Movies and TV shows have been making drama out of historical events since the dawn of the business. Some of the best movies and TV shows of all time have focused on events that literally changed the world, like D-Day in Saving Private Ryan or the fall of the Roman Republic in Rome. This list is all about those projects and those important events. Take a read, you could even learn something like we did!

Braveheart

While Braveheart isn't the most historically accurate movie of all time, it does try to tell the true story of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. It was a huge turning point in the Scottish/English war. Ever since, many in Scotland have used it as a rallying point for independence.

Chernobyl

The 1986 nuclear meltdown of the power plant in Chernobyl, USSR (now Ukraine), was one of the most important and scariest events of the 1980s. There was already a fear of nuclear power, and the meltdown not only helped show just how technologically messed up the USSR was, but it was also used as a rallying cry by anti-nuke protestors in the West. The HBO miniseries from 2019 tells the amazing story in all its terrifying details and was pretty historically accurate.

Selma

It's hard to put into context just how important the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s in the US was historically, all over the world, not just in America. It's a movement that is impossible to tell the complete story of in one movie or TV show, but Selma does a great job in focusing on one of the most significant events of the movement.

The Passion of the Christ

Setting aside the politics of Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ, there really isn't a more earth-shattering event than the crucifixion of Jesus. Even if you are a nonbeliever, there isn't a story ever told that has had such a profound effect on human history.

Oppenheimer

The winner of the 2024 Oscar for Best Picture (and a bunch more), Oppenheimer, tells the story of the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb and not only did it's terrifying effects help end World War II, but it cast a pall over the rest of the 20th Century as the USA and the USSR locked horns in the Cold War and an arms race that threatened to end the world.

Thirteen Days

During the Cold War, the closest it ever came to becoming a hot war was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was a harrowing time, and had cooler heads not prevailed, things on this planet might be very different. Thirteen Days tells the story from inside the White House during that history-changing event.

Zero Dark Thirty

The hunt for Osama Bin Laden after 9/11 affected every corner of the globe, and for almost a decade, it was front-page news. Zero Dark Thirty takes audiences behind the scenes in that hunt, leading to his death in 2011. It's a fantastic movie and one that tells the story in a pretty accurate way, though, like many of these movies, it shouldn't all be taken as fact.

Waterloo

The Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th Century reshaped politics all over the globe. Obviously, the most acute effects were felt in Europe, but without them, the US wouldn't have made the Louisiana Purchase, so the long-ranging effects were all over. It all ended with the Battle of Waterloo, where the English and other European powers finally ended Napoleon's campaign to rule the world. The movie Waterloo is one of the best war movies ever made and is a must-see for history buffs.

The Right Stuff

In the mid-20th Century, as a biproduct of the Cold War, the US and the USSR found themselves racing each other to space. The Soviets won the race, but it wasn't because the US didn't make a valiant effort. The story of the Mercury Seven, the first Americans in space, is told wonderfully in The Right Stuff, with an all-star cast and based on a book by Tom Wolfe.

The Big Short

The 2008 financial meltdown had ripple effects all over the world. The largest economies in the world were brought to their knees due to the wild speculation and lawlessness of the US housing and stock markets. It's a completed series of events that led to the meltdown, and The Big Short does an incredible job of uncomplicating it.

Saving Private Ryan

The main story of Saving Private Ryan, the rescue of one soldier among millions, isn't what changed the world, but let's be honest, what most people remember first about the movie, the storming of Normandy Beach on D-Day, did certainly change it. World War II was essentially won in those days, though it would take almost another year for the war to finally come to a close.

Schindler's List

Like other movies here, Schindler's List takes on one of the most complicated and enormous stories in the history of humankind. It is impossible to tell the whole story, but Steven Spielberg's masterpiece doesn't have to tell the whole story to find the emotion and horror of the holocaust in his story about Oskar Schindler. It's a movie many can't watch more than once, but it's a movie everyone should see.

World Trade Center

For anyone alive in the late '90s and early 2000s, there was before 9/11, and there was after. Everything changed on that day, everywhere. It started wars that lasted decades and forever changed the way countries, especially the United States, handled security. So much changed that day that it's hard to put it into words, and Oliver Stone's focus on the events of the day in World Trade Center reminds us all of the horrors and the aftermath.

Dunkirk

World War II had a profound effect on everything that has come since. From the Cold War to the decolonization of Africa and Asia, it upended the whole world order. It's important to remember that it might have ended much differently had the evacuation of the British Army at Dunkirk not been as successful as it was, and Christopher Nolan's brilliant and engaging Dunkirk does an incredible job telling the story.

Band Of Brothers

HBO's iconic miniseries Band Of Brothers is a little bit of a cheat on this list, as it tells the events of a few important moments in World War II, including D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of The Bulge, but it belongs on this list as it does one of the best jobs of any movie or TV show telling the whole story of the last year of World War II.

Darkest Hour

Like Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, Darkest Hour tells the same story, or at least the same time, as the British evacuation from France at the beginning of World War II. Darkest Hour sees Churchill, played wonderfully by Gary Oldman, rallying the British public (and the politicians) to stay in the fight when the evacuation could've ended everything.

The Insider

This one might not seem so obvious, but the story told in The Insider changed a lot. Anyone who grew up in the 20th Century can tell you just how prevalent smoking cigarettes was. It was allowed everywhere and hardly discouraged by anyone. Jeffrey Wigand, played by Russell Crowe in the movie, blew the whistle on the whole tobacco industry and forever changed the public's perception of the habit, and that has changed everyday life for everyone.

Bridge Of Spies

Though it is just one story of many from the Cold War, Bridge of Spies, which is essentially about a prisoner exchange between East and West, does have a few moments in it that profoundly affected life in the world. Especially the scene when Tom Hanks' character travels from West Berlin to East and audiences see the early days of the Berlin Wall, and, in effect, the Iron Curtain in its most physical form.

All The President's Men

The Watergate Scandal might seem like a moment that only affected United States politics, but the ripple effects go much further. All The President's Men tells the story of the two reporters who broke the story and their work forever changed how politics are covered by the media not just in the US, but everywhere. It's one of the best movies about politics, covering a moment that changed the world.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the follow-up to Elizabeth, both starring Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth, is, honestly, a mess, historically. It's not a very good movie, either. However, it is one of the rare movies that depicts the Battle of Gravelines, when the English Navy defeated the Spanish Armada and the balance of power in Europe, and worldwide, changed forever.

From The Earth To The Moon

The exploration of space in the mid and late 20th Century affects everyone on earth. Where would we be without satellites, jet propulsion, or any of the other things we take for granted that are a result of the space race? The HBO miniseries From The Earth To The Moon is a great starting place to learn more about it.

JFK

Oliver Stone's conspiratorial JFK might not be the most historically accurate telling of the assassination of John F. Kennedy - or maybe it is, depending on your point of view - but it is the most in-depth discussion of one of the most consequential moments of the 20th Century.

Charlie Wilson's War

Like others on this list, Charlie Wilson's War doesn't seem like a movie portraying a moment that changed everything, but, of course, it did. The Tom Hanks movie shows the beginning of the USA's involvement with the Afghan mujahideen in their fight against the Soviets. There is a direct through-line from the collapse of the USSR, 9/11, and the USA's War on Terror that all began there.

The Death of Stalin

Sure, The Death of Stalin is a comedy, and a brilliant one at that, but the event it depicts, from the actual death of the brutal dictator Stalin to the internal battle for power it created, completely changed the direction of the Cold War, which would continue for another four decades after his death.

The Ten Commandments

It may be controversial to put Biblical movies on this list, depending on your belief system, but whether fable or true story, the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments has been something that changed the world more than maybe any other single story. Charlton Heston's starring role as Moses in The Ten Commandments is still one of the most beloved performances of all time in Hollywood.

The King's Speech

It's fair to say that this movie is a little heavy on World War II moments, but it's a war that has had a profound effect on everything that has come after it. The King's Speech isn't a war movie in a traditional sense, but it does tell a story that until it, was somewhat untold and that's how important King George VI's speech was for moral for the British and indeed, all the Allies in the war.

A Bridge Too Far

It's rare that a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster with a giant cast of legends like A Bridge Too Far tells the story of an infamous battle disaster like Operation Market Garden. Had the battle gone differently, as the British General Bernard Montgomery had intended with his plan, the war might have ended earlier, and who knows how that might have affected the rest of history.

Rome

The transition of Rome from a Republic led by its senate to an Empire led by a series of all-powerful emperors was a major turning point in Western culture and had profound effects on the historical development of Europe and, in effect, the world. That story, the rise of Caesar and the fall of the Republic, is told brilliantly in HBO's ill-fated, but still great, Rome.

Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi and his belief in non-violent opposition and protest brought the British Empire to its knees in India, just as is shown in the amazing movie simply Gandhi. Gandhi's approach has changed the way the world has tried to change the world and had a major influence on the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others.

Midway

The War in the Pacific in World War II is not told as often as the War in Europe, but Midway, while not the greatest movie of all time, accurately (mostly) depicts the most important battle of that theater. It's a battle that reversed the Japanese aggression and, ultimately, led to the Allied victory.

Downfall

In a war full of consequential moments, maybe the most important moment came in that bunker in Berlin when Hitler did what no one else had been able to do: kill Hitler. Downfall is simply an incredible look inside the bunker and the last days of the war.

300

The profound effects of Greek culture on the Western world are well understood by anyone who has ever taken even the most basic history class in junior high. While 300 is more fantasy than reality, it does (kind of) tell the story of how the Greek culture survived when under literal attack from the East.

There is little doubt that Steven Spielberg is one of the - if not the - best directors of the last 50 years. He has produced hit after hit and almost all of his movies have proved that they have real staying power and even years later we still love them and love to discuss them. Spielberg is a master at pacing his movies and including some of the coolest and most talked-about scenes ever, just like the scenes on this list.

The Rolling Boulder - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

There are opening scenes, and then there is the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not only does the opening sequence, with Indy (Harrison Ford) and his partner played by Alfred Molina perfectly define the character that we would come to adore over the decades, but it includes one of the best action sequences ever. The final booby trap Indy must escape is, of course, the giant rolling boulder and it still leaves us all breathless.

Quint's Speech - Jaws

Spielberg's Jaws is often considered the first true "summer blockbuster," despite the director's initial reluctance to make it. That mostly has to do, of course, with the shark. If you dig a little deeper though, it's the human characters that really make the movie so enduring. Quint, played by Robert Shaw, tells one of the most iconic stories in film history when he recounts his experience on the ill-fated USS Indianapolis during World War II.

The Red Dress - Schindler's List

One of the best tricks that Spielberg pulls in his Best Picture-winning film Schindler's List is humanizing an event - The Holocaust - that was so vast and the numbers so overwhelming that it's hard to really understand. One thing he does so effectively to do this is showing the lone girl in a red dress, the only color in the movie until the very end. The red dress is seen later in a pile of clothing of victims of the atrocity, bringing a really emotional gut punch to the whole movie, which is already one of the hardest to ever rewatch.

Biking Past The Moon - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Until Titanic, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was the highest-grossing movie of all time and it's easy to understand why even decades later. The movie is remarkably well-made and beautifully shot. The most enduring shot has to be the sight of Elliott and ET flying past the moon on the bicycle.

The Opening Scene - Saving Private Ryan

The opening scene of Saving Private Ryan completely changed how war films are made, especially movies about World War II. The brutal action sequence of the army rangers hitting the beaches of Normandy on D-Day produces a visceral reaction from all who see it and has been praised for accurately depicting what it was like on that fateful day in June 1944. It's the biggest reason the movie is one of the best war movies ever made.

Playing The Music For The First Time - Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind isn't as talked about as many of Steven Spielberg's movies, but one scene that no one forgets is when the humans and the aliens trade music notes in an attempt to learn to communicate. The melody is unforgettable and you're problem humming it right now.

The First Time Everyone Sees The Dinos - Jurassic Park

It's hard to explain what a cultural bombshell Jurassic Park was when it landed in theaters in the summer of 1993 to anyone who wasn't alive at the time. It was huge and the special effects, the dinosaurs, were a huge reason why. The moment that the characters first set eyes on previously extinct animals is simply magical.

Saluting The Kamikazes - Empire Of The Sun

Empire of the Sun is the most underrated movie directed by Steven Spielberg. Even at the time it flew under the radar. Throughout the movie, Christian Bale's character endures a lot and the moment he watches the Japanese kamikaze pilots take off as the war is ending is deeply emotional for him and the audience.

Arguing In The Fire - Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade is the most fun of the three original Indiana Jones movies. The chemistry between Indy and his father, played by Sean Connery is what makes the movie so charming. Nowhere is this better seen than when the two of them are tied up together by their captors and manage to light the room on fire and save themselves by moving into a fireplace that is more than it seems.

The Stairwell Argument - Munich

When Ali (Omar Metwally), a PLO member, and Avner (Eric Bana), a Mossad agent in Munich find themselves in the same safe house, they have a serious and intense discussion about the future of Palestine and Israel and who will control it in the near and far futures. It's elegantly shot with smoke from the two men's cigarettes lingering in the air, just as the question of the fate of the Palestinians and Israelis is.

Defiance - The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey's performance in The Color Purple is heartbreak, powerful, and emotional. The scene in which she defies the white men she encounters on the street tells you everything you need to know about her character and the message of the movie.

Lincoln's Discussion With Grant - Lincoln

Whenever Daniel Day-Lewis takes on a role, you know you're going to be in for a treat. Of all his many award-winning roles, none are quite as amazing as his performance of President Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln. His conversation with General U.S. Grant (Jared Harris) after the Siege of Petersburg is a quiet part of the movie that says so much about both men.

The Car Race - Ready Player One

One of the biggest changes between the book Ready Player One and the movie is the addition of a car chase for the first key. It's a smart decision as it plays perfectly in the movie and the action sequence is the kind of chase you can watch over and over, and it's chock full of easter eggs, just like the rest of the movie.

The Subway Ride - Bridge Of Spies

For anyone who grew up in the '60s, '70s, or '80s, the Cold War occupies a significant amount of memories, especially of The Berlin Wall, In Bridge Of Spies, the scene when Tom Hanks' character travels from West Berlin to East on the subway, crossing where the wall would be built is an amazing sequence that puts an exclamation point on the job he is doing.

Short Round's Getaway - Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

While Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom might not be as beloved as the other two in the original trilogy, it still has that signature Steven Spielberg charm. The scene when Short Round, played by a young Ke Huy Quan races in to rescue Indy and speed away in a car he's not even big enough to reach the pedals on, is everything you could want from a scene like it.

Frank Getting Away From The Hotel - Catch Me If You Can

There are a ton of fun, memorable scenes in Catch Me If You Can but the best is the moment Tom Hanks' character and Leonardo DiCaprio's meet in person for the first time. It's a chaotic scene as Frank Abagnale (DiCaprio) confuses Hanratty (Hanks) and escapes by the skin of his teeth.

The T-Rex Skips Customs - The Lost World: Jurassic Park

There's no question that The Lost World: Jurassic Park doesn't quite live up to its predecessor, but there is still one great scene when the T-Rex escapes the boat at the port in San Diego and goes on a Godzilla-like rampage. Sure, it's a little cheesy, but that's okay, it's still super fun.

The Burning Train - War Of The Worlds

The burning train in 2005's War of the Worlds is one of the spookiest scenes ever seen in a Steven Spielberg movie. As the ghost train flies by with flames coming out of every door and window, the assembled crowd can only look on in silent shock, just like the audience.

John Adams Speech - Amistad

Sir Anthony Hopkins' performance of John Adams in Amistad is one of the best portrayals of a U.S. President in film history. His speech at the end of the trial is as emotional as it is inspiring and simply the best part of a very hard movie to watch, but an easy one to love.

For about as long as movies have been around, Hollywood has been churning out patriotic American movies that make the country, and some of its most notable figures, look like larger than life icons. Over the years, some of the best sports movies, a handful of quintessential ‘80s movies, and so many others have left audiences feeling all warm and fuzzy with patriotic themes or moments (for better or worse). 

Here are 32 of the most patriotic American movies of all time.

Patton (1970)

One of the great American icons of the 20th century, General George S. Patton was instrumental in the Allies winning World War II. The legendary military mind’s life and legacy are put on full display in Patton, a 1970 biopic starring George C. Scott in an Academy Award-winning performance. And it doesn’t get more patriotic than starting a movie with a decorated general standing in front of the biggest American flag in cinematic history.

Rocky IV (1985)

There are some who believe Rocky IV is responsible for thawing, and eventually ending, the Cold War. The fourth installment in the beloved franchise, the movie not only features a boxer covered head to toe with American flags, but it also shows that Soviet technology and doping schemes are no match for a boxer from the U.S. of A and his old school approach.

Red Dawn (1984)

Restart the “Days Without A John Milius Reference” board because we have to talk about the famed director’s 1984 classic, Red Dawn. This movie, which follows a group of Colorado teenagers as they take on invading communist forces, is one of those movies where you just want to throw your fist into the sky and yell “America!” 

Top Gun (1986)

Is Top Gun a movie or a really expensive promotional tool for the U.S. Navy, because Tony Scott’s 1986 action flick has all the latest and greatest tech and weaponery on display. Sure, most of the movie is about Tom Cruise’s Maverick trying to top his rivals in a not-so-friendly competition, but that final act where he takes on some MiGs screams “don’t mess with America.” 

Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)

Okay, Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July does paint the U.S. military (and politicians and certain civilians) in a rather bad light, but this iconic Tom Cruise movie is extremely patriotic, just not in the traditional sense. Veteran Ron Kovic (Cruise) goes through a lot over the course of the movie and becomes an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and takes great lengths to make sure the country doesn’t forget those who sacrificed all.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump, one of Tom Hanks’ best movies, has a little bit of everything in it. There’s a tragic love story, there’s an epic tale of rags-to-riches, and there’s also a saga of an unassuming boy from Greenbow, Alabama becoming an American icon. If the war scenes weren’t enough, the awesome ping pong escapades of Hanks’ beloved character should do it.

Independence Day (1996)

On the surface, Independence Day looks like nothing more than an alien invasion movie. However, upon starting the movie it doesn’t take long to realize that this 1996 box office juggernaut is an extremely patriotic movie. Like, is there anything better than BIll Pullman’s iconic “this is our Independence Day” speech before the final battle?

The Patriot (2000)

Is The Patriot a good movie? No. Is it a ridiculous movie? Yes. And is it an overly patriotic movie? Dude, Mel Gibson’s character kills the British villain with an American flag. It doesn’t get more patriotic than that.

Miracle (2004)

One of the most inspiring sports underdog stories ever captured on film, Miracle follows the U.S. Hockey team as they pull off the seemingly impossible task of defeating the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics. America beating the Russkis in the height of the Cold War? Don’t get much more patriotic than that.

Air Force One (1997)

Featuring one of Harrison Ford’s best characters, Air Force One follows the U.S. President as he attempts to take back his plane from a group of heavily-armed terrorists led by Gary Oldman and his absurd accent. They don’t make movies, or presidents, like this these days.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Before he turned against his country and became a more conscious hero, Steve Rogers became the Allies best hope in Captain America: The First Avenger. One of the best Marvel movies, this 2011 superhero flick follows Chris Evans’ titular hero as he goes from a tiny yet determined New Yorker wanting to fight in the war to one of the men responsible for bringing peace to the world. Sure, there’s some toxic patriotism in this, but we’ll let it slide.

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)

Though it doesn’t focus on heroic military minds saving the day or teenagers rising up to defeat evil Commies, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a patriotic movie that shows the best of the American spirit. Centering on Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), a junior U.S. Senator upon his arrival to Capitol Hill, the movie explores the “rights” and “wrongs” of politics and standing up for your convictions.

1776 (1972)

A musical about the founding of America? Move over Hamilton, we’re talking about 1776, Peter H. Hunt’s historical drama that serves as a fictionalized account of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Where else are you going to see John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and John Hancock (not Herbie Hancock) singing and dancing like this?

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

There are war movies and then there is Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg’s World War II drama is epic in both scope and scale with its story about a group of soldiers going to great lengths to protect a seemingly normal private and prevent his mother from losing all her boys in battle.

Sergeant York (1941)

Howard Hawks’ landmark World War I film, Sergeant York, features one of the best displays of heroism in the history of cinema. Gary Cooper portrays the titular pacifist as he goes against his beliefs to protect his fellow soldiers and the toll it takes on his mind and spirit. 

Apollo 13 (1995)

To prevent catastrophic failure from turning into a national tragedy, America’s greatest minds come together with some old-fashioned American ingenuity to bring a group of astronauts back home. Ron Howard’s Apollo 13, which nearly earned Tom Hanks his third-consecutive Oscar, isn’t overtly patriotic, but it does showcase the brilliance of the nation.

Bridge Of Spies (2015)

With Cold War tensions at a near-record high, a New York lawyer (played by Tom Hanks) plays a key role in a prison swap between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Much like other films set in the era, there are some heavy patriotic themes throughout Bridge of Spies.

Lincoln (2012)

Steven Spielberg pulled out all the stops for Lincoln, his 2012 historical drama about the 16th President of the United States’ (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) quest to end slavery once and for all, bring peace and save the Union during the American Civil War.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

A movie about the operation to kill Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks? Yeah, there was no way Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty wasn’t going to be one of the most patriotic movies of the 2010s.

United 93 (2006)

One of the best movies of 2006, United 93 serves as a reenactment of the titular flight hijacked by terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001, with a heavy focus on the passengers who fought for control of the plane to prevent it from reaching its target, presumably the U.S. Capitol.  

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Yankee Doodle Dandy tells the story of George M. Cohan (James Cagney), a retired entertainer who accepts the call of his nation in the early days of World War II to portray FDR, which eventually leads to him meeting the actual president and receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. 

All The President’s Men (1976)

Patriotism comes in all shapes and sizes, as shown in All the President’s Men. This 1976 retelling of Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Bob Woodward’s (Robert Redford) investigation into the Watergate Scandal is brilliant in just about every way.

Gettysburg (1993)

Released 130 years after the battle on which it was based, Ronald F. Maxwell’s Gettysburg spends several hours chronicling the heroics of several soldiers and generals during the height of the American Civil War. Though it does spend a lot of time on the traitors in the Confederate Army, its themes of love for country and a better tomorrow make it a worthy addition.

Hidden Figures (2016)

One of the most powerful black family movies of the past decade, Hidden Figures tells the story of the unlikely heroes who helped get man to the moon and help America win the Space Race. With incredibly moving messages of patriotism, representation, and making yourself heard, there’s a lot to love.

Armageddon (1998)

Though Armageddon is not very realistic and is a bit over the top, it’s one of those movies that makes you feel proud to be American. Yeah, it’s silly and has more inaccuracies than just about any other space movie ever made, but who saves the day in the end?

Argo (2012)

Ben Affleck’s Argo takes a great number of liberties with the source material and history of the Iran Hostage Crisis, but this Best Picture winner is a blast to watch. American ingenuity and Hollywood magic work hand-in-hand in this saga about the CIA saving a group of American hostages when no one else could get the job down. 

Flags Of Our Fathers (2006)

One of two World War II movies directed by Clint Eastwood in the mid-2000s, Flags of Our Fathers recounts the events that led to one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century: the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. Though a box office dud, this is one of the most powerful, impactful, and patriotic movies to hit the big screen in the past 20 years.

The Longest Day (1962)

One of the most epic war movies ever produced, The Longest Day (directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and Bernhard Wicki) takes an in-depth look at practically every aspect of the D-Day landings in Normandy, including the planning and aftermath. With a massive cast that includes the likes of John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, and Sean Connery, this is a military drama you don’t want to miss.

Glory (1989)

Edward Zwick’s Academy Award-winning military drama, Glory, tells the story of the first all-African American regiment to fight in the American Civil War. Emotional as it is epic, this transfixing, inspiring, and patriotic war film checks all the boxes and will leave you feeling moved, no matter what. Plus, the cast, which includes the likes of Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, and Cary Elwes, is top-notch through and through.

The Right Stuff (1983)

A 1980s box office bomb that is actually great, The Right Stuff tells the story of the first 15 years of America’s space program. Following the lives of NASA astronauts John Glenn (Ed Harris), Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), and Al Shepard (Scott Glenn), among others, Philip Kaufman’s epic biopic shows what can be achieved when a nation brings together its brightest minds and bravest pilots.

Thirteen Days (2000)

Released on Christmas Day 2000, Roger Donaldson’s Thirteen Days recounts the events of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, an event that nearly saw the Cold War between America and the Soviet Union get hot and bring an end to the world. Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, and Steven Culp are all brilliant in their respective roles.

Pearl Harbor (2001)

Pearl Harbor is far from being one of Michael Bay’s best movies, but it’s probably the director’s most patriotic. Yeah, it’s long, has too many subplots, and the romance distracts from the story, but there’s no denying how great the actual Pearl Harbor sequence looks all these years later.

Whenever you need a patriotic movie, you can certainly turn to this list for inspiration!

Everyone knows Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, right? They're the famous actor and director who've contributed seminal work throughout the history of cinema. Despite that, maybe not everyone has always been aware of the pair. Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp, who plays the haunted Will Byers, recently admitted that he had no idea who the iconic Oscar winners were when he worked with them on the set of a movie in 2015 and received a special shoutout.

Noah Schnapp will turn 20 this October but, recently, he's been thinking about a different birthday from almost 10 years ago. At the time, he was filming his first movie, Bridge of Spies, just before he started on Stranger Things. After wrapping a scene, Schnapp walked out of the house the cast and crew were filming inside and over to the famed Jaws director, who gave him props on the scene they had just completed. The Toy Story actor then stepped aside to reveal a lit birthday cake, and the entire cast and crew started singing. Schnapp posted the throwback video on his Instagram with this caption:

There's so much to unpack here. First of all, can you imagine Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg singing you happy birthday?! The director of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Close Encounters of the Third Kind himself. And, that being said, imagine at 10 years old not knowing who they were -- on the set of their movie! It’s honestly baffling, and I don’t know if I have more respect for Noah Schnapp for admitting that or if I’m a little embarrassed for him. (Maybe a bit of both.) Had he never seen any of Hanks' best movies or any of Spielberg's greatest flicks? Well, I suppose in fairness, he was only a child at the time and may have been too young for Jurassic Park or Cast Away.

Anyways, the video is really sweet, and the young Abe actor can be seen smiling ear to ear. You can watch the entire heartwarming clip below:

The star is no stranger to sharing things online. (Sorry, I couldn't resist that pun.) He’s shared throwbacks for his birthday in the past, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Schnapp also came out in a TikTok video sometime after it was confirmed that his ST character was gay. Thankfully, fans were really supportive, flooding his comments with kind words.

Of course, these days, Noah Schnapp has gained a significant amount of notoriety in his own right, thanks to his role on one of the best Netflix shows. As of this writing, he has 31.1 million followers on TikTok and 22.6 million on Instagram. He is constantly sharing his life on social media, including the moment when he was accepted to UPenn. Lucky for us fans, his social media account has more recently been flooded with behind-the-scenes tidbits from Stranger Things 5, as Schnapp prepares to wrap the final season alongside his co-stars.

That aside, I wonder if we will get a throwback birthday post from the Stranger Things set from Noah Schnapp in another 10 years. Only time will tell but, right now, I'm just glad that he's familiar with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. In the meantime, know that you can look forward to the final season of the aforementioned show dropping in 2025. Until then, you can rewatch the first four seasons to your heart’s content with a Netflix subscription.

If you grew up anytime from the 1950s to the 1980s, The Cold War was omnipresent. Bomb drills, proxy wars, and fear of a nuclear apocalypse were on everyone's minds, pretty much all the time. It was a scary time, to be sure, but it also produced some great movies. This is a list of all those great movies that couldn't have happened without The Cold War and the fear of the Soviets. 

The Hunt For Red October

Nothing sums up the Cold War quite like a good Tom Clancy story, and The Hunt For Red October is one of the author's best, and Sean Connery's performance as a Soviet submarine captain equals it. It was also the first book to get turned into a film, though it was ironically released in 1990, just months after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

Oppenheimer

While 2023's Oppenheimer is partly about the development of the bomb during World War II, before the Cold War, the portrayal of the Red Scare and J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) having his security clearance taken away for being a suspected communist fits firmly in the Cold War era. 

The Spy Who Loved Me

In a way, almost every James Bond movie from Dr. No to A View To A Kill is Cold War adjacent, at least. In The Spy Who Loved Me, however, Bond (Roger Moore) is pursued by Soviet agents in the beginning, and then teams up with a KGB agent, Major Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) to thwart the evil Stromberg's plans for world domination over both countries. 

Bridge Of Spies

There is no more true example of a Cold War movie on this list than Bridge Of Spies. For starters, it's based on a true story about a prisoner exchange between the US and the USSR, including one very famous U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell). The movie takes place during one of the "hottest" moments of the Cold War, when tensions were almost boiling over. 

WarGames

By the 1980s, the Cold War was so ubiquitous in American life that even teen romance movies took place with the backdrop of potential nuclear war. WarGames, with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, is the best example of this, as Brodderick's character unwittingly almost starts World War III. 

Dr. Strangelove

Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb depicts the epitome of Cold War nuclear missile madness. The obscurity of it all is presented in such a perfect way, that if this had been the only Cold War movie, it would tell the whole story. 

The Right Stuff

There may not be any nukes in The Right Stuff, but it has to be on any list of Cold War movies. The space race was a major component of the competition between the USA and the USSR. the specter of the Soviets looms over everything in the movie, and the true story it is based on. 

Charlie Wilson's War

One of the biggest aspects of the Cold War was the proxy wars that the two superpowers fought and supported. The Soviets provided weapons and support for the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War and the US supported the Afghan Mujahidin after the USSR invaded Afghanistan. Charlie Wilson's War shows the CIA's support and how Congress funded the US's allies in the war. 

Stripes

Cold War movies aren't all serious, though. Stripes has one of the best lines in the history of war movies, when Winger (Bill Murray) explains that invading Czechoslovakia is like invading Wisconsin. It's not Moscow! 

Red Dawn

Director John Milius' Cold War fever dream, Red Dawn, depicts an actual hot war between East and West, with nothing but a group of high schoolers fighting off the Russians and Cubans. It's a ridiculous movie, but it's still a classic for anyone who grew up in the 1980s. It's also remembered for being the first movie ever rated PG-13. 

By Dawn's Early Light

HBO's By Dawn's Early Light brings to bear all of our worst fears of a Soviet first strike in a nuclear attack and the holocaust that could happen after such an event. With an all-star cast that includes James Earl Jones, Martin Landau, Powers Boothe, Rebecca De Mornay, Darren McGavin, and Rip Torn, it's a much better movie than it's remembered for being. 

Gotcha!

1985 Gotcha! is a really fun movie about a college student (Anthony Edwards) who unwittingly finds himself in the middle of a Cold War dispute when he falls in love with who he thinks is a Czechoslovakian woman (Linda Fiorentino), but finds out later something very different. It also features a great scene at the infamous Checkpoint Charlie in a divided Berlin. 

Spies Like Us

Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd star as bumbling would-be spies in Spies Like Us who find themselves in the middle of the Cold War when the CIA sends them out as patsies, but they end up the heroes anyway. 

Thirteen Days

It's been said that the closest the USSR and the USA came to actually fighting a real war was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was a terrifying moment that was really well chronicled in Thirteen Days with Bruce Greenwood playing President Kennedy and Kevin Costner as one of his closest advisors. 

Good Night, And Good Luck

One of the more fascinating aspects of the Cold War didn't really involve the Russians directly. McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the 1950s show just how scared some American politicians were of the influence of communism around the world and at home. Good Night, And Good Luck brings the Red Scare to life on the big screen, explaining it to a younger generation that didn't remember it directly. 

Miracle

The geopolitics of the Cold War were so pervasive that they even reached sporting events, like the 1980 Winter Olympics. Miracle tells the true story of the underdog 1980 US Olympic hockey team who beat the mighty Soviets in Lake Placid, eventually winning the Gold Medal. It was much more than just a hockey game. 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Although most of the movies on this list involve the United States, in a very real way, Europe was the front line in the Cold War. The dividing line between East and West ran right down the middle of the continent and the Brits were very much involved in fighting the espionage battle, as depicted (fictionally) in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

The Shape Of Water

Guillermo del Toro's The Shape Of Water adds a love story and some science fiction to the commentary on the Cold War.  Sally Hawkins plays a cleaning lady who discovers that her facility is conducting experiments on a humanoid amphibian to get a leg up on the Soviets in the '60s. It's a weird movie, and one you wouldn't expect to incorporate the Cold War, but that's what makes the subject so fascinating. 

The Good Shepherd

Director Robert De Niro's spy movie The Good Shepherd, starring Matt Damon tells the largely fictionalize-but-based-on-a-true-story tale of Edward Wilson (Damon) and the creation of the art and science of counterintelligence at the CIA, which before the events in the movie, did not really exist. 

Crimson Tide

The Cold War reached right down to the men and women on the front of the conflict, especially those on a nuclear submarine like the one Gene Hackman's character captains in Crimson Tide. While the movie is fictional, it's not hard to believe something like it, a conflict between two officers (Hackman and Denzel Washington) over the launching nukes, could have happened in real life. 

Rocky IV

Rocky IV is pure, unadulterated pro-America jingoism, but that doesn't mean it's a bad movie. It's over-the-top and ridiculous, sure, but it actually does capture how many Americans felt in Reagan's America, that we had the Soviets on the ropes and we were one knockout punch away from winning. It turns out, that wasn't far off in 1985 when the movie came out. 

K-19: The Widowmaker

Harrison Ford plays a Soviet submarine captain in K-19: The Widowmaker and if you think that sounds ridiculous, you're only partly correct. The title, and a brief description, make the movie sound insane, and it is, but it's also kind of great. Ford pulls off the role and director Kathryn Bigelow someone makes the crazy premise work. It's the sort-of-true story of the captain of the first Soviet nuclear sub and it's fun, if far from perfect.  

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind is a bonkers movie, supposedly based on the bonkers life story of Chuck Barris, the original host of The Gong Show and, at least according to him in his autobiography, a spy against the Soviets during the Cold War. Whether or not you believe Barris (most don't), the movie is a really fun watch. 

Spy Game

You can't go wrong with a team of Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, and director Tony Scott and while Spy Game isn't the best movie for any of them, it's still a wonderful movie. Though it's set a couple years after the Cold War ended, much of the movie happens in a flashback to 1970s East Berlin, setting it firmly in the heart of the quiet conflict. 

No Way Out

No Way Out is pure 1980s Cold War. Kevin Costner plays a Navy officer who gets involved with another officer's girlfriend, played by Gene Hackman and Sean Young, respectively. Costner's character is also working for the CIA, looking for a mole, who is suspected to be Hackman's character. There is a murder, and everyone is trying to pin it on everyone else, so the movie is kind of all over the place, but it's still a classic. 

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

Author John le Carre wrote some of the best Cold War spy fiction of his day and the movie The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is based on one his best books. The great Richard Burton stars as a British spy who is sent to East Germany as a double agent, to help spread misinformation through the Warsaw Pact countries. Released in 1965 when tensions were high, it's a spy movie classic. 

Firefox

To be fair, Firefox, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood is really a heist movie disguised as a Cold War movie. Eastwood's character, whose mother is Russian, is charged with infiltrating the Soviet Union and stealing a cutting edge jet fighter plane. It's everything you would expect from a military movie made in the 1980s. 

Top Gun

In Top Gun Maverick and the boys might not have been fighting the Russians, but make no mistake, the movie was, in a real way, fighting the Russians by getting America fired up about its own military. The movie, made with the help of the Defense Department, is awesome, to be sure, but it's also a piece of serious Cold War propaganda. 

X-Men: First Class

The X-Men, both in the comics and in their on-screen story, began in the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, so it makes sense that both sides would be interested in recruiting the mutants for their powers. This is central to the origin story film X-Men: First Class. Professor X and Magneto both go to work for the CIA in the movie, infiltrating the Soviet Union to rescue other mutants. 

Atomic Blonde

released in 2017, but set just before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Atomic Blonde tells the story of an MI6 agent, played by Charlize Theron, sent to recover a stolen file containing "The List" of the names of all the spies in Berlin. Lorraine (Theron) is one of the best agents MI6 has... or is she?

Little Nikita

Decades before The Americans came Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix in Little Nikita, about a teenager (Phoenix) who is told he isn't who he thinks he is, and that his parents, unbeknownst to him, are Soviet spies raising him as an American. If you were a kid in the '80s, this was something you actually worried about. For real. 

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. from the early '60s was an early attempt by television to bring Cold War espionage into the homes of Americans. The 2015 movie, set in the early '60s, doesn't set the Soviets as the bad guys, instead, East and West team up to take out their old foes, Nazis. 

Salt

Angelina Jolie stars in Salt as a suspected Russian sleeper agent, after she grew up in the USSR, but works now for the CIA. While it's not set during the Cold War, it has heavy Cold War overtones. It might as well be the US versus USSR, rather than the US vs. Russia as it's presented. 

It's safe to say that these won't be the final say on the Cold War on film. With so many stories to tell over the decades-long standoff, filmmakers will certainly continue to mine it for great ideas and exciting stories. 

If there ever was a Mount Rushmore of actors that are loved by the entire world, one of the first names to be submitted for approval would have to be Tom Hanks. Starting out as a star of TV, through roles in shows like Happy Days, Family Ties, and most notably, Bosom Buddies, Hanks eventually became an actor that would take the world of movies by storm. Launching the greatest charm offensive known to humanity, this legendary performer would traverse the spectrum of human behavior, with the ability to draw a crowd no matter where he landed.

In that career are hallmark roles that everyone knows and loves, but on top of those fan favorites are some roles that should be talked about with the same reverent tones that are used for all the popular picks. Which is why today, we’re going run down not only the best and most popular Tom Hanks movies that everyone can name by heart, but also talk about those films that need a friend. And buddy, these films have a friend in us.

Let's kick things off by delving into the 'popular' portion of his filmography.

15. Splash

His first big Hollywood credit, Splash not only was a gamble at the newly born Touchstone Pictures label, it was also Tom Hanks’ first shot as a romantic comedy lead. While he would cash in on more bawdy and outrageous films for a little while longer, this story about a man who falls in love with a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah, already laid down the foundation that would carry his career into a new phase in the next decade. Even in this early film, the chemistry between the leads only showed that Hanks and Hannah had the chops to play heart and humor, and it showed that director Ron Howard was a talent to keep watching out for as well. And to think, Tom Hanks originally auditioned for the supporting role that John Candy would eventually play.

14. A League Of Their Own

Tom Hanks has been known as a man that straddles the lines of comedy and drama with great style, and a knowledge of knowing when to play which side of the coin. A League of Their Own is the first calling card that Hanks picked up in that respect, as the role of crass alcoholic Jimmy Dugan gave him the chance to play both an arrogant baseball coach and a supportive teammate to the women he’s coaching. Mixing it up with Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna, Tom Hanks keeps up with everyone he’s playing to in each scene, and he taught us the greatest lesson of all: there’s no crying in baseball.

13. Big

It’s not easy to play a kid on screen, whether you’re a child performer or an adult that has to pretend that they’re of that same mindset. Big was the moment that Tom Hanks learned that lesson, and it was the first great success that really showed how strong his acting game was. His first collaboration with director Penny Marshall, before their famous re-teaming on A League of Their Own, Hanks’ role of Josh Baskin was mostly a vehicle for the laughs involved with a kid physically growing up overnight. Though it’s not the total package, as Josh’s story also delves into the pressures of adult life and the yearning to go back to the simplicity of childhood. You’ll laugh, cry and smile when Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia play piano at F.A.O. Schwartz.

12. Sleepless In Seattle

There are great shifts in Tom Hanks’ career that allowed him to play various roles, and Sleepless In Seattle is definitely one of them. Portraying a widower whose son casts a wide net to find him a new love, Hanks is teamed for the first time with Meg Ryan, who plays a reporter that’s interested in meeting his lonely character, all in the name of love. Wry wit sets the scene and heartfelt emotion takes the cake, as everything from riffing on romantic movies to a fateful meeting at the Empire State Building, find a way into everyone’s hearts. Naturally, with Tom Hanks as a leading man, it’s not that hard of a job, but it sure doesn’t downplay the results. Even if the man himself admits that during production, he might have been a bit cranky.

11. Saving Private Ryan

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is a combination that has gone down in history as one of those peanut butter/chocolate mashups that usually brings something beautiful to the table. Their first teaming was in the 1998 World War II epic, Saving Private Ryan, and thinking back to how that film played out, one could see why they decided to stay together. Seeing Hanks’ Captain John Miller lead a platoon of men into occupied Germany, with the task of saving the last remaining survivor of a family of brothers fighting the war, invokes shades of the classic wartime epics that came before it. Of course, differentiating this film from its inspirations is the fact that Tom Hanks and his co-stars get to show the brutalities of war, in addition to its camaraderie. One of his most heartbreaking performances, and undoubtedly one of Spielberg’s greatest films, Hanks gave his director a lead to remember, and it helped keep them working together for some time into the future.

10. Toy Story

In the modern era of animation, taking a voice-over role in an animated film feels like a logical step, as well as a big cash-in. But back in the days of Pixar’s Toy Story, that practice was still getting its legs underneath it, even in the camp of Disney’s dream factory. In fact, it’s probably because of Tom Hanks’ iconic role as Sheriff Woody that the phenomenon of big stars in animated films kicked into overdrive by the late ‘90s. Co-starring Tim Allen and a cast of notables, Toy Story broke all sorts of ground for a genre that was merely seen as kids’ entertainment, and a lot of that effort came from the heart that Hanks and his co-stars put into the toy box. And from the looks of what’s been going on with Toy Story 4, it’s something that none of them have ever forgotten.

9. Apollo 13

In his earlier career, Tom Hanks thrived on roles that showed him as a person who would antagonize and even shirk off the yolk of authority. But eventually, this era of his career ended, and in its place was an air of authority that is undoubtedly present in most of his performances. And Apollo 13 is one of the films you should thank for it, as previous collaborator Ron Howard directed Hanks in this film about an infamous disaster during the American space race, and the efforts of all involved to save those caught in the aftermath. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon are the astronauts at the heart of the story, all sharing the burden of portraying real life figures, while keeping in mind that they’re more humans than gods. The results are unforgettable, and to this day, Apollo 13 is still one of the best movies about early space flight.

8. Forrest Gump

You knew this was coming. You cannot have a list of Tom Hanks’ most popular roles without mentioning his Academy Award winning role in director Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump. Whether you love the film, or absolutely hate its guts, there’s no denying that without Hanks in the center of that story’s universe, it all falls apart. Playing a man of less than average intelligence, Hanks doesn’t play the desperate cards that some might resort to for sympathy. Rather, he roots his decisions for the character in a humanity that links the entire world together. It’s because of this that anyone can identify with Forrest Gump, and in turn, anyone can laugh, cry or stare at the world as it’s shown through his particular viewpoint. Life may be like a box of chocolates, but Tom Hanks’ performance is that one piece you always run to in that box when you need an extra pick-me-up.

Now that we've covered Tom Hanks' popular movies, let's look at the underrated ones, i.e. the movies that don't get as much love as they should.

7. Dragnet

Right out of the gates holding back the underrated portion of this rundown is Dragnet, a movie that, by conventional wisdom and its place in time, should not have worked. It was a movie adaptation of a show that the '80s nostalgia machine was ready to play ball with, and you can see it in Dan Aykroyd’s Sgt. Joe Friday. That character is an almost note-for-note adaptation of the original TV character of the same name, and if the film had stuck solely on that track, it might have had problems. But adding in a younger comic relief character in Tom Hanks’ rookie Pep Strebeck not only gave Aykroyd’s schtick something to bounce off of, it allowed Dragnet to mash up its past history with a more modern beat. The result is something that’s so wonderfully right, it’s a shame it never spawned at least one sequel.

6. Road To Perdition

Sam Mendes had a blank creative check to do anything as a follow up to American Beauty, and it didn’t take long for the director to cash it. Paid out to the order of the comic adaptation Road To Perdition, Tom Hanks plays way against type as Michael Sullivan, a hitman working for the Chicago mob who has to run for his life. Protecting his son, who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, Hanks’ character gets to show a lethal edge that the actor didn’t get to show off too often before that point, and sadly hasn’t had too much of a chance to do again. The film, much like its lead performance, is a balance of emotional truth and raw survival in a world of organized crime.

5. The Terminal

We previously discussed the beautiful pairing that is Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, as the two collaborators have made legendary hits like Saving Private Ryan. But sitting in the darker corners of their collective canon is The Terminal, a Frank Capra-esque tale of Viktor Navorski, a man literally without a country. As a victim of a horribly timed coup in his home nation, Hanks’ Navorski plays through a fictionalized version of a similar event that happened in real life. Dealing with both threatening bureaucracy, as well as his own awkwardly funny lessons in acting more like an American, he melts into the central role in a tale of heartbreak and hilarity.

4. The 'Burbs

How the hell does a film between Gremlins’ Joe Dante and Tom Hanks fall into obscurity? It’s a question that comes out of thinking back on The ‘Burbs, a movie that took full advantage of the actor’s zany comic energy while it was still his stock in trade. Hanks’ protagonist, Ray Peterson, starts to believe that his neighbors are murderers, and the entire film is a sliding descent into madness that takes Ray and his friends by storm, as they become increasingly desperate to prove to the neighborhood that they aren’t crazy. Playing like a cross between Rear Window and The Little Rascals, this dark comedy only rises in value as it teams Tom Hanks with co-stars Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, and Corey Feldman to revel in the madness.

3. Charlie Wilson’s War

History isn’t always a stuffy, simple affair that gets told time and time again. Sometimes, like in director Mike Nichols’ Charlie Wilson’s War, it’s about colorful characters who take matters into their own hands. Senator Charlie Wilson was definitely one of those figures, and the film recounting his efforts has Tom Hanks starring as the drug-using, womanizing senator who, despite his wild reputation, tried to do some good in the war between Afghanistan and Russia. Writer Aaron Sorkin gives Hanks the sharp dialogue he thrives on, while Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman further fuel his performance as the titular senator, which makes for something both informative and incredibly hysterical.

2. Cloud Atlas

If you’re an actor at the top of your craft, you probably have a list of directors and creative talent that you’re dying to work with. That feels like the reasoning behind directors The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer teaming up with an all-star cast that includes Tom Hanks in the severely underrated mind-bender Cloud Atlas. Playing everything from a villainous doctor to a morally conflicted survivor of a future apocalypse, Hanks is given a laundry list of challenges and tropes to work into this collection of six narratives that run together with one common thread. Whether he be menacing, charming or anywhere in between, this is a film that gave one of American’s most treasured actors one hell of a performance exercise, and it deserves to be talked about so much more than it already is.

1. Bridge Of Spies

Honestly, at this point, history and Tom Hanks are inseparable, as it’s more likely that he’ll play every historical figure of note before his career is over. And yet, Bridge of Spies manages to take this, and the fact that it’s another Spielberg/Hanks collaboration, and use both aspects to their full effect. The film tells the real life story of lawyer James B. Donovan, who was drafted by the United States government to not only defend an outed Russian spy at trial, but also to exchange him for a U.S. hostage captured by the Russian government, and it does so in an interesting manner. Intrigue is mixed with sharp witted repartee in Donavan’s quest to make the best deal possible, and putting dialogue co-written by the Coen Brothers should be all you need to convince you to watch Bridge of Spies.

Whether the performance is popular or underrated, Tom Hanks always shows up to play like a champion. The man is a hard worker, and he’s also one of last remaining nice guys in a world that feels colder and more bitter than ever. But, of course, everyone has their favorite Hanks roles, and we may not have covered some of your A-List picks. So tell us in the comments below which popular or underrated roles of the man’s career you favor! There’s no wrong answers, as the answer always ties back to Tom Hanks.

One of Hollywood's favorite types of movies are those that are "based on a true story." But just how true is that story? It varies in most cases, but it turns out that one movie, in particular, was significantly less true than others. One website has taken on the task of reviewing the authenticity of those "true story" movies scene by scene and The Imitation Game is actually more fiction than fact.

If you need a new way to waste time online during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, you could do a lot worse than Information Is Beautiful. The site has put together a great page that looks at several different movies that were purportedly true, and they have studied all the available data to see how much of the film is actually true. The most surprising thing may be how many of the film's reviewed are mostly accurate, however, that just makes The Imitation Game stand out, as only 41.4% of the movie is claimed to be true. It's the only movie being looked at that falls below the 50% mark, making it look like it isn't really based on a true story at all.

Most of the outright false material comes from a couple places. A significant part of The Imitation Game is dedicated to an Inspector named Nock who investigates Alan Turing and thinks the man might have been a spy. In doing so, Nock eventually discovers that Turing is gay. In actuality, the character of Nock is entirely fictional, and nobody ever believed Alan Turing was a spy. The investigation into him was specifically in regards to indecency law violations because Turing was gay. In addition, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the role of Turning as a shy and standoffish man. From all accounts, while he could be harsh to people he viewed as less intelligent than himself, he was a quite sociable person.

The site looks at every scene in several movies and rates it. True, if the scene pretty much happened as shown, true-ish, for scenes that may not be exactly right, but contain a spirit of truth with some evidence, false-ish, mostly untrue, but with reasonable dramatic license, or false, for those moments that are just entirely fictional.

In case you're interested, if you want to see a movie that was really based on a true story, check out Selma. While there are a few segments listed as unknown, because they were unable to uncover evidence to prove some scenes true or false, everything that could be confirmed turns out to be true, or true-ish. It's the only movie with a perfect score. Other films that turn out to be significantly true include The Big Short, Spotlight, and 12 Years a Slave. American Sniper and Dallas Buyers Club don't fair nearly as well, but they look like documentaries compared to The Imitation Game.

How did your favorite true story fair? Let us know in the comments.

Tom Hanks is just a phenomenal actor. This much is pretty much undisputed by anybody who's paying attention. Part of the reason that he is so great is that he has an uncanny ability to simply inhabit any role he takes on. This means he 's able to not only play real people but some of the most diverse people who have ever lived.

Tom Hanks' newest film has him once again playing a real person. Maybe it's the fact that there's a living template to show Hanks what he needs to do, but everytime he portrays somebody who actually lived, we have a tendency to forget who he really is.

Apollo 13

Who He Played: Jim Lovell, the commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission to the moon.

Why He Crushed It: There are fewer real life events more truly terrifying than the concept of being completely on your own in the vacuum of space. However, Jim Lovell was one of the most experienced men in the US space program at the time. He never loses hope or focus. He assumes there's a solution that he simply needs to find. Hanks often plays characters who are in over their head. Jim Lovell was never that way.

Sully

Who He Played: Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot responsible for the "Miracle on the Hudson" when he landed a plane on the surface of the Hudson River, saving everybody on board.

Why He Crushed It: Sully was portrayed as a hero in the media and while he certainly was one, he was also a man. While Sully, is not without its issues, Hanks performance is not one of them. He combines the confidence of Jim Lovell with the apprehension of a man who is utterly uncomfortable being placed in the role of hero.

Bridge of Spies

Who He Played: James B. Donovan, a lawyer who is given the job of defending a spy for the Soviet Union inside the United States.

Why He Crushed It: Often, in these "one man vs. the system" stories you end up with a hero character who believes in law and justice to a fault. Hanks doesn't quite play that character here. It's that nuance that makes it work. Donovan certainly believes in the value of law and the U.S. Constitution, but he also knows the realities of the world. He's not a perfect man, just a man, doing his job to the best of his ability because it's his job.

Saving Mr. Banks

Who He Played: Walt Disney the man behind Mickey Mouse and Disneyland, who tries to convince P.L. Travers to let him adapt Mary Poppins for the big screen

Why He Crushed It: Of all the characters Tom Hanks has played, Walk Disney is the one most well known on a global scale. He's also the character that people think they understand the most. What we actually see is the duality of the character. The version of Walt Disney we see here shows us how the man became a legend, but also how the man ran a business. He's not pure and perfect. The duality of the character is on full display.

Captain Phillips

Who He Played: The captain of oil tanker which was captured by Somali pirates. He had to keep himself and his crew alive while hoping for help

Why He Crushed It: Some of the best stories are those where ordinary people are put into extraordinary situations. That is Captain Phillips in a nutshell. We've seen Hanks play confident people, and we've seen him play terrified people. Captain Phillips is able to be both at once. He rises to the occasion because he has no choice, not because he has any great skill or ability to deal with pirates.

Charlie Wilson's War

Who He Played: Charlie Wilson was an American Congressman who works to support the mujahadeen, the militia fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Why He Crushed It: It's easy for an actor to knock one out of the park when they have Mike Nichols directing them and Aaron Sorkin writing the words. As a fairly slimy politician, Tom Hanks is playing as much against type as he ever has. Yet he still makes the role work. We forgot everything about every "nice guy" role Hanks had ever played while watching him figure out how to start a proxy war in the middle east.

Catch Me if You Can

Who He Played:Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent chasing professional con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. The character was actually based on an agent named Joseph Shea.

Why He Crushed It: While Catch Me If You Can is based on a true story, its method of storytelling is a bit more fantastical. The grounding factor is Tom Hanks straight-laced, by the book FBI agent. He's so out of his element that this film feels the least like it is a true story, and yet, with a few liberties here and there, it actually did happen.

As people who write about movies for a living, we understand taking them very seriously. We have our opinions about which films and performances are the best, just like everybody else. However, some people take their passion for movies to a whole other level. Actor Michael Rapaport is apparently one of these people. He feels very strongly that the wrong person won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Very. Strongly.

The actor posted the short clip to his Twitter page following the announcement of Mark Rylance’s win for the Oscar. The man is so upset that he falls out his chair while swearing. Eventually it becomes clear who he thought should have won the award when he breaks into a spontaneous "Rocky" chant. While one might believe this video was (gasp) staged for comedic effect, you somehow get the feeling that the emotion is completely genuine. He was totally in Rocky Balboa’s corner and was expecting victory.

To be sure, the announcement of Mark Rylance’s name was a little bit surprising. Ever since Sylvester Stallone took the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor, he became the clear front runner for the Academy Award. Even though we thought a Mark Rylance upset was a distinct possibility, the whole idea of an upset is that it’s unexpected. For those whose investment in a particular actor or role is more emotional than logical, it can be a shock to the system when they don’t win. Michael Rapaport just couldn’t let the moment go. He posted multiple tweets in response to the loss as the night wore on.

While Bridge of Spies had received multiple nominations this year, the Best Supporting Actor award was the film’s only win. By comparison, Sylvester Stallone’s nomination was the only one that Creed received at all. Part of the reason that many expected Stallone to take the award was because of the long career that the actor has had, and the gap between nominations. He was nominated for the same role for the original Rocky back in 1976 and, while the film was named Best Picture, Sylvester Stallone was not named Best Actor.

Was Sylvester Stallone robbed, or was Mark Rylance truly the better performance this year? Let us know what you think.

Best Supporting Actor at this year's Oscars was a field that was extremely hard to choose from. Chock full of performances from Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hardy, Christian Bale, and Sylvester Stallone; all on deck were worthy of the golden glory this evening. Yet among all of those front-runners and big tickets was a gentle giant, and his name is Mark Rylance – your winner for 2016's Best Supporting Actor.

Nominated for his performance in the also nominated for Best Picture Bridge Of Spies, Mark Rylance played the role of the Russian spy, Rudolf Able. The man who would be tried and convicted in America, only to be exchanged back to Russia in James B. Donovan's noble power play, Able is a sympathetic figure with a wry sense of humor, even in the face of personal danger. Going up against an acting heavyweight like Tom Hanks certainly is no small feat, yet Hanks' Donovan is on equal footing with Rylance's Able, as both men share a rapport that is unlikely for a client and their counsel. Yet every inch of Hanks' performance is matched by Mark Rylance's skills from stage and screen.

Part of the reason that Mark Rylance is the one, true Best Supporting Actor out of the pack for this year is simply because as far as Best Supporting performances go, his was the epitome of what a supporting actor truly is. Bridge Of Spies is a film that, through some dark magic, rides on the fence between a comedic farce, a heartbreaking political tale, and a slice of good old fashioned patriotism. None of those facets gets too much time paid to them, so as to take away from their importance to the film's story, and Rylance's performance doesn't threaten to eclipse Tom Hanks' role in any way. Instead, it helps support the work that Hanks put into the film, while at the same time being memorable in its own right.

The best indication of this is Rylance's equally balanced performance. You can best see this in the clip below, which also showcases the both comedic and dramatic catchphrase given to Rudolf Able: "Would it help?"

Now this isn't to say that any of the performances in the rest of the pack did not deserve to win the top honors. Everyone nominated filled their roles with the nuance that was expected out of an Oscar nominated performance, yet out of all of those nominated, Mark Rylance made the ultimate impression with such a minimal role in Bridge Of Spies. The buzz came early, and it came strong, with Rylance now taking home the ultimate victory for a job well done. So with that, we would like to congratulate Mark Rylance on his Best Supporting Actor win, and to ask you all to stay tuned to Cinema Blend for up to the minute updates on tonight's winners!

The Oscars are that special time of year when Hollywood is honored by itself, and mocked just as openly. So what better way to lampoon the 88th Annual Academy Awards than a nice, heaping bowl of Honest Trailers! Open the envelope, and watch the 5 minute slam fest for yourself below:

Apparently the folks at Screen Junkies were so inundated with requests for Honest Trailers to the individual nominees for this year's Best Picture honors that they decided to hammer them all in one, compact video. The best thing that can be said about this format change is that the rapid fire element does keep things interesting. However, the only real set back with this change is that the usually targeted humor of the Honest Trailers team is spread a little too thin throughout the short video. That, and if you're curious as to how they would have handled the heartbreaking romance of Brooklyn, you'll be walking away empty handed.

Nevertheless, the Honest Trailer to The Oscars is still a pretty skewering look into the 7 films that the team already did see. Everything is taken to task, from the older skewing Bridge Of Spies being popular with audiences and voters in the more aged bracket, to Room being so beautiful yet depressing that talking about the story really doesn't yield too many laughs. The video pulls a little something special out of each film, though they do go easy on The Revenant. The big reason behind that is because they've decided to give it a full blast of justice in a separate, future video. You're safe for now, Leo; but don't get too comfy.

What wasn't safe, despite the severely small amount of time the subject was given, was the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, which amounted to two zingers at the very end of the video. Still, the suggestion that Straight Outta Compton should have been nominated over The Big Short is an interesting enough ending that audiences will be talking about this possible switch up until this Sunday's ceremony. Speaking of which, if you need a quick laugh at the tail end of Oscar night, hit mute when they announce the films nominated for Best Picture and list off the following substitute titles suggested by Screen Junkies in their place:

No Money, Mo Problems

Furiosa Road, Feat. Mad Max

Frozen

Newsies Might Want To Avoid These Houses

Not Nearly Enough Spies

Survivor: Mars

You Can Only See So Many Movies

Fucked Up Boyhood

The 88th Annual Academy Awards will air on Sunday night on ABC at 8 PM EST.

Usually February isn't a great time for new DVD and Blu-ray releases, but this year the major studios seem to have gone all out. There are some splashy awards contenders heading to Blu-ray and DVD this month, but also some fun releases,including a new edition of Snow White and even Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Series. You can check out all of the big releases that will be available, below.

And if you are looking for what came out in January, you can check out our full list, here.

February 2

Our Brand Is Crisis Blu-ray

Outwardly, Our Brand Is Crisis has a lot going for it, including a snappy title, a compelling cast list and an interesting directorial choice in Eastbound & Downs’s David Gordon Green. While Our Brand Is Crisis does have some hilarious moments coupled with some intriguing political moves, the Sandra Bullock-starrer doesn’t make for the awards hopeful the early previews made us optimistic for. Still, some great verbal sparring between Bullock’s Jane and Billy Bob Thornton’s Pat is worth watching and as Jane attempts to nab a win for her political candidate Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida), her team (Scoot McNairy, Zoe Kazan, Ann Dowd and Anthony Mackie) and the shenanigans they get up to are worth a watch. Just don’t go into this one expecting something special. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s set is devoid of bells and whistles, but there is one bonus feature with Sandra Bullock that is available if you want to hear all about actors talking about their roles. You can order Our Brand is Crisis here.

Suffragette Blu-ray

Suffragette is about a lot of things: marriage trouble, workforce issues, equal rights for women, poverty, abuse. The film stars Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts, a laundress who has worked since her prepubescent years, but has been unhappy with her situation, thanks to living in poverty and being abused by her boss. When the suffragette movement goes into full swing in her neighborhood, she inadvertently gets involved, but begins to like what she sees from her suffragette comrades, Emily (Natalie Press), Edith (Helena Bonham Carter) and Violet (Anne-Marie Duff). Sarah Gavron’s movie isn’t exactly a fun film, in fact it’s mostly a worst-case scenario about what a woman’s lack of freedom could look like. Still, it’s a compelling reminder that society has come a long way, and still have a long way to go. A remarkable number of extras are actually available with Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s set, including the now-basic audio commentary and a featurette and a VFX featurette, the latter of which I wouldn’t have presumed was a huge deal for this sort of movie. Order your own copy here.

Other February 2 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Bridge of Spies

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Blu-ray

Truth

Our Brand Is Crisis

Show Me A Hero

Suffragette

Falling Skies: The Complete Fifth Season

The Last Witch Hunter

Rock the Casbah

Meadowland DVD

Big Stone Gap

Mercy Street

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Complete Second Season

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet

The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave DVD Walmart

The Beauty Inside

For Better Or For Worse Hallmark DVD

My Boyfriends’ Dogs Hallmark DVD

Extraordinary Tales

The Keeping Room

Man Up

Week of February 2 Digital Releases

Spotlight

The 33

Zombie Fight Club

Steve Jobs

February 9

Crimson Peak Blu-ray

Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak follows more squarely under gothic romance than it does horror film. The setting is as spooky as you would expect from a Del Toro film, and there are ghosts and monsters—of a sort—involved, but Crimson Peak is mostly about deep emotions and how those emotions can sometimes be as frightening as they are compelling. It starts with a girl, Edith (Mia Wasikowska), the wealthy daughter of a businessman who is eager to fall in love. She believes she has found it in Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), who lives with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain), in a big, drafty and tattered estate built on red clay. But not everything is as it seems in the big, old house, and soon Edith’s very life is at stake. The rest unfolds in moments of suspense and gore, in a twisted and emotive narrative that plays out slowly, but ends on a satisfying note.

The extras within Crimson Peak’s Blu-ray set totally run the gamut from deleted scenes to information about gothic romances and costume design. The latter segment "Hand Tailored Gothic," is a little weird to navigate to, but otherwise I have no complaints about Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s set. Crimson Peak won’t be a movie for everyone, but if you do like it, you can order it over at Amazon.

Spectre Blu-ray

Spectre in the 24th installment in the James Bond franchise and quite possibly the last to feature Daniel Craig. It’s a pretty fun movie with a spectacular opening sequence that makes great use of the new M (Ralph Fiennes) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), but makes less great use of its villain, Ernst Stavro Blomfeld (Christoph Waltz), whose name is the least cartoon-ey thing about him. Still, despite the fact that Spectre impresses a little less than its predecessor, Skyfall, Sam Mendes' still mostly works, employing plenty of the gadgets we’ve come to love from the Bond films, not to mention the one-liners. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment knows where the money is at with Sony’s latest Bond film. One of the bonus features focuses on the opening sequence in the film, which places James Bond in Mexico City just in time for the Day of the Dead. "Bonds Biggest Opening Sequence" is the best extra on the disc and worth a watch. Catch the movie on Blu-ray, here.

Grandma Blu-ray

Lily Tomlin makes nearly everything better, which is why she is absolutely crushing it on Netflix's Grace & Frankie and in Grandma despite being in her seventies (a time when many other actresses and actors are already out of the game). In Paul Weitz's Grandma, the subject matter will be tough for some. A burdened 18-year-old named Sage (Julia Garner) enlists the help of her freewheeling grandmother Elle (Tomlin) in order to try and raise money for an abortion so she can continue her life plan. The subject matter is handled deftly and with emotion, and side performances from Elle’s former lovers (Sam Elliott and Judy Greer) as well as her daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) help to keep the story grounded and engaging. The Sony Picture Home Entertainment isn’t a loud movie or a big budget one and the Blu-ray set as such isn’t particularly highfalutin; still there are more extras than you would guess for a low budget flick on this disc, including a shorter Q&A and longer audio commentary from the cast and director. Order your own copy here.

Other February 9 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Love the Coopers

MI-5

Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection

The Leftovers: The Complete Second Season

99 Homes

Week of February 9 Early Digital Releases

Legend

The Night Before

The Peanuts Movie (February 12) Glassland (February 12) Sandcastles (February 15)

February 16

Steve Jobs Blu-ray

Steve Jobs is about a personality more than it is about a person. It’s not particularly interested in where the Apple co-founder was born or where he ended up. Instead, it’s interested in the aggressive, straight-ahead, relentless personality of a man that both fascinated and infuriated those around him. Told through the lens of several high profile speeches the visionary gave, Steve Jobs lets viewers know the subject in a way a simple list of facts never would have. That’s the key here. Liberties are taken. Details are changed, but director Danny Boyle and the magnificent cast that includes Michael Fassbender are able to get the spirit right. Fans looking to get further inside the head of the pioneer will especially enjoy Universal's Blu-ray set, which includes multiple feature commentaries that talk about Jobs, as well as a wonderful featurette about the larger making of the movie. You can buy it at Amazon, here.

Trumbo Blu-ray

Jay Roach's Trumbo isn’t a movie about standing up for what you believe in. It’s a movie about the degrees to which people stand up for what they believe in. It’s about what people are willing to sacrifice and what they will never gamble, even with good odds. During the height of the red scare, Dalton Trumbo was one of the most famous screenwriters in the world. He was blacklisted and sent to jail for being a Communist, along with several others. Some of them fought harder, faster and more aggressively. Trumbo fought to manipulate his way back into the very system that pushed him away. It’s an inspiring story of compromise, and it’s no surprise Jay Roach’s film was nominated for some Academy Awards. Fans of history will definitely enjoy the flick, and hopefully they’ll enjoy Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray set, although extras are light on the disc. A few featurettes are included, which include a look back at the historical Dalton Trumbo and a look at how Bryan Cranston transformed himself into the screenwriter. You can buy it at Amazon here.

The 33 Blu-ray

Heartwarming stories aren’t typically the big releases out this time of year, as it’s a lot of awards hopefuls and artsy films that are vying for people’s attentions. However, if you’re looking for a story with a happy-ish ending, The 33 is it. If you’ve paid attention to the news over the past several years, you are probably already familiar with the Chilean Mining Disaster that made daily headlines around the world in 2010. We already know the ending to the actual incident, so we already know the ending to The 33. But a strong cast (including Antonio Banderas, James Brolin, Juliette Binoche and Rodrigo Santoro) keeps the momentum up in the movie's less riveting moments, when all of the claustrophobia from the mining incident has set in and the men can only wait. And wait. And wait. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s set doesn’t delve much into the history behind The 33, but fans who do want to purchase the film will also get an Ultraviolet copy. Order it here.

Black Mass Blu-ray

Johnny Depp has a penchant for playing interesting and intricate characters, and it’s hard to get more interesting than gangster Whitey Bulger. The 2015 biopic is directed Scot Cooper and tells the story of Whitey Bulger’s gang who is living and working in South Boston in the 1970s. Flashbacks and flash forwards are implemented, giving the movie an intriguing pace and feel, which is at some moments slow and others violent. If you are interested in the Winter Hill Gang, you’ll doubtless find a lot to like here, but as far as American Gangster films go, this isn’t the most compelling gang-related big screen endeavor we’ve seen in recent years. Luckily, it does have a stacked cast, including Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Fargo’s Jesse Plemons and Kevin Bacon, and is worth at least one watch. If you do go a step further and purchase Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s big Blu-ray set, you’ll get a DVD and Ultraviolet copy of the flick, as well as a few bonus features that look at the history of the film and how Johnny Depp approached the role. Order it here.

Togetherness: The Complete First Season Blu-ray

While HBO is known for several long-running dramas and comedy, in the past year, the subscription cable network has actually ramped up its programming quite a bit. One of the network’s newbie comedies is Togetherness, the offbeat comedy starring Mark Duplass, Amanda Peet, Melanie Lynskey and Steve Zissis. Brett and Michelle Pierson (Duplass and Lynskey) are married but having problems when they let their friends Tina and Alex (Peet and Zissis) stay in their home while they work out the shit in their respective lives. This leads to some fun days, some drama, and a cliffhanger ending in the final episode that makes us very happy that HBO has renewed the series for a second season. Togetherness is clearly not the flashiest of HBO’s shows, and as such, HBO Home Entertainment’s bonus set is not too flashy, either. There are deleted scenes on the disc that help to flesh out moments between the characters more and interviews with Amanda Peet (who is married to Game of Thrones showrunner David Benioff). Lots to love here if you want to revisit the show again, but this is not a must-purchase if you have access to HBO Now or Go. Order the Blu-ray here.

February 16 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Estranged (February 12) Trumbo

Girls: The Complete Fourth Season

Criminal Activities

Peaky Blinders: Series Two

Labyrinth of Lies

Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Series DVD

Week of February 16 Early Digital Releases

Room

The Affair

Creed

The Danish Girl

February 23

Fargo: Year 2 Blu-ray

Fargo’s first season was tightly scripted and highly entertaining, but with a change of setting and a jump back in time, Fargo: Year Two is given free rein to tell a wild and compelling story. The Sioux Falls Massacre is mentioned a few times by Keith Carradine’s Lou Solverson. In Year Two, we head back to 1979, where a much younger Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) is just returning from Vietnam to do more local, but no less bloody work as a policeman. A murder mystery leads him to cross paths with a slew of interesting individuals, including Peggy and Ed Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons), the Gerhardt crime family, lead by Floyd (Jean Smart), and more. Also, Season 1’s Martin Freeman is back as the narrator, which is pretty swell. If you haven’t seen it, yet, I won’t spoil the more fanciful, absurd parts of Season 2, but I will say, all 10 episodes of the Noah Hawley-led program are a doozy and the split screen camera work and beautifully shot landscapes look really great on Blu-ray.

There’s a cute little sticker on the front of the packaging that promises "fascinating" cast and creator interviews. They’re not (although they are extensive, with one specific interview feature running at 45 minutes). But that’s okay, because there are a lot of other fun extras with the set--like the one about crime in the Midwest--spread across the three Blu-ray discs. You can order Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s set over at Amazon.

Spotlight Blu-ray

Spotlight is a careful, well-organized movie that doesn’t care about being showy. It eschews big emotional moments for slow, methodical story development, which makes a lot of sense. The case against the Catholic Church wasn’t built in a day. It was built by the members of the Spotlight team in steady stream, though long nights and dogged determination. Spotlight honors that workload, and it does so in a way that lets viewers really understand how hard it is to break a story. It never contrives or manipulates either. It just uses great performances by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and a whole lot more to let viewers connect. The strategy works too. Director Tom McCarthy’s end result is very compelling and very emotional, without every feeling cheap or undeserved. Not surprisingly, many of Spotlight’s features focus on journalism. They’re extremely compelling, and given how much the film will affirm viewers’ faiths in journalism, one would imagine Universal's featurettes, including "The State Of Journalism," will be consumed a lot more than most Blu-ray extras. You can pick up the disc over at Amazon here.

February 23 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

The Good Dinosaur

Secret In Their Eyes

Spotlight

Fargo: Year 2

Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song

Extraction

I Smile Back

Diablo

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar

Week of February 23 Early Digital Releases

Brooklyn

In the Heart of the Sea

Victor Frankenstein

Yosemite

My All American

Day Out of Days

Quick, name your favorite Steven Spielberg movie. You likely said Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark or Jurassic Park. Some might even have said E.T. If you are a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, however, your answer probably involved one of Spielberg’s classic dissections of American or global history, for whenever the director aims his camera at the past, the Academy tends to sit up straight and listen. They did it again this year with Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, an admirable account of a Cold War negotiation. But do they love it enough to reward it with Best Picture?

Bridge of Spies has most of the ingredients you would put in an “imaginary” Oscar contender. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks, the movie is set during the heated moments of the Cold War, when an American attorney (Hanks) agrees to travel behind enemy lines to Berlin so he can negotiate the release of a captured U.S. pilot (Austin Stowell), all while defending the judicial rights to a suspected – and detained – Russian spy (Mary Rylance), who our own government wants to prosecute without the benefit of a fair trial.  

By Spielberg’s standards, Bridge of Spies is commendable but hardly exceptional. The film enjoys a 91% Fresh grade on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 81% grade on the far more discerning MetaCritic. The Academy, however, fell for Bridge of Spies hook, line and sinker… as they tend to do whenever Spielberg retells history. Earlier this year, the film was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (for Rylance). And when you trace a line through Spielberg’s interactions with the Academy, you understand why this happened – and why it could result in a Bridge of Spies win on February 28.

In recent years, all of Steven Spielberg’s Oscar nominations occurred when he has dabbled in the past. Lincoln earned him a Picture and Director nomination, as did Munich in 2005. War Horse isn’t centered on an actual historic event, but it’s a period piece, which the Academy has shown they prefer from the bearded genius. Naturally, Spielberg’s three Oscar wins are attributed to Saving Private Ryan (Director) and Schindler’s List (Picture and Director). His box-office busting blockbusters? They tend to get overlooked come Oscar time.

Simply put, when Steven Spielberg directs noble historical dramas, the Academy responds.

Does that mean it will happen again this year, leading Bridge of Spies to the podium on Oscar night? It’s unlikely, but still possible, if only because this year’s Best Picture race has failed to produce a clear-cut frontrunner. Spotlight, The Revenant and The Big Short have acquired some important pre-Oscar hardware to bolster their Best Picture odds. But the Academy membership prides itself on standing apart from the various guilds that pave the way to Oscar night, so Spielberg’s movie remains in play.

It remains in play for so many reasons, as well. As mentioned, it’s a Spielberg historical drama, with the esteemed Tom Hanks in the lead. It’s also working off of an Oscar-nominated screenplay co-credited to industry darlings Joel and Ethan Coen. Bridge of Spies is a quiet financial hit, earning $164 million globally against its reported $40 million budget. When Spielberg works in the past, he’s efficient and dependable, and the Academy tends to gobble it up. Bridge of Spies answer critics who claim the industry doesn't make movies the way they used to. Jimmy Stewart or Gregory Peck would have carried the role in a similar fashion ot Hanks, and the deliberate pacing of the drama mirrors melodramas of the late 1940s and '50s. I can see what older Academy members would connect to when they watched Bridge, either in a theater, or on a Screener DVD. 

Now, it’s worth noting that while Steven Spielberg’s historical dramas collect nominations, the nomination alone often ends up being the prize. Lincoln lost out in 2013 to Ben Affleck’s Argo, and War Horse was trumped by The Artist (another slice of the past that tickled the Academy’s fancy). Bridge of Spies isn’t necessarily being discussed in that small group of Bets Picture frontrunners, the way that Oscar pundits are mentioning Spotlight or The Revenant. But history has taught us that when it comes to Oscar and Spielberg, stories set in the past have a very bright future.     

The nominees for the 88th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning in Los Angeles, setting the stage for the next few weeks of Oscar campaigning. The Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, February 28, in a star-studded event hosted this year by comedian Chris Rock.

Let’s get right to the nominees, starting with the eight films picked for Best Picture this year.

Best Picture

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Best Director

Adam McKay, The Big Short

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Alejandro G. Inarritu, The Revenant

Lenny Abrahamson, Room

Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, Carol

Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa

Boy and the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Room

Best Original Screenplay

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

Best Cinematography

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Sicario

Best Costume Design

Carol

Cinderella

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Best Documentary Feature

Amy

Cartel Land

The Look of Silence

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

Best Documentary Short Subject

Body Team 12

Chau, Beyond the Lines

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Last Day of Freedom

Best Foreign Language Film

Embrace Of The Serpent

Mustang

Son of Saul

Theeb

A War

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

Mad Max: Fury Road

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

The Revenant

Best Original Song

"Earned It," Fifty Shades of Grey

"Manta Ray," Racing Extinction

"Simple Song No. 3," Youth

"'Til It Happens to You," The Haunting Ground

"Writings on the Wall," Spectre

Best Original Score

Bridge of Spies

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Animated Short Film

Bear Story

Prologue

Sanjay's Super Team

We Can't Live Without Cosmos

World of Tomorrow

Best Live Action Short Film

Ave Maria

Day One

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)

Shok

Stutterer

Best Sound Editing

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Sound Editing

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Sound Mixing

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Production Design

Bridge of Spies

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

After weeks of campaigning, months of tracking, and a full year of Oscar-worthy films being screened, it’s finally time to put up or shut up. The Academy is about to unveil its full slate of nominations for the 88th Academy Awards, which will be handed out during a ceremony on Sunday, February 28. The nominees will be revealed on Thursday morning. But why wait? Let’s guess them right now.

This is a lot harder than you would imagine. This year, above several others, the field seems significantly spread out, with numerous films enjoying waves of passion but no film rising up to claim the coveted mantle of "Frontrunner." If the Golden Globes are an indicator, Alejandro G. Inarritu’s The Revenant has a real shot at several Oscar nominations. However, the guilds and critics groups leading up to the Oscars sprinkled attention on everything from Carol and Mad Max: Fury Road to Spotlight and The Big Short. Where will the Academy land? Here are my bold predictions for the top six categories. I expect to be wrong. Where do we agree? Where do we disagree? Let me know in the comments section below.

Best Picture

Things get tricky right off the bat. The Academy changed its rules a few years back, allowing as few as five films to be nominated for the Bets Picture category, and as many as 10. Because this is a year where so many films have strong support, I’m going to go out on a limb and choose 10 Best Picture nominees, hoping that all of these outstanding movies are able to call themselves Oscar nominees as early as Thursday morning:

Best Director

In this category, 10 potential Best Picture films have to be reduced to only five Best Director slots. The Directors Guild nominations, released on Tuesday, are usually a good indicator of what will happen at the Oscars in this category. However, the one change I have from the DGA to the Academy is that I believe the Oscar voters will find room for Steven Spielberg, who they tend to adore, or Todd Haynes, who masterfully recreated 1950s New York with Carol:

Best Actor

It’s Leo’s year, right? That’s the narrative. It was aided by the Golden Globes, and it will be cemented by the Academy, who will nominate Leonarod DiCaprio for his role in The Revenant. But can anyone beat Leo in this category? Here are the four actors who I think will give it a shot:

Best Actress

Last year, we had a ridiculously stacked category of Best Actor candidates. This year, the ladies knocked numerous roles out of the park, making for a Bets Actress race that’s harder than normal to predict. Here are the five women who I think have solidified their positions as the 2016 Oscar nominees:

Best Supporting Actor

If it were up to me, I’d fill all five of these Best Supporting Actor slots with the male members of the cast of Spotlight. If you read the site, you know how much I adore that film, and I think everyone in the ensemble is Oscar-worthy. That being said, these five men likely will hear their names when these nominations are revealed. (Now watch, all the Big Short guys will get in):

Best Supporting Actress

This may go down as the Year of Alicia Vikander. It’s very possible that she picks up her second Oscar nomination of the day in this category. One nominee I thought was a lock (Rachel McAdams) doesn’t feel like a lock this week. And finally, I found some room for Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, which might not have the best day on Thursday. We shall see:

Awards season is in full swing. The Golden Globes will be held in Hollywood on Sunday evening. The Critics Choice Awards are scheduled to honor the best and brightest in film and television on January 17. And the Academy will announce its nominations to the world on Thursday, January 14. We’re in the thick of things. Across the pond, the BAFTAs revealed its top picks for the best on film, and much like what’s happening over here, their nominations spread across a diverse field to include a number of wide-reaching titles.  

The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Carol, The Revenant and Spotlight will compete for the title of Best Film at the BAFTAs this year, according to a release on the group’s official site. That’s a different category than Outstanding British Film, in which the nominees are 45 Years, the documentary Amy, the immigrant song Brooklyn, The Danish Girl, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina and The Lobster.

Overall, Carol and Bridge of Spies received the most nominations, while Alicia Vikander made waves by picking up BAFTA nominations for Best Actress and Bets Supporting Actress. The full film nominations are below. The BAFTA awards ceremony will take place on February 14.

BEST FILM

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

The Revenant

Carol

Spotlight

BEST ACTRESS

Brie Larson - Room

Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn

Cate Blanchett - Carol 

Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl

Maggie Smith - Lady in the Van

BEST ACTOR

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant 

Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl

Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs

Matt Damon - The Martian 

Bryan Cranston - Trumbo

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs

Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina

Rooney Mara - Carol

Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight

Julie Walters - Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Benicio Del Toro - Sicario

Christian Bale - The Big Short

Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation

Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight

Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

45 Years

Brooklyn

The Danish Girl

Ex Machina

The Lobster

DOCUMENTARY

Amy

Cartel Land

He Named Me Malala

Listen to Me Marlon

Sherpa

ANIMATED FILM

Inside Out

Minions

Shaun the Sheep Movie

DIRECTOR

The Big Short, Adam McKay

Bridge of Spies, Steven Spielberg

Carol, Todd Haynes

The Martian, Ridley Scott

The Revenant, Alejandro G. Inarritu

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bridge of Spies, Janusz Kaminski

Carol, Ed Lachman

Mad Max: Fury Road, John Seale

The Revenant, Emmanuel Lubezki

Sicario, Roger Deakins

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Bridge of Spies, Matthew Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Ex Machina, Alex Garland

The Hateful Eight, Quentin Tarantino

Inside Out, Josh Cooley, Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve

Spotlight, Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short, Adam McKay, Charles Randolph

Brooklyn, Nick Hornby

Carol, Phyllis Nagy

Room, Emma Donoghue

Steve Jobs, Aaron Sorkin

EDITING

The Big Short, Hank Corwin

Bridge of Spies, Michael Kahn

Mad Max: Fury Road, Margaret Sixel

The Martian, Pietro Scalia

The Revenant, Stephen Mirrione

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Bridge of Spies, Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo

Carol, Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler

Mad Max: Fury Road, Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

The Martian, Arthur Max, Celia Bobak

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rick Carter, Darren Gilford, Lee Sandales

COSTUME DESIGN 

Brooklyn, Odile Dicks-Mireaux

Carol, Sandy Powell

Cinderella, Sandy Powell

The Danish Girl, Paco Delgado

Mad Max: Fury Road, Jenny Beavan

MAKE UP & HAIR

Brooklyn, Morna Ferguson, Lorraine Glynn

Carol, Jerry DeCarlo, Patricia Regan

The Danish Girl, Jan Sewell

Mad Max: Fury Road, Lesley Vanderwalt, Damian Martin

The Revenant, Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Robert Pandini

SOUND

Bridge of Spies, Drew Kunin, Richard Hymns, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom

Mad Max: Fury Road, Scott Hecker, Chris Jenkins, Mark Mangini, Ben Osmo, Gregg Rudloff, David White

The Martian, Paul Massey, Mac Ruth, Oliver Tarney, Mark Taylor

The Revenant, Lon Bender, Chris Duesterdiek, Martin Hernandez, Frank A. Montaño, Jon Taylor, Randy Thom

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Matthew Wood, Stuart Wilson

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

Ant-Man, Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, Alex Wuttke

Ex Machina, Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst

Mad Max: Fury Road, Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Tom Wood, Andy Williams

The Martian, Chris Lawrence, Tim Ledbury, Richard Stammers, Steven Warner

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan

Oscar Season is in full swing, and this year looks like a mixed bag as far as nominations go. With so many vastly different films getting Oscar buzz, it’s really a crapshoot to guess which films will be nabbing nominations, as well as the coveted golden statues. 

One method for predicting which films will actually nab Academy Award nominations is by looking to the Producers Guild Award noms. First established in 1990 by the Producers Guild of America, these nominations and awards have been very telling regarding the climate of the film world, and which way the Academy will likely be going. The 2016 PGA nominations have just been announced and the movie nominees are: 

The Darryl F Zanuck Award For Outstanding Producer Of Theatrical Motion Pictures

The Big Short

Produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner

Bridge Of Spies

Produced by Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, Kristie Macosko Krieger

Brooklyn

Produced by Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey

Ex Machina

This film is in the process of being vetted for producer eligibility

Mad Max: Fury Road

Produced by Doug Mitchell & George Miller

The Martian

Produced by Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Mark Huffam

The Revenant

Produced by Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

Sicario

Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Edward L. McDonnell, Molly Smith

Spotlight

Produced by Michael Sugar & Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagon Faust

Straight Outta Compton

Produced by Ice Cube & Matt Alvarez, F. Gary Gray, Dr. Dre, Scott Bernstein

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

Anomalisa

Produced by Rosa Tran, Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman

The Good Dinosaur

Produced by Denise Ream

Inside Out

Produced by Jonas Rivera

Minions

Produced by Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

The Peanuts Movie

Produced by Craig Schulz, Michael J. Travers

Now that November has rolled into December, and the threat of a new year lingers on the horizon, it’s time for critics, Guilds, and boards to band together and figure out what exactly were the best films of 2015. Even though December is just a few hours old, The National Board Of Review hasn’t missed a beat in honouring the finest cinematic achievements of the past 12 months. And, for a change, they’ve actually named, arguably, the best film of year as the best film of the year.

That’s because Mad Max: Fury Road was named as The National Board Of Review’s best film of 2015 on Tuesday, via The Hollywood Reporter. While picking out and highlighting the rousing cinematic achievement that is Mad Max: Fury Road as the cream of the crop, the NBR also decided to round off the top 10 in no particular order. Want to see what they called the best movies of the year? Of course you do.

There is one outstanding omission from this list that NBR wasn’t able to consider, and that is Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though they reportedly saw everything else in contention. However, it’s safe to say that those involved in the latest instalment to the sci-fi franchise won’t be losing any sleep over their decision not to screen the blockbuster for critics. Instead, they’re only allowing them to see it just a couple of days before its wide December 18 release date.

Looking at the list, there’s an argument to be made that while both Creed and Straight Outta Compton are entertaining and generally impressive films their inclusions on this list is a little surprising. Especially since the likes of Joy, Carol, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, and Brooklyn were overlooked. But, in all honesty, it’s good to see more ethnically diverse films included in such honors, especially since the Academy inexplicably, and regularly, still fails to recognise their talents.

You won’t find many people arguing about the fact that Mad Max: Fury Road came out on top though. Sure, personally, I can’t look beyond Inside Out as the best film of the year, and, on repeated viewings, I’ve found that Mad Max: Fury Road’s ferocity and relentlessness is actually a detriment. But its overwhelming artistry and its stunning execution of its vast array of actions scenes means that it has pumped new blood into the genre. So much so that I won’t argue its status too loudly.

You can expect to see Mad Max: Fury Road topping plenty more Best Of lists before the end of December. Which will, in turn, hopefully convince Warner Bros. to finance its much touted sequel.

It’s time to start trimming the fat. More Oscar contenders are starting to screen for analysts and audience members, meaning the annual awards race is shifting into focus. There’s still plenty of time to debate the merits of the major players, but more and more minor players are falling by the wayside. The bloodletting is about to begin.

With this reshuffling comes a drastic rearrangement near the top of each chart. Certain movies have cemented their status as contenders, though "frontrunner" is a dangerous term (as Steve Jobs proved that claiming it can lead to a backfire). There are still a number of strong movies that need to screen between now and the end of the year. Something like The Revenant or The Hateful Eight could drop and completely change the landscape of the Oscar discussion. But fall film festival favorites like Room, Brooklyn and Spotlight continue to earn prestige points while working the circuit, while The Martian continues to be a force at the box office.

With that in mind, here’s where I think the Oscar contenders sit on November 11:

For a while, I thought this was Danny Boyle’s category to lose. At the very least, I thought he had the nomination locked up. He still should get in to the race, and he remains in the discussion, but the way that Steve Jobs has underperformed at the box office has to give everyone pause.

Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

More people need to see Carol. It’s supposedly fantastic, with Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett owning the drama. But right now, a limited number of awards pundits have been allowed to see the film (outside of its festival screenings), which has allowed Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan to gain valuable momentum in the interim for Room and Brooklyn, respectively.

More audience members will start to see Spotlight in the coming weeks, as Tom McCarthy’s gripping and airtight journalism drama opens in an increased number of theaters. Hopefully, from there, you all can help me figure out which of the male performers gives the better performance. I was blown away by the quiet fortitude Liev Schreiber brings to his role as the Boston Globe’s new publisher. But he’s equaled by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery… really, everyone is awesome. So, who makes the cut? We’ll see, in the next few weeks.

Alicia Vikander long has been the frontrunner in this category, not just for her soul-baring work in The Danish Girl (which should earn her an Oscar win, not just a nomination), but in recognition of the exquisite year she had as a performer. I also finally caught Youth last week, though, and I understand why many believe Jane Fonda’s scant bit of screentime will earn her a nod. It’s a showy, vitriolic turn that drips with the resentment of an older actress – and a Hollywodo legend – leveling bitter (but accurate) criticisms at her industry. Biting the hand that has fed her for years? What better way to get Oscar’s attention? I bet it works in her favor come nomination morning.

Nothing. The answer to the headline, if we are being blunt, is that Sunday night’s Hollywood Film Awards – which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel – can’t really tell us anything about the Oscar race (and I’ll explain why in a second). But some who are building a campaign during these early stages can create a silver lining from this unusual awards show, and I’ll try and fill in why that’s the case.  

The Hollywood Film Awards bill themselves as "The Official Launch of the Awards Season," and that’s sort of accurate. Several films, and their respective talents, that will find themselves in contention for an Oscar attended Sunday’s awards show (which wasn’t telecast, even though the ceremony aired on CBS the previous year). It’s a good opportunity to practice an acceptance speech, and it gives an awards hopeful a little bit of momentum that can be built on, with the right PR campaign.

But the Hollywood Film Awards have often been the butt of harsh jokes and stinging criticism, as the selection process behind the handing out of the annual awards remains a mystery to those outside of the Advisory Team that pre-selects the winners. And the HFAs don’t shy away from the controversy, this year – as they have in years past – choosing to honor films and performances that no one else has seen. Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, for example, took home the Hollywood Ensemble Award. Does that mean the movie is finished? Is it actually awards worthy? Same goes for Will Smith taking home the Hollywood Actor Award for Concussion. Did Sony show the finished movie to the Advisory Team? Does this "victory" mean that Smith’s a legit contender in the Best Actor race… or did he agree to attend the ceremony, thereby locking up his Hollywood Film Awards win?

History suggests it’s the latter. Even Tarantino had to crack a joke at his own expense when he accepted the Hollywood Screenplay Award for Django Unchained in 2012, even though the movie wasn’t finished. He said from the stage:

That’s right. Because in Hollywood, every award win – even the dubious ones – buys you a little bit of power. With that in mind, here’s where I think the Oscar contenders sit on November 2:

Not much changed here. Steve Jobs still struggled at the box office, but no new films made up any ground. AFI Film Fest, which launches on Nov. 5, will bring clarity for movies like The Big Short and By The Sea. Until then…

Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

There have been a few interesting developments in the Best Actress race, which we’ll continue to track. Cate Blanchett may end up competing against herself (we call that "Pulling a Soderbergh") if her performances in Carol and Truth continue to get recognition. And buzz has reached a deafening level for Brie Larson in Room, allowing me to move her into the Frontrunner category. (We gave the movie a perfect 5-star grade.) As for the rest of the category? Take a look.

More audience members will start to see Spotlight in the coming weeks, as Tom McCarthy’s gripping and airtight journalism drama opens in an increased number of theaters. Hopefully, from there, you all can help me figure out which of the male performers gives the better performance. I was blown away by the quiet fortitude Liev Schreiber brings to his role as the Boston Globe’s new publisher. But he’s equaled by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery… really, everyone is awesome. So, who makes the cut? We’ll see, in the next few weeks.

Alicia Vikander long has been the frontrunner in this category, not just for her soul-baring work in The Danish Girl (which should earn her an Oscar win, not just a nomination), but in recognition of the exquisite year she had as a performer. I also finally caught Youth last week, though, and I understand why many believe Jane Fonda’s scant bit of screentime will earn her a nod. It’s a showy, vitriolic turn that drips with the resentment of an older actress – and a Hollywodo legend – leveling bitter (but accurate) criticisms at her industry. Biting the hand that has fed her for years? What better way to get Oscar’s attention? I bet it works in her favor come nomination morning.  

Movies are made to be seen. That much is obvious. Sometimes, though, directors and actors have to wait an excruciatingly long time to show their movie to a willing audience – when can be incredibly painful when you know the movie you are sitting on is great.

John Crowley’s immigrant song, Brooklyn, played to raves at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Fox Searchlight bought the beautiful love story for $9 million, and started prepping it for a prestigious Awards run. Then? Nothing. Radio silence. So when I sat down with Brooklyn star Saoirse Ronan ahead of the film’s screening at the Savannah Film Festival, I asked her how hard it is to sit on a movie when a festival audience has let you know that it’s good. She told me:

My hunch is that Ronan will continue to talk about Brooklyn for the foreseeable future. Crowley has crafted a tender, bittersweet but universal story of change and adaptation, of living and loving. And Saoirse Ronan leads a heartwarming cast in a film that I think will touch a number of older Academy members, enough to help the movie contend in the major categories.

Here’s where I think the Oscar contenders sit on October 26:

While I still believe in the Steve Jobs Oscar train – which will pick up and carry everyone from Michael Fassbender to director Danny Boyle – the meager box office results on the film’s "wide" weekend give me slight pause. Universal says it isn’t pushing any sort of panic button, and that Jobs is the type of movie that is built for the long haul – not the smash-and-grab of an opening-weekend headline. I agree… and yet, still. Pause. But Boyle’s on this chart, and I’m not moving him any time soon.

Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

There have been a few interesting developments in the Best Actress race, which we’ll continue to track. Cate Blanchett may end up competing against herself (we call that "Pulling a Soderbergh") if her performances in Carol and Truth continue to get recognition. And buzz has reached a deafening level for Brie Larson in Room, allowing me to move her into the Frontrunner category. (We gave the movie a perfect 5-star grade.) As for the rest of the category? Take a look.

More audience members will start to see Spotlight in the coming weeks, as Tom McCarthy’s gripping and airtight journalism drama opens in an increased number of theaters. Hopefully, from there, you all can help me figure out which of the male performers gives the better performance. I was blown away by the quiet fortitude Liev Schreiber brings to his role as the Boston Globe’s new publisher. But he’s equaled by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery… really, everyone is awesome. So, who makes the cut? We’ll see, in the next few weeks.

Right now, this is the only category with an actual lock for a nomination. Once Alicia Vikander announced she’d run in Supporting, the category became hers for her stirring turn as a supportive (but confused) wife in Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl. But who will compete against her? The field is snapping into place, and here are my best guesses.

After two weekends at number one The Martian dropped low enough to let some of the usual October doldrum entries have a shot at number one. One of the 20th century's most popular children's book series got an adaptation and took the opportunity.

If you were in middle school or junior high in the 1990s you were probably part of the group of young readers that made R. L. Stine a household name. His book series, at its peak, sold more than 4 million copies each month. This weekend, an adaptation of Goosebumps starring Jack Black banked $23 million scare up the number one spot at the box office.

The Martian added $21 million to its now $143 million domestic total, dropping to second place and handily topping Steven Spielberg's latest drama Bridge of Spies. Despite having major names attached (directed by Spielberg, written by the Coen brothers, starring Tom Hanks), it settled for a quiet $15 million debut. Putting that against its $40 million budget, the movie is going to have to draw heavily on international sales to get out of the red.

Guillermo del Toro's latest offering Crimson Peak took a hard hit, landing a fourth place opening with just $12 million. That's his lowest wide opening release since Mimic in 1997, but better than his last fantasy horror flick Pan's Labyrinth. That film was a foreign language entry that didn't see the inside of more than 1,200 screens during its release in North America but still managed $37 million over the course of its run. Del Toro has a strong international following and the movie has $13 million in foreign sales to date, but it still has some ground to cover to catch up to its reported $55 million production budget.

Pan took a hard but not unexpected hit dropping more than 60% and slipping to sixth place. To date it has only earned $25 million domestically and another $25 million internationally, against a hefty $150 million budget, locking in its spot as one of the years biggest busts. Feel-good sports flick Woodlawn opened in the number nine spot with $4 million.

For the full weekend top ten, check out the chart below:

Goosebumps *

$23,500,000Total: $23,500,000LW: N

THTRS: 3,501

The Martian

$21,500,000Total: $143,795,658LW: 1

THTRS: 3,701

Bridge of Spies *

$15,380,000Total: $15,380,000LW: N

THTRS: 2,811

Crimson Peak *

$12,850,000Total: $12,850,000LW: N

THTRS: 2,984

Hotel Transylvania 2

$12,250,000Total: $136,409,388LW: 2

THTRS: 3,533

Pan

$5,860,000Total: $25,738,183LW: 3

THTRS: 3,515

The Intern

$5,405,000Total: $58,730,982LW: 4

THTRS: 2,707

Sicario

$4,500,000Total: $34,662,613LW: 5

THTRS: 2,130

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

$2,750,000Total: $75,411,970LW: 6

THTRS: 1,967

When American spy Francis Gary Powers was captured and imprisoned in Russia back during the Cold War, the United States sprang into action to try and find a way to get him home – but the seized CIA agent didn’t actually know that. Stuck in a Russian prison and regularly interrogated, he had no contact with the outside world, and therefore had no idea what steps – if any - were being taken to have him released. This was an element that actor Austin Stowell took very seriously when portraying Powers in the Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, and actually went as far as to ignore most parts of the film’s script in order to try and achieve a more authentic performance.

I had the great chance to sit down one-on-one with Stowell yesterday in Los Angeles, and it was during our conversation that I asked him about his personal approach towards reading the Bridge of Spies screenplay (written by the Coen brothers and Matt Charman). The film very much plays up the distance between Powers’ story and the efforts being made to free him (led by Tom Hanks’ character, James Donovan), and as a result I was curious how much attention Stowell paid towards the scenes in which he wasn’t featured. It turns out that he really made efforts to avoid them, explaining,

It’s an understandable and logical approach for the actor, and it also resulted in an interesting side effect. Because Stowell didn’t pay much attention to the parts of the script that center on James Donovan and his diplomatic struggles, he had a unique perspective when it came to actually getting to watch the finished film on the big screen. Discussing the experience of his first chance to see Bridge of Spies, Stowell said,

On some level, you actually have to give Austin Stowell a lot of credit for his ability to resist temptation. As a film fan, he surely must have had a hard time abstaining from reading both the newest Steven Spielberg project and the latest script from Joel and Ethan Coen. But it surely only made his performance that much better.

Bridge of Spies will be in theaters on October 16th.

For as successful a filmmaker as Steven Spielberg has become over decades of work, even his magic touch sometimes misfires. Despite the positive reviews that Bridge Of Spies has been accruing lately, it looks like the film is destined to sit in the dustier part of the Spielberg canon. If this comes to pass, fans of the film can at least take comfort that it’s in some pretty good company in that respect. Here now are the 5 Steven Spielberg movies that deserve more credit than they’ve been given.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

So Jurassic Park is a firing-on-all-cylinders thrill ride that pretty much continued Steven Spielberg’s reputation as a blockbuster filmmaker. There is no way that The Lost World: Jurassic Park could have ever topped that original film, and it never tries to in any way. Instead, Spielberg takes what could have been a studio mandated sequel and turns it into a safari picture for 75% of the time, with an homage to Godzilla movies in the other 25%. If you can look at it from that sort of perspective, instead of trying to compare it to its older, more successful sibling, you‘ll find that it’s a thrilling ride of a film. Besides, it’s not Jurassic Park III, so that should count for something.

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

For years, Stanley Kubrick bugged the hell out of Steven Spielberg to make A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, as he believed that Spielberg’s sensibilities would suit the story better than his. When we finally got to see the film’s vision realized in 2001, a lot of people outright rejected it - in particular because of its controversial "Spielbergian" ending structure. What rarely gains praise though is the mixture of Spielberg’s fairy tale notions with Kubrickian dystopia, as well as the performances from Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law as the main pair of robots journeying for a sense of meaning. Like it or not, Kubrick was right to pass this film onto Spielberg, and it shows in every frame – especially the final one.

The Terminal

Outright comedy is something that Steven Spielberg rarely ever dabbles in. Perhaps the crash and burn that was the release of 1941 scared him off from ever going into a total comedy ever again, but at least he still has a humoristic side that comes out to play. Films like Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal have shown this over time. While the former film seems to have defined the Spielbergian wheelhouse of the last decade or so, the latter is a pretty daring feat for the legendary film director to tackle. Not only is the film in the extremely limited setting of JFK International Airport, but it asks us to buy all American good guy Tom Hanks as a refugee from a European country that temporarily doesn’t exist. Hanks, naturally, sticks the landing; and with a stellar supporting cast flanking his centerpiece of a performance, The Terminal is a feel good gem that should not be forgotten any time soon.

Munich

Munich was Steven Spielberg’s answer to the geopolitical debate of just how far is too far when fighting a war against an enemy in non-traditional combat. While he’s shown that he’s more than comfortable making traditional war films, Spielberg went against the grain with the dirty, personal approach that Munich takes to the official response of Israel against those that executed the massacre at the Munich Olympics in 1972. While it’s far from the neat and tidy films that the filmmaker is normally associated with, Munich is an intriguing personal tale of a team on a mission, only for the mission to cause the team to question what that mission really means to them.

The Adventures Of Tintin

Forget Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, THIS should be counted as the fourth Indiana Jones film – despite not containing Dr. Jones himself. The Adventures Of Tintin has all of the hallmarks of a traditional Spielbergian adventure. Mystical treasure, with a shady historical backstory? Check. A crusader hungry for truth and preservation of history, with a quirky sidekick who’s a little more harmful to himself than others? Double check. Amazing action set-pieces, with comedic relief that doesn’t draw away from the danger? You need not look any further. Throw in a mysterious antagonist that’s racing our hero for the same treasure, and you have a truly spectacular Steven Spielberg film. But if you go one step further, and praise the film for its motion capture animation prowess, then you’ve got a film that deserves not only our attention, but the two sequels promised from the start.

In a recent interview with the BBC, while promoting the UK release of his crime saga Black Mass, Johnny Depp told the media that he hopes he doesn’t win an Oscar anytime soon. Depp stated that the idea of delivering an awards speech doesn’t interest him. Nor does he like to think of himself as being in "competition" with any other actors.

With all due respect to Mr. Depp, he might not have much of a choice this year. His menacing performance as Boston enforcer James "Whitey" Bulger has him in the annual Oscar conversation, hovering near the top of a field that has yet to really produce powerful candidates. What a difference a year makes. Last season, at this early stage of the game, we had so many potential Best Actor candidates, we easily could have fielded two categories of worthy nominees. What it mean, at the end of the First Phase, was that several talented performances were left on the outside looking in, left without a nomination.

Skip to this year, and we’re still looking for the strongest five to stand up and be counted. There are two frontrunners in my mind: one based on the fact that some have seen the film (Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs; and one who many are starting to argue is "due" for a career that so far has gone unrecognized (Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant). After that, we have hopefuls who are just starting their campaigns. Matt Damon holds the screen for the duration of The Martian, providing enough sugar to help all that science go down. Depp, as mentioned, is a force to be reckoned with in Black Mass. On Friday, audiences will experience a throwback performance by Tom Hanks that has a nostalgic, Old Hollywood aura to it. Speaking of Old Hollywood, the Academy may warm to Bryan Cranston’s blacklist-drama Trumbo when it starts to open.

But without a clear-cut favorite – or a powerful field – Johnny Depp might want to hire a speech writer, at the very least, and recite a few practice verses in the mirror. Just to be safe.

Here’s where I think the Oscar contenders sit on October 13:

Several familiar faces are making a play for Best Director nods this season. Steven Spielberg has a real chance at Oscar recognition for his Cold War-era political thriller Bridge of Spies, a movie that will remind veteran Academy members of the films they grew up on, the ones starring Jimmy Stewart or Gregory Peck. In addition to Spielberg, previous winners such as Ridley Scott, Alejandro Inarritu, Danny Boyle and Quentin Tarantino are bringing headline-grabbing features to theaters in the final quarter of 2015. Who’ll prevail when the nominations are revealed?

Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

There have been a few interesting developments in the Best Actress race, which we’ll continue to track. Cate Blanchett may end up competing against herself (we call that "Pulling a Soderbergh") if her performances in Carol and Truth continue to get recognition. And buzz has reached a deafening level for Brie Larson in Room, allowing me to move her into the Frontrunner category. (We gave the movie a perfect 5-star grade.) As for the rest of the category? Take a look.

Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies goes wide this week following its premiere at the NYFF, and early buzz continues to swarm around character actor Mark Rylance, whose portrayal of a captured Soviet steals scenes throughout Spielberg’s sturdy Cold War drama. Expect to hear his name often as this category continues to develop.

Will the real Danish Girl, please stand up? Most going in to Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl likely expected to be blown away by Eddie Redmaye’s transformation. (And he is in top form, for sure.) But chatter continues to swirl around the devastating performance by Redmayne’s co-star, Alicia Vikander, who is having an incredible year – and one that, I believe, will be topped off by her first Oscar nomination. Who will join her? Let’s discuss.

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg re-team for Bridge of Spies, about a famous trade-off of captured spies between the Soviets and the United States during the Cold War. While Hanks portrayed James Donovan, the lawyer who facilitated the trade, Mark Rylance played captured Soviet spy Rudolph Abel, Austin Stowell played Gary Powers, and Will Rogers played the American graduate student caught in the crosshairs, Frederic Pryor. As it turns out, though, Spielberg wasn’t the first person to try and bring this story to life.

During the press conference for Bridge of Spies during the New York Film Festival, the filmmaker relayed the tale of how Gregory Peck, renowned actor of films like Roman Holiday and To Kill A Mockingbird, tried to get this movie made.

Spielberg said,

Alan Alda, who plays Thomas Waters in the film and was also present for the press conference, asked Steven Spielberg if he knew why MGM didn’t move forward with the project. The director replied,

Tom Hanks jokingly chimed in, "And Greg Peck’s previous movie was soft at the box office."

Bridge of Spies had its worldwide premiere at the NYFF and received a standing ovation. The film sees Donovan, an insurance lawyer, asked to perform a duty for his country by representing captured Soviet spy Abel in court. Despite outward aggression from the FBI, Donovan’s employer, and the American public, Donovan’s belief in the Constitution leads him to feel for his client and to keep defending him even after his conviction. However, the situation turns when the U.S. discovers one of their own spies has been captured by the Soviets, and the two powers attempt a trade.

The film also stars Amy Ryan (The Office), Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods), Eve Hewson (The Knick), Michael Gaston (The Leftovers), and character actor Dakin Matthews. The film will hit theaters on October 16, and could potentially factor into this Oscar race.

There are a few boxes every Oscar contender has to tick off if they hope to contend for the Academy’s top prize. You have to be liked. You have to be respected. And it helps when you are financially successful.

Sir Ridley Scott’s The Martian found itself on the receiving end of all three of those components over the weekend, which is why we’re discussing it in the Awards Blend column today. Scott’s exhilarating adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel banked an impressive $55M – just missing an October box office record set by Oscar contender Gravity back in 2013. Positive reviews certainly helped. The Martian is enjoying a 94% Fresh grade on Rotten Tomatoes, with 209 Fresh reviews.

But is it an "Oscar" movie? The first time I watched Sir Ridley’s sci-fi thriller in Toronto, it felt more like a free-flowing crowd-pleaser, and not quite an awards-contending drama. On a second pass, however, the human drama hit harder, the director’s nimble dance through the science impressed even more, and Matt Damon captivated in what amounts to an impossible role. The Martian actually does feel like a contender at the moment, and the successful weekend – both critically and financially – has prompted me to revise my charts accordingly.

Here, then, is where I think the Oscar contenders sit on October 5:

  Tom McCarthy is an interesting case study. He’s coming off the only real blemish in his nearly-spotless career -- The Cobbler. And yet, he has delivered a masterfully precise drama with Spotlight, which I assume will earn him his first Best Director nomination. Who will join him? There are a number of heavy hitters eager to throw their names into the Best Director race this year, and we’ll start to see their movies in the coming weeks. For now, here’s who I like in the still-developing marathon.

  Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

No actress has laid claim to a Frontrunner status in the early stages of the Best Actress race though perennial contender Cate Blanchett is making a case with her much-lauded performance in Todd Haynes’ Carol. More people need to see that movie, and will in the coming weeks. As for the rest of the field, in my humble opinion, it’s beginning to look like this.

Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies finally started screening over the weekend, world premiering at the New York Film Festival ahead of its October 16 release. The early buzz swarmed around character actor Mark Rylance, whose portrayal of a captured Soviet is said to steal scenes throughout Spielberg’s sturdy Cold War drama. Expect to hear his name often as this category continues to develop.

Will the real Danish Girl, please stand up? Most going in to Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl likely expected to be blown away by Eddie Redmaye’s transformation. (And he is in top form, for sure.) But chatter continues to swirl around the devastating performance by Redmayne’s co-star, Alicia Vikander, who is having an incredible year – and one that, I believe, will be topped off by her first Oscar nomination. Who will join her? Let’s discuss.

As anyone who's seen a Christopher Nolan movie will tell you, clear and understandable dialogue is as important to a film as a crisp and discernible image. But you'd be surprised how long an actor can spend on re-recording their lines, as Tom Hanks has given us a figure that even we're surprised about.

During his current spree of answering random Reddit posts, Hanks found himself looking at the question, "What is a little known fact about your job?" Seeing as he's more than a little knowledgeable in the field of acting, the legendary actor provided the poster with some of that Reddit magic we sometimes hear about. So how long does it take for a seasoned vet like Tom Hanks to get his lines in the can? His answer was the following:

One line, which could be anywhere from a couple seconds to a couple of minutes in length, could take 2 hours to get right. Put into perspective, a total ADR period of three days sounds about right if that's the case, considering your average film lands in a sweet spot between 90 and 120 minutes. Still, could you imagine 2 hours trying to perfect the delivery of a line you nailed on the set weeks before? Especially if it's a scene stealer like this choice scene from Catch Me If You Can.

As fun as movies can be, it's facts like this that remind us that making a movie is indeed hard work. So when an actor nails that line that makes a movie particularly iconic, the results are all the more pleasing thanks to the fact that the hard work in getting the sound just right paid off in the end. If it weren't for additional dialogue recording, or ADR for short, we wouldn't have moments like the one below, which just happens to be Tom Hanks' iconic opening lines from 1995's Forrest Gump.

So the next time you go to see a movie, and a particular moment makes you laugh, cry, or even angry with the heat of a thousand suns; remember the fact that specific moment was carefully crafted to do just that. And you can thank Tom Hanks for today's educational lesson by going to see Bridge Of Spies, when it premieres on October 16th.

It may still be a ways off in the distance, but now that the summer blockbuster movie season is over—and 2015 was one of the biggest of all time—our focus naturally turns to the end of the year awards that are rapidly approaching. With the big fall film festivals either in full swing or on the way—the Venice Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival are in progress, while the Toronto International Film Festival kicks off later this week, followed by New York and AFI—a number of awards contenders are making their public debuts and the discussion about who will walk away with the biggies, specifically Oscar, is beginning in earnest.

With this in mind, no matter how far in advance it may seem, we put together a handy dandy list of some titles that may very well be in the Oscar race come the end of the year, and when you’ll have the chance to see them. A number of them are rolling out at the fall festivals, and because most of us aren’t fortunate enough to attend those shindigs, we’ll let you know when they’re slated to get a limited and wide release, at least if such things are scheduled—as these aren’t blockbusters, wide releases haven’t been set in stone for many of them. So take a look and let us know what you think will be competing for Oscar glory in the comments below, or if we missed some obvious choices (I already feel like I’m going to get yelled at for not including The Hateful Eight).

The Danish Girl

When It Premieres : September 5, 2015, Venice Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: November 27, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

Though it just premiered, last year’s Best Actor winner Eddie Redmayne is already winning praise for his role in Tom Hooper’s (The King’s Speech) The Danish Girl. He plays Lili Elbe, a Danish artist who was the first known recipient of gender reassignment surgery. With an important, timely topic, and supporting cast that includes Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw, Amber Heard, and Mathias Schoenaerts, this is certainly one you’ll be hearing more about.

Bridge Of Spies

When It Premieres: New York Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: October 16, 2016

With Steven Spielberg at the helm, Tom Hanks in the starring role, and a script from Joel and Ethan Coen, Bridge of Spies has Oscar-bait written all over it. Based on a true story, the action follows an American lawyer during the height of the Cold War, as he is recruited by the CIA to arrange a trade for a captured pilot and gets into far more trouble than he ever could have imagined.

Steve Jobs

When It Premieres: September 5, 2015, Telluride Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: October 9, 2015

Oscar loves a good biopic, and from the early word, Michael Fassbender is absolutely transformative as Apple founder and cultural touchstone Steve Jobs in Danny Boyle’s latest offering, simply titled Steve Jobs. Working on a whip-cracking script from Aaron Sorkin (The Social NetworK), the film follows Jobs at three key career points, using them to launch deeper into his life and personality.

Black Mass

When It Premieres: September 5, 2015 Venice Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: September 18, 2015

Though his recent output hasn’t always been stellar, Black Mass looks to be a return to form for Johnny Depp as he dives deep to become the notorious Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. Barely recognizable under vampiric makeup, Depp is joined by an all star cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Juno Temple, and too many to name.

The Walk

When It Premieres: September 26, 2015 New York Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: September 30, 2015 (IMAX)

When It Goes Wide: October 9, 2015

Director Robert Zemeckis knows a thing or two about mixing it up with Oscar, and his Joseph Gordon-Levitt-starring The Walk could put him back in contention again this year. The film follows French high-wire artist Philippe Petit as he prepares to cross a tightrope between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. If nothing, this promises to be breathtaking and dizzying to watch in IMAX.

Carol

When It Premieres: May 17, 2015, Cannes Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: November 20, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, Carol takes place in the 1950s and tells the story of a young store clerk (Rooney Mara) with big dreams who fall in love with an older, married, high-society woman (Cate Blanchett). After debuting at Cannes, Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine) latest film has gained notice for its deep love story and high marks for his searing performances from both leads.

The Revenant

When It Premieres: N/A

When It Starts Playing In Limited: December 25, 2015

When It Goes Wide: January 8, 2016

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman was an awards season juggernaut last year, and this year his The Revenant will likely follow suit. Gorgeously filmed, the story of a frontiersman on a quest for revenge stars Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hardy, and Domhnall Gleeson, and though most of us won’t see it until the tail end of the year, it’s hard not to think of this in terms of Oscar gold just because of who is involved.

Snowden

When It Premieres: N/A

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: December 25, 2015

A legendary director making a film based on one of the most important political stories in recent memory, Oliver Stone’s Snowden had big hopes and a high ceiling from word one. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who looks to have a big few months coming up, the story follows CIA employee Edward Snowden, who leaked classified documents about NSA surveillance programs to the mainstream press and the fallout that created.

Beasts Of No Nation

When It Premieres: September 3, 2015, Venice Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: October 16, 2015 (Theatrical)

When It Goes Wide: October 16, 2015 (Netflix)

If you’ve watched the trailer for Cary Joji Fukunaga’s upcoming Beasts of No Nation, you know to expect a brutal gut-punch of a movie. The narrative follows a young boy who, after his entire family is slaughtered in front of him, becomes a child soldier in a vicious civil war in an unnamed African country. Led by Idris Elba, this will get a limited theatrical release the same time as it becomes available on Netflix.

Joy

When It Premieres: N/A

When It Starts Playing In Limited: December 25, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

At this point, it would be more notable if a David O. Russell collaboration with Jennifer Lawrence wasn’t in the Oscar discussion, and they’re back at it this year with Joy. The generations-spanning story revolves around a young single mother of three (Lawrence) as she raises her children and starts a business empire based on a "Miracle Mop." As we’ve seen, when Lawrence, Russell, and Bradley Cooper get together, remarkable things happen.

Trumbo

When It Premieres: September 12, 2015, Toronto International Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: November 6, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

Oscar loves movies about movies, as well as movies with beloved actors playing radical historical figures. With Trumbo, they have both as Bryan Cranston plays blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. A successful writer who was kicked out of Hollywood for being a Communist, the film looks to have a fast pace and razor wit as it tells the tale of his battle with the studio heads and the United States government.

Miles Ahead

When It Premieres: October 10, 2015, New York Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: N/A

True-life stories about troubled geniuses are the kind of thing that make Academy voters drool. Directed by and starring Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead explores the life and music of legendary jazz musician Miles Davis. There aren’t a ton of details available for this at the moment, but given Davis’ status as an innovator of the genre and his enduring legacy, there is plenty to mine here.

I Saw the Light

When It Premieres: September 11, 2015, Toronto International Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: November 27, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

Yet another biopic of a famous musician, this time Thor’s Loki, Tom Hiddleston, plays Hank Williams in Marc Abraham’s I Saw the Light. Hiddleston has actually performed live as the legendary country troubadour, and between that and the first few looks we’ve had at him in character, he nails the characterization, and this could be one to watch when the end of the year rolls around.

Concussion

When It Premieres: N/A

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: December 25, 2015

With a hot-button topic and a big star giving what looks like a potentially career best performance, Concussion will take the multi-billion dollar-earning National Football League to task for its treatment, or lack there of, of the repetitive head trauma inherent in the game. Will Smith stars as the first doctor to recognize football related brain injuries in a former NFL player, and the league’s subsequent attempts to cover up this discovery.

Everest

When It Premieres: September 2, 2015, Venice Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: September 25, 2015

On the level of sheer, unadulterated spectacle, films don’t get much bigger or more breathtaking than Everest. Baltasar Kormákur’s latest tells the story of a group of climbers trying to summit the world’s tallest peak, and trying survive the journey. A fantastic cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightly, Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Debicki, Jason Clarke, Sam Worthington, and more try to bring the ill-fated real life journey to IMAX screens everywhere.

Spotlight

When It Premieres: September 3, 2015, Venice Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: November 6, 2015

When It Goes Wide: N/A

Director Tom McCarthy’s follow up to the Adam Sandler fantasy The Cobbler, Spotlight, takes on the real life story of how a team of reporters at the Boston Globe uncovered an epidemic of child molestation in the Catholic Church, the ensuing cover up, and the scandal that followed. Starring Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Liev Schreiber, this promises to be a weighty biographical drama.

By The Sea

When It Premieres: November 5, 2015, AFI Fest

When It Starts Playing In Limited: N/A

When It Goes Wide: November 13, 2015

Directed by Angelina Jolie, and starring the Academy Award-winning actress and hubby Brad Pitt, By the Sea looks like a stone cold bummer. A gorgeous film to be sure, but a bummer nonetheless. Set in France in the 1970s, the film tells the story of the gradual crumbling and dissolution of a marriage. Jolie also wrote the script, and if this one lives up to the potential, perhaps this is the one that wins the actor-turned-director awards acclaim behind the camera as well.

Truth

When It Premieres: September 12, 2015, Toronto International Film Festival

When It Starts Playing In Limited: October 16, 2015

When It Goes Wide: October 30, 2015

When anchor Dan Rather and producer Mary Mapes ran a report on CBS News calling George W. Bush’s military service during the Vietnam War into question, the ensuing backlash cost them both their careers. Director James Vanderbilt’s Truth dramatizes this controversy, with Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett in the leads. With a supporting cast that includes Elisabeth Moss, Dennis Quaid, and more, this is the kind of weighty political drama that end of the year awards voters love.

This time last month, we saw Birdman, Or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance take home top honors at this year's Academy Awards; and it surprised us more than a little bit. While we here at Cinema Blend enjoy surprises, we also don't mind hedging our bets as to what will be the next big thing at Hollywood's golden honors.

We've had some time to assess the playing 2015 field a little further than our previous handicapping session, and we're glad to say we have a mix of repeats and new kids in our pool. With that in mind, let's run down the 15 movies we really think have a shot at winning Best Picture next year.

The Revenant

Obviously we're going to start the list off with a picture from recent Best Director winner, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, especially considering this is his follow up to the technically impressive Birdman. Inarritu's artsy side is coming out again, as this tale of revenge in the woods has been shooting for a highly unusual look. However, the cherry on top of the Oscar sundae is the fact that multiple nominee/still not a winner Leonardo DiCaprio is starring front and center. We wouldn't be surprised if this pic takes the top honors, while scoring Leo some well-deserved gold in them thar' hills.

Release Date: 12/25/2015

Bridge Of Spies

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are one of those Peanut Butter and Jelly pairings that go well together every time. Even better is when the two decide to tell a story based on true life, and Bridge Of Spies is one of those stories that proves to be in their collective wheelhouse. The story of a lawyer defending an American pilot downed behind Russian enemy lines, the Cold War historical factor does wonders for this film's Oscar chances, as history proves that it's one of the Academy's favorite subjects. Also, Hanks and Spielberg history lessons tend to fare well with voters.

Release Date: 10/16/15

Spotlight

To be nominated for an Oscar, it's not enough to just base your film on a true story. Usually, the more interesting stories make the most intriguing movies, and Thomas McCarthy's Spotlight is an interesting story to say the least. Recounting the investigative efforts of the Boston Globe into a child abuse cover-up in the Catholic Church, Spotlight has "ripped from the headlines" written all over it. It also boasts an all star cast that contains the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and previous Best Actor nominee Michael Keaton. With Keaton's loss making some waves in the community, you can bet the Academy will be looking at this film very closely.

Release Date: Fall TBD

Steve Jobs

Before Trance landed with a thud, Danny Boyle danced with the Oscars twice as both 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire garnered the director some vaulable buzz. Better still, the latter picture won him a Best Picture/Best Director double play, much like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu did this past year. While Boyle's talents alone should put Steve Jobs on the map, the Aaron Sorkin-written screenplay and Michael Fassbender in the lead role are two very good sweeteners to the pot. Could The Academy make up for passing over The Social Network a couple of years ago? If they're willing to, this is the best chance they've got.

Release Date: 10/9/15

The Danish Girl

What happens when you team an Oscar winning director with an Oscar winning actor, and a timely story based off of both a true story and a novel? You get Tom Hooper and Eddie Redmayne reteaming to signal The Academy to keep a close watch on The Danish Girl before it's even done filming. The film tells the story of the first identifiable case of a person having gender reassignment surgery, and not only plays to Hooper's period film sensibilities, but Redmayne's transformative capabilities. Voters have proven that they love both, so The Danish Girl is one of this year's ringers.

Release Date: 11/27/15

The Walk

In 2008, The Academy awarded the Best Documentary Feature trophy to Man On A Wire, the chronicle of Philippe Petit's crossing of the Twin Towers on nothing more than a high wire. Flash forward to today, and you've got that same story being adapted by Robert Zemeckis -- still riding high from the resurgence Flight gave his career -- and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt. While Zemeckis can be a mixed-bag auteur at times, his collaboration with Gordon-Levitt on The Walk could mean big time notice this year, especially since the actor himself is poised to break out as a prestige-film wonder.

Release Date: 10/2/15

Southpaw

Normally, the Best Picture frontrunners secure prestige-friendly openings towards the end of the year, thus reminding everyone that they existed and they're practically Awards Bait for the taking. Antoine Fuqua's long-delayed boxing epic Southpaw has called its shot in the heat of the summer, though, in true underdog fashion. This move could secure enough of an audience to keep the film in people's minds for months to come, while at the same time giving it the long-game advantage it could use. Also, Jake Gyllenhaal looks like a beast, so the transformation angle helps the film's chances.

Release Date: 7/31/15

Trumbo

Bryan F'ing Cranston. Full stop, send the message, Oscar's about to get itself a wake up call as the Emmy powerhouse is starting to make more of a play for cinematic glory. And what better way to open the awards floodgates than to take a film about one of Hollywood's most historic personas, in an era that wasn't the town's proudest, but still deserves some dissection in the long run. Cranston alone will be shining the brights on this puppy, but with prevous honoree Helen Mirren, evergreen professional John Goodman, and even funnyman Louis C.K. coming along for the ride, Jay Roach shouldn't have a hard time printing those "For Your Consideration" ads.

Release Date: 11/6/15

Snowden

While Hollywood loves to see stories of the past brought to life, it also loves to see filmmakers that can take the big stories of today and put them onto the screen with due deference. While Bill Condon's The Fifth Estate tried and failed to bring the era of Wikileaks and NSA surveillance to the voters, OG political firebrand Oliver Stone is teaming with Joseph Gordon Levitt to take another crack at the timely subject of Edward Snowden's defiance against the government. The age of JGL is upon us, and between this and The Walk, there's some good nomination potential for both films, as well as a possible double nom for Gordon Levitt's acting abilities.

Release Date: 12/25/15

Me And Earl And The Dying Girl

Getting a standing ovation is hard, much less a standing ovation from the crowd at the Sundance Film Festival. Yet here we are, sticking behind our pick of Me, Earl, And The Dying Girl for Best Picture because of it. Not only that, but from the look of this film, it's the type of character driven piece about the human condition that Oscar voters love to reward time and time again. It's practically a requirement that at least one indie breakout make its way to the big show, and this is our pick for such a breakout. That, and we're really hoping we'll get to at least say "Academy Award Nominee Nick Offerman" after 2016.

Release Date: 6/12/15

The Hateful Eight

Despite the stereotypical image of Academy voters depending on a strict diet of stuffy, self-important films and nothing else, they seem to have no problem cutting loose with Quentin Tarantino flicks. The Hateful Eight will certainly be no exception, as it just screams of QT's manic energy fusing together B-movie antics with an A-list sensibility. Ask any dietitian and they'll tell you that for every plate of broccoli you wolf down for your health, a piece of chocolate is all the sweeter. Hateful Eight is that cinematic chocolate, and it looks pretty sweet from where we're sitting.

Release Date: 11/13/15

The Martian

For one brief, shining moment, we thought Gravity was going to take top honors at the 2014 Academy Awards – only to see 12 Years A Slave dash all hope with its Best Picture win. Fairs fair, and the historical picture won; no sense tearing into that subject, because at least a film of historical significance won out. However, Matt Damon and Ridley Scott's hard sci-fi epic of survival, realistic space travel, and human scientific ingenuity has not only marketability but also that quality of being a film that Oscar voters will hold up as a sign of humanity's greatness. Also, if you've read the book, you can tell just how awesome of a movie this could make when done right.

Release Date: 11/25/15

Concussion

Concussion is based on a 2009 article on GQ that focused on studies that brought to light the long-term effects of injuries sustained by players during their NFL careers. With a particular focus on the medical affliction in the title, Will Smith is making his way back into serious drama after shedding Seven Pounds off of his resume. It might sound ridiculous to think that a big star could make a film based off of a magazine article into a Best Picture winner, but if you talk to Ben Affleck, he’d probably tell you to, "Argo fuck yourself," albeit in a much nicer tone than it reads.

Release Date: 12/25/15

In The Heart Of The Sea

After a blockbuster break from his award-winning fare, Ron Howard looked poised to come back to the fold with Rush a couple of years ago. While the Golden Globes took notices, the Academy Awards were less enthused about the racing picture. Still, In The Heart Of The Sea seems to be the payoff to Rush’s warm up, with Chris Hemsworth at the center of another Howard picture. Between the epic sea action, reminiscent of previous nominee Master And Commander: Far Side Of The World, and the star power of Hemsworth in another dramatic turn, the release bump may have been a great idea for this ship to sail proudly into the golden port.

Release Date: 12/11/15

Everest

With Into The Wild making waves on the awards circuit a couple of years ago, author Jon Krakauer became an author that Hollywood took notice of. With his memoir of Mount Everest, Into Thin Air, serving as the basis for this picture’s genesis, there stands a good chance that Everest could reach the summit and plant its flag on the Academy. With a mixed cast of past nominees, fresh faces, and seasoned veterans; Everest is sure to pull a lot of award committee focus.

Release Date: 9/18/15

Having big time collaborators on board a project are almost always a sure fire way to make sure a filmmaker’s cinematic vision makes it to the big screen intact. Just ask Steven Spielberg, who's two biggest collaborators, Tom Hanks and John Williams, were all set to join him on his latest film – the formerly untitled Cold War drama, now entitled Bridge Of Spies. At least, that's how it was supposed to work out, until personal reasons forced John Williams to bow out of musical component of the October release. Never fear, for as Maestro Williams couldn't come out to play this time around, Academy Award winner Thomas Newman was more than glad to jump in as a substitute.

In an official press release from Dreamworks Pictures and Fox 2000, Bridge Of Spies was named as the first film since The Color Purple not to feature Williams' musical accompaniment. Unfortunately, the circumstances that prevented the famed composer's involvement with the film involved an unspecified medical condition that prevented him from participating in the film's schedule. Thankfully, whatever issues that prevented John Williams from coming to the table this time around weren't serious enough to keep him out of the game for long, which means he'll be back to score next year's The BFG when the time comes.

While it is a bummer that the typical Williams/Spielberg partnership was put on an unplanned hiatus for the production of Bridge Of Spies, it is equally an interesting opportunity to see a journeyman composer like Thomas Newman taking the reins this time around. After all, he was hand-picked by Skyfall director Sam Mendes to fill the franchise shoes that David Arnold had worn since 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, and that experiment yielded one of the best Bond scores in the series' history. A similar approach of fresh air could have the same effect on a genre that is well worn territory for the legendary filmmaker.

As for John Williams, it most certainly won't be a total year off for him and his composer's pen, as he's either already at work or soon to be at work on the music for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In fact, the unexpected break from his efforts with Spielberg is probably a good thing as it'll help him avoid a repeat of his busy 2002 schedule. That was the year that not only saw Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones on his plate, but also had him bringing musical life to Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets in the same year. We wish Maestro Williams all the best health, and look forward to his re-teaming with Steven Spielberg in the near future.

Bridge Of Spies will hit theaters on October 16, with The BFG aiming for a July 1, 2016 debut in American theaters.