Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe

Welcome to a new 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. Until I begin my official predictions, I’ll be adding and removing contenders as their popularity, buzz, or reviews rise and fall. Chime in with your thoughts on the Oscar chances for these films in the comments section.

A Serious Man
The latest film from the Coen brothers is their most personal, and based on overwhelmingly positive reviews, it could be a very strong contender for the newly-widened best picture field. The Coens have had two films nominated for Best Picture: “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men” (which won). “O Brother, Where Art Thou” was up for Best Adapted Screenplay, but all of their other films didn’t end up on Oscar’s radar. This one could easily contend for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and possibly Best Director and Best Actor. Tom O'Neil suggests also Best Supporting Actor (Fred Melamed and Richard Kind), though I'm not sure this one will go quite that far. It would be cool if it did; I just don't expect it.

Whip It
Drew Barrymore’s directional debut is receiving mixed reviews. She definitely won’t factor into the Best Director race, since other actors have tried their hand at helming films with similar or better results and been snubbed (like Ben Affleck with “Gone Baby Gone”). Ellen Page also won’t repeat if only because the performance is too similar to her role in “Juno,” and while she got nominated for that movie, she has her fair share of detractors. These two ladies could place at the Golden Globes, but not the Oscars.

Zombieland
While this movie was surprisingly well-received, it’s no Oscar movie. Woody Harrelson is a former nominee, but that was for his interpretation of Larry Flynt in 1996. His starring role in this film is hilarious, but Oscar voters won’t notice it. It’s possible it could get in for Best Makeup, though movies with the undead haven’t made it into that category since 2000 (“Shadow of the Vampire”). Once again, this isn’t an Oscar movie, and therefore its eventual snubs shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

The Invention of Lying
Ricky Gervais may be a popular television star in the United Kingdom and a crossover hit in the United States, but his movies don’t exactly spell Oscar. He missed out on a Golden Globe nomination for heading up “Ghost Town” last year, and this new gimmicky film shouldn’t help him get anywhere closer to an Oscar nod. He’ll probably have to remake “The Office” or “Extras” into a feature film to catch Oscar voters’ attention.

Other releases this week that won’t factor into the race: More Than a Game. Not many big movies out this week.

Be sure to come back next Wednesday for a look at this Friday’s theatrical releases and their Oscar chances. And remember to offer your thoughts on the chances for these films in the comments!