Opening nationwide into theatres this week is Best Man Holiday; yup a semi-sequel to
1999’s The Best Man. I know we’ve all
been clamoring for this follow up for years, and it’s finally here! Please note
my sarcasm. But even with Best Man
Holiday’s shockingly small nationwide release it’s still over performing
and, as they only new film in theatres this week, it has happily found a home
second place this weekend. This makes this a perfect weekend to focus on the
films with limited releases that could easily shape the awards season. This
weekend sees the limited release of four films that with successful runs could
spread wider and join the awards conversation. Nebraska, the next film from Alexander Payne’s (The Descendants, Sideways, Election)
staring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, and Stacey Keech; Dear Mr. Watterson, a documentary
examining the impact of Calvin &
Hobbes on contemporary culture (Portland and Spokane friends keep your eyes
peeled as this film opens in your neighborhoods on November 22nd,
Seattle let’s hope we get a release date soon); Charlie Countryman, a Sundance film starring Shia LaBeouf and Even
Rachel Wood; and 12-12-12, a
documentary about a benefit concert featuring a Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and
The Rolling Stones among a ton of others.
All of these films could be great, but most people in
America won’t know until they open up nationwide or slowly make their way to
the home viewing market. But there are a few films each year that push through
the limited release market and make into in the mainstream and of those film
there are only a few that push their way through and become awards contenders.
Films that go through this process get the tag of an Indie Darling, AKA an
independent film that breaks into society and becomes just as well-known as a
studio film.
This week, we are looking at the top indie darlings of
2013, films that will make a difference this awards season. All films on the
list are films I’ve seen, so although I think some indie films coming out soon
are sure fire contenders, I’ve not seen them yet and will withhold judgment. Also,
a few of these films have not yet received full reviews on the website, but
keep your eyes peeled they will be here soon.
5.
The Spectacular Now – The Spectacular Now is spectacularly underrated,
and will continue to be all the way through awards season. This year has been
full of coming of age films The
Spectacular Now stands above the rest. What sets it apart from the rest is its
honesty. Outstandingly directed, acted, and filmed; this film earned a special
acting award for both Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley from its showing at
Sundance and they are only the tip of the iceberg for this amazing cast
featuring Kyle Chandler, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bob Odenkirk.
Director James Ponsoldt has a clear vision, makes strong choices, and nothing on
screen is an accident; he doesn’t play in teenage stereotypes he creates real
characters who happen to be teens and that is just another superb thing about The Spectacular Now. When in theatres Now found a very passionate audience but
failed to leave a mark in any sort of long term sense, had it came out later in
the year it may have found a spot in the awards conservation but as it stands,
much like last year’s Perks of Being A
Wallflower, it’s a great film aimed at youth that will fall short of the
attention it deserves. My prediction The
Spectacular Now will earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted
Screenplay (Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber)
4.
Fruitvale Station– A powerfully emotional
film that made its way into the mainstream this summer after winning both the
Grand Jury Prize (the top award for Sundance) and the Audience Award at this
year’s Sundance film festival. Fruitvale
Station is one of the many films of 2013 exploring race relations and what
sets this film aside from the others is that instead of looking back on the past
to tell a story that parallel’s today’s issues, Fruitvale looks at story that is not quite 5 years old. Director
Ryan Coogler gives a captivatingly raw look at the events surrounding New Year’s
Eve 2008 in the Bay Area and impact of 22 year old Oscar Grant on society. Fruitvale Station released nationwide in
theatres back in July and become this year’s first true Oscar contender, releasing
on DVD before year’s end Fruitvale
Station is not to be missed. My Prediction Fruitvale Station will earn Academy Award nominations Best Supporting
Actress (Octavia Spencer), Best Original Screenplay (Coogler), Best Picture and
is a long shot for Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Jordan more than deserves in
my book. 
3.
Dallas Buyers Club – Making a giant
splash into this year’s Oscar race is Matthew McConaughey, who could end up
with three realistic possibilities for nominations (for Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street as well as Dallas Buyers Club). But it’s his amazing performance in Dallas Buyers Club that has cemented his
career revival and vaulted him into a position to not only be nominated but to
win this year’s Best Actor award. McConaughey stars as Ron Woodroof a Texas
good ol’ boy in the late 1980s. The crux of the film is that Woodroof contracts
AIDS which tosses him into the unknown worlds of homosexual culture, corporate
corruption, and medical failure; all of which are a shock to Woodroof. The
character’s journey to acceptance and self-discovery is easily the most
gripping part of the film. On the whole Dallas
Buyers Club is amazing because of the insanely strong performances of its
cast, of course, led by McConughey but supported by Jennifer Garner, Denis O’Hare,
Steve Zahn and Jared Leto, who delivers an equally stunning performance as
Rayon, a transvestite living with AIDS. My prediction Dallas Buyers Club will earn Academy Award nominations for Actor
(McConaughey), Supporting Actor (Leto), and Original Screenplay (Craig Borten
and Melisa Wallack)
2.
Blue is the Warmest Color – The
winner of this year’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or is a beautiful love
story. Blue is the Warmest Color is a
stunning work of film that never tries to be more than what it is. Blue follows the life Adele (Adele
Exarchopoulos) from her last few years of high school through her mid-twenties
and focuses on her relationship with the blue haired Emma (Lea Seydoux). It’s
story of discovery, of the peaks and valley of life in a time where we don’t
really know what we’re doing. I first watched this film about a month ago and
the visuals, performances and emotion have stuck with me more than just about
any other film this year. Although Blue is
rated NC-17 for graphic sexual nature (and while it is graphic there’s no need for this film to be more then rated R)
these scene are all a part of the Adele’s journey, discovery, and character
arch and an important part of her story. Not every moment of growing up is
family friendly, and neither is this film, but Blue is the Warmest Color is a GREAT film, in the end it will not
be seen as much as it should be in America due to its rating, which will
honestly hurt it’s awards chances. My prediction is that Blue is the Warmest Color will
earn Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Film, Best Adapted Screenplay (Abdellatif
Kechiche and Ghalia Lacroix) Best Actress (Exarchopoulos), and Best Supporting
Actress (Seydoux).
1.
Twelve Years a Slave – 12 Years a Slave is a brutal, rough, extremely
graphic look at American slavery. It’s not a fun film to watch. But it’s an
amazing film to watch. This is an important film that shines a light on America’s
past, present, and future. Director Steve McQueen shows us prejudice in a more
harsh light is typically portrayed on film, while at the same time asking the audience
to look at its own prejudices. 12 Years a
Slave is the front runner in most Academy Award Categories and has a possibility
to be one of the most award winning films of all time. A more in depth review
of 12 Years a Slave is coming soon,
but for now this once in a lifetime film stands as 2013’s number 1 indie
darling, and possibly its best film.My prediction is that 12 Years a Slave will earn Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted
Screenplay (John Ridley), Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Best Supporting Actor
(Michael Fassbender), Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o), Best Director
(McQueen) and Best Picture, among a host of other awards. 
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