Top 5 movies with Oscar buzz in 2023 (so far)
As we reached the midpoint of 2023, several Hollywood movies from the first half have captured the attention of audiences and are being considered potential contenders for the 2024 Academy Awards. With critical acclaim and commercial success, the buzz surrounding these films—including Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and Cocaine Bear—have earned praise for their mind-bending stories, background score, and visual effects. Here's the breakdown.
'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse': Best Picture
With the groundbreaking imagery and visual effects in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, co-producers and co-writers, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, proved their talent. The film grossed over $540M worldwide, securing its place as the fourth highest-grossing film of the year thus far. In addition to its commercial success, the film has the potential to be nominated in the Best Picture category at the Oscars.
'Little Richard: I am Everything': Documentary Feature
Lisa Cortés—an Afro-Latina filmmaker—directed Little Richard: I Am Everything, which was released on April 21. The project generated significant buzz thanks to its Sundance Film Festival premiere. The potential for Little Richard to get nominated in the Documentary Feature category looks bright, considering the fact that Corté's previous work, All In: The Fight for Democracy (2020), was also shortlisted by the Academy's Documentary Branch.
'Polite Society': Cinematography
Helmed by Nida Manzoor, Polite Society is about a Pakistani teenager aspiring to be a stuntwoman. The cinematography of this film was handled by Ashley Connor, who showcased her exceptional talent in her collaboration with Manzoor. Connor's work on it weaves magic onscreen, and Polite Society reportedly has the potential to garner recognition from the Academy for cinematography, especially if it receives critics' awards.
'Cocaine Bear': Visual Effects
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Elizabeth Banks's Cocaine Bear was an unexpected hit! Inspired by a true story, Banks enlisted VFX supervisor Robin Hollander to create Cokie—the bear—star of the film. Cocaine Bear stands as a strong contender for a nomination in the VFX category, as the movie features a bear jumping into a moving ambulance, which highlights the exceptional VFX work.
'Asteroid City': Production Design
With a star cast including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Maya Hawke, among others, Wes Anderson's Asteroid City garnered praise for its production design. While the sci-fi rom-com drama received criticism for its lackluster storyline, the intrinsic design and the backdrops brilliantly depicted the atmosphere of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in an American desert town in 1955. (Entries based on Variety's probable contenders.)
