We had two films release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

Decision to Leave

There are certain international directors that have been critic favorites for so long that it seems almost inevitable that they should one day break through to the Oscars. Bong Joon-ho is a perfect example of this. After a string of critically acclaimed films, some better than Parasite, he was finally given his due by the Academy for the aforementioned 2019 Oscar winner. Another name that has gotten plenty of acclaim over the years is Park Chan-wook. Decision to Leave marks his latest acclaimed film and with the recent successes of Parasite and Drive My Car, it would seem time for yet another international legend to get his due.

The film features a detective who falls for the widow of his victim, creating conflict between what he knows he should be doing to pursue justice and his love for a woman he shouldn’t be getting involved with. With an 85 score at MetaCritic and a 93% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, the film certainly has the bona fides to make a run at the Oscars. It also has the Palme d’Or, Cannes’ top prize and has been submitted by SOuth Korea for the Best International Feature Oscar. It will almost certainly be nominated there, but could reach out beyond into Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Original Screenplay. Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography could also follow, but outside of the Best International Feature Oscar, I don’t see it as a terribly major contender at this juncture.

Till

With 57 reviews to date, Till has a perfect score at Rotten Tomatoes. At MetaCritic, it has a stellar, but less spectacular 78. Directed by Chinonye Chukwu, the film stars Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till, the mother of slain teenager Emmet Till, one of the galvanizing incidents of the Civil Rights Movement. The film details the incidents that led to the lynching of the 14-year-old Chicago boy and his mother’s pursuit of justice. The trailers have been largely convincing suggesting the film may have legs at the box office.

Although a filmmaker since the late-aughts, Chukwu almost broke through in 2019 with her film Clemency, a well regarded feature that was mishandled by Neon and released too late to be of consequence. Now, she’s being given a second chance with a film that seems on the verge of recognition. Deadwyler has earned incredible reviews for her performance in the film, some even declaring her the frontrunner. I don’t quite believe that as yet, but ask me again at the end of December. The film could also make a play in Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and, if the film is popular enough, Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg whose part is said to be too small to factor this year, but could be pulled along with the film itself.