Awards season is upon us, and while it might seem like there are several films that are locked in as sure winners – Barbie and Oppenheimer just to name a few – there are several that have flown under the radar this year, but still could win big.
So which ones are they, and what categories could they win in? We explain below.
The Killer
Two names. David Fincher and Michael Fassbender. The Killer might only have a 59% score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, but critics really enjoyed it. It is certified fresh with 86%. While Fassbender is applauded time and time again for his performance, The Killer likely has its best shot with Best Adapted Screenplay. That said, the sound truly stands out in this movie as it is important to the killer’s job. Because of that heavy focus on sound, it could take home the award for Best Sound as well. Of course, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Best Director and Best Actor nominations either.
Past Lives
Past Lives could be the sleeper hit of the year, as it has already taken home the Best Movie at the Gotham Awards. This film has Rotten Tomatoes scores in the nineties from both critics and audience. It is a love story that many can relate to. On top of that, there are stellar lead performances and great directing. Past Lives is the debut film for director Celine Strong, so it would be quite exciting to see her movie take home multiple big awards.
The Holdovers
The Holdovers is a touching and thought-provoking film that has succeeded at the box office, despite not getting a lot of awards buzz. It boasts Rotten Tomatoes scores in the nineties and has been making quite a bit of money, which is impressive because it is not playing widely in theaters. We expect a nomination for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, but it could easily be included in other categories such as Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, and Best Score.
Suzume
This year, there is strangely not a whole lot of competition when it comes to the Best Animated Film category due to several box office flops. That seems to be leaving the door wide open for Suzume to squeeze in. Not only does it have extremely high Rotten Tomatoes scores (96% critics and 98% audience) it is slowly growing recognition. Along with a nomination for Best Animated Film, we could see Best Score or Best Original Song.
Asteroid City
At one point in time, Wes Anderson would be considered a shoe in for a nomination or two, but Asteroid City was not received well. It still has fresh scores on Rotten Tomatoes, but it did not make nearly as much money as expected and has all but been forgotten come awards season. That said, we wouldn’t be shocked at all to see a Best Production Design nomination and even a Best Actress nod to Scarlett Johansson.
Cassandro
Cassandro is a biopic about a Lucha Libre wrestler who is unapologetically himself. While the audience liked, but didn’t love, this one, the critics did. There are not many people who have seen it, with reviews lingering around 200 for combined audience and critic, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get some awards love. Gael Garcia Bernal’s performance has been highly praised, so he could grab a Best Actor nomination.
Anatomy of a Fall
Who doesn’t love a crime thriller? That is one of the many reasons that Anatomy of a Fall could find itself with several nominations, including Best International Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director. This movie premiered at Cannes Film Festival and has been receiving incredible reviews since.
Dumb Money
Dumb Money tells a story based on true events that feel like they just happened, which is the main reason why a lot of viewers haven’t sought it out just yet. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good film. Or a great one even. Even with Rotten Tomatoes scores in the eighties, there are a lot of categories we could see Dumb Money nominated for. Particularly Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Paul Dano for Best Actor.
Showing Up
This film centers around a group of artists as they create and display their work. The Rotten Tomatoes audience scoreis sitting in the mid-forties, but the critics is in the high eighties. Showing Up didn’t win at the Gotham Awards, but it was nominated, keeping it in the awards conversation. There could easily be a few surprise nominations, and even a win, for Best Original Screenplay and Michelle Williams for Best Actress.
NYAD
Another biopic that could attract some attention this awards season is NYAD. It tells the story of swimmer Diana Nyad, but the real reason it could see some nominations is because of the performances from Anette Bening and Jodie Foster. Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing are also likely.
The 96th Academy Awards will be broadcast on ABC and are scheduled for March 10, 2024.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She owns Mama’s Geeky, but also is a freelance writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for more than ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association. Her passion for film, television, video games, and comic books started when she was a little girl and has only continued to grow.