Our first screener of the season is in (at least for the OFCS) and it’s Fox Searchlight’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Stars: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Ronald Pickup, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton)
Director: John Madden
Premise: From IMDb: “British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways.”
Oscar Chances: Questionable: The film hasn’t really dominated conversation since it’s early 2012 release, but never underestimate the capabilities of early-in-the-year screeners. People pop those in first before the glut occurs later in October and November.
Campaign-Proposed Categories:

• Best Picture (Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin)
• Best Director (John Madden)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Ol Parker)
• Best Actress (Judi Dench)
• Best Actor (Bill Nighy)
• Best Supporting Actor (Dev Patel, Ronald Pickup, Tom Wilkinson)
• Best Supporting Actress (Celia Imrie, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton)
• Best Film Editing (Chris Gill)
• Best Cinematography (Ben Davis)
• Best Original Score (Thomas Newman)
• Best Production Design (Alan MacDonald, Tina Jones)
• Best Costume Design (Louise Stjernsward)
• Best Sound Mixing (Resul Pookutty, TIm Cavagin, Steve Single, Craig Irving)
• Best Sound Editing (Ian Wilson)

Rotten Tomatoes:
77% (140 critics; as of 10/17/12)
Metacritic:
62 out of 100 (35 critics; as of 10/17/12)