effects but not for Best Makeup. Best Art Direction is a possibility, but I wouldn’t count on it appearing many other places than that.

Inside Llewyn Davis
The Coen brothers have a pretty consistent track record with Oscar voters. Their latest film is set to earn a Best Picture nomination and might factor into the directing and screenplay races. A Best Film Editing mention is probable, and it could also be nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Sound. Oscar Issac might have a shot at a Best Actor bid, but that field is very crowded.

Saving Mr. Banks
This Disney production about the making of an Oscar-winning Disney movie is perfect Oscar bait, but its precursor performance hasn’t been entirely strong. Emma Thompson is a sure thing for a Best Actress nomination, while supporting actor Tom Hanks looks like he might find himself snubbed for his portrayal of Walt Disney. A Best Picture nomination is possible, and otherwise this film should figure into the screenplay race and maybe a few technical categories.