23 Films From 2022 That Could Win An Oscar (And Where To Watch Them)
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The Oscars telecast may not actually be until March 12, 2023, a full nine months away, BUT that doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of films in the hunt for Oscar gold already available for your viewing pleasure.
This year, every film with a theatrical release (prior to its streaming release) from January 1 to December 31 is eligible (sorry Good Luck to You, Leo Grande), a return to form after last year's shortened COVID season. And while many of the presumed heavy hitters won't be making their way to the big screen until fall, plenty of contenders have already emerged. From blockbusters in the hunt for technical awards to small indie dramas hoping to build hype as the year goes on, there are plenty of worthy films out now. And if you are an Oscar lover, (or just someone looking for a film to watch on a Friday summer night in the refuge of your AC), you've got plenty to choose from.
Here are 23 films from the first half of 2022 that have Oscar buzz in some way, shape, or form.
1.After Yang
What It's About: Two parents (Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith) try to find a way to repair their robot son once he begins to malfunction.
Why It Has Buzz: The film got strong reviews coming out of Sundance earlier this year and is a part of A24's strong 2022 film slate. It's a quiet drama with a strong performance from Colin Farrell, who has never won an Oscar, at the center.
Potential Nominations: A Colin Farrell Best Actor nomination is the best bet here, especially given the amount of good will surrounding the actor. A clever campaign focusing on how he's been snubbed before could get him in the conversation. Otherwise, an Adapted Screenplay or Editing nomination could happen, although those will certainly face stiff competition.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Hulu.
2.The Bad Guys
What It's About: A group of devious animal criminals pretend to be rehabilitated into upstanding citizens in order to pull off a daring heist.
Why It Has Buzz: Dreamworks Animation, the studio behind The Bad Guys has landed 13 Best Animated Feature nominations since the category's inception, and has won the statue twice. It's the highest grossing animated film of the year so far, the ninth highest grossing film overall, and has received positive reviews from critics.
Potential Nominations: This is pretty much a lock for Best Animated Feature, which at this point given Lightyear's generally lackluster reviews, is the frontrunner. Beyond that, a nomination could be tough, but "Good Tonight" is an original song from Daniel Pemberton who was nominated in the category for The Trial of the Chicago 7, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that it scoops up a second there.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
3.The Batman
What It's About: Robert Pattinson's emo sad boy Batman squares off against the Penguin and the Riddler in the latest iteration of the vigilante superhero.
Why It Has Buzz: In the wake of The Dark Knight and Joker, a moody Batman film can't be counted out. It did well at the box office and with critics. Plus, with Doctor Strange not faring as well with critics, this could be the superhero contender of the year in technical categories (for which there is at least one most years).
Potential Nominations: I don't think this has had the stamina or success needed to make a break for the major categories, but Visual Effects and Sound seem like obvious places to honor the film. While divisive, the transformation of Colin Farrell into the Penguin using prosthetic makeup and a fat suit could also earn the film a Makeup and Hairstyling nomination.
Where to Watch: Stream it on HBO Max.
4.Cha Cha Real Smooth
What It's About: A aimless college grad returns to his hometown where he becomes a hype man for Bar Mitzvahs and forms a relationship with the mother of one of the middle schools attending the parties.
Why It Has Buzz: The indie comedy got rave reviews coming out of its Sundance premiere and was sold to Apple TV+ for a whopping $15M, basically repeating the setup of last year's Best Picture winner CODA. Both writer/director/actor Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson give pitch perfect performances, and it's a feel-good crowdpleaser. I also think it's a testament to the film's populace success that several top critics have written especially vicious reviews that go out of their way to shred a movie that in general seems inoffensive and pleasant. They're preemptively trying to tank its Oscar chances, a move that we often see backfire.
Potential Nominations: Should the CODA trajectory hold true, we could see this taking up the Little Miss Sunshine/Juno/Lady Bird feel good family dramedy Best Picture slot. I think that would go hand in hand with an Original Screenplay nomination (and perhaps win). Without many technical strengths, however, I think the only other possible nomination would be for Dakota Johnson in Best Supporting Actress. I've loved Johnson for a while, and this is her best work yet.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Apple TV+.
5.Crimes of the Future
What It's About: In the future where climate change and environmental issues have caused bodies to evolve in odd ways, a pair of performance artists conduct surgeries for spectacle. Also "surgery is the new sex."
Why It Has Buzz: David Cronenberg, the film's writer and director, is a noted body horror auteur whose films have received plenty of international prizes, although never quite reached mainstream Oscar success. This one has buzzy performances from Oscar-friendly stars and performed well at Cannes.
Potential Nominations: Due to the grotesque subject matter, I don't see this one breaking through in a big way, but it would certainly be worthy of a Makeup and Hairstyling nomination for all the deformed and mutilated humanoids (including the ear man) roaming around. Its futuristic setting and bone-like technology could also earn it a Production Design nomination. While unlikely to earn a prize, I also love Kristen Stewart's twitchy performance here and coming off her success in Spencer, I think a Supporting Actress nomination wouldn't be entirely off the table.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
6.Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
What It's About: Doctor Strange faces off against the Scarlet Witch in a battle for the fate of the multiverse (as tends to be the case in Marvel films).
Why It Has Buzz: Its a Marvel film, and with its massive budget and special effects, you can never count them out (especially in a post-Black Panther world).
Potential Nominations: Visual Effects and Sound would be the main plays here, but this film could quickly be pushed to the back of the line for Disney/Marvel should the new Thor or Black Panther movies do better with the critics.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Disney+.
7.Downton Abbey: A New Era
What It's About: The inhabitants of Downton Abbey are up to their usual aristocratic shenanigans which now involve the inheritance of a French villa and a film being shot in their mansion.
Why It Has Buzz: It doesn't really, but I'M TRYING TO START THE BUZZ. Get in on the ground floor!
Potential Nominations: I am here to present to you the Maggie Smith for Best Supporting Actress Oscar Campaign. The woman has six Oscar nominations and two wins, but hasn't been nominated since 2001 for Gosford Park (which is also a Julian Fellows film). She's won three Emmys for her work on Downton and is pitch perfect in the second film outing. The legend deserves another Oscar nomination and at 87-years-old, we might be running out of chances. GIVE HER THE DAMN NOMINATION. I'd also like to take this opportunity to reach out to the Recording Academy to say that Maggie is just a Grammy away from an EGOT. The Grammys give out approximately eight million awards every year, so figure out a way to give her one. Have her record an audiobook. Get her to write a song on a movie soundtrack. Sample her voice on a Taylor Swift album. I don't care, but get her a Grammy.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Peacock.
8.Elvis
What It's About: Elvis. Duh.
Why It Has Buzz: Musical biopics tend to do well at the Academy. This one's got decent reviews, a massive budget, and Tom Hanks. Plus, the last four films from its director Baz Luhrmann have received at least one Oscar nomination, so there's a precedent.
Potential Nominations: This is tricky because Elvis certainly could make a Bohemian Rhapsody-styled sweep (the film was nominated for five Oscars and won four), but its early release date could doom it to something more like Rocketman (which was only nominated for Best Original Song). I tend to side on the latter, and think Elvis as a sprawling, chaotic, and uneven film will have faded too much to break into Best Actor, Supporting Actor, Picture, or Director. Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling, however, all seem like easy gets as the long sumptuous movie is well endowed with all three. There is also an original song from Doja Cat, but it uses pieces of "Hound Dog," so we'll have to wait and see whether this qualifies or not. If so, perhaps we've entered the Academy's TikTok era.
9.Emergency
What It's About: Three POC college students have their nights ruined when they find a white girl passed out in their house and don't know how she got there.
Why It Has Buzz: The film received glowing reviews coming out of Sundance where it won a screenplay prize.
Potential Nominations: The screenplay here is so damn clever and well executed. It's a get-to-the-party style movie that confronts racism in its many forms head on but never becomes overly violent or depressing. The line they are walking is so fine and deserves to be celebrated. Because this is based on a previous short film from filmmakers Carey Williams and KD Davila, I believe this would be in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Prime Video.
10.Everything Everywhere All at Once
What It's About: A Chinese-American immigrant woman who owns a struggling laundromat, is fighting with her daughter, in a failing marriage, and taking care of an ailing father, must fight through multiple dimensions to save the world while at the IRS.
Why It Has Buzz: Of all the films to premiere in the first half of 2022, this is the one with the most Oscar potential. It got RAVE reviews coming out of its SXSW premiere and has been chugging along ever since becoming a massive word-of-mouth hit for A24. It is the studio's highest grossing film domestically, and A24 certainly knows how to campaign when it's got a winner, so expect them to throw their entire weight behind this one.
Potential Nominations: Where do I even begin? I suppose with Michelle Yeoh's leading performance which is sure to take home a slew of critics prizes on its march to a nomination and possible win in Best Actress. I also think that a Best Picture nomination is extremely likely given the film's singularity and unexpected success. Best Original Screenplay also seems very likely as the story here is unlike anything we've seen in recent years and daring storytelling is often acknowledged in that category. If the film doesn't lose steam in the fall, it could push for additional acting nominations as well. Ke Huy Quan is doing A LOT as Yeoh's husband and could be run in either Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor depending on the campaign. Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis (who has never been nominated for an Oscar) also deserve dual Best Supporting Actress nominations. Cinematography, Director, Production Design (for the butt plug trophy), Sound, Film Editing, Score, Visual Effects, and Costume Design could also be potential nominations. Lastly there is a Mitski/David Byrne Original Song at play. By my count that means we should be seeing...15 nominations come 2023?
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
11.Fire of Love
What It's About: A documentary following a pair of married volcanologists who died in a volcano in 1991.
Why It Has Buzz: One of the buzziest, most highly praised documentaries to come out of Sundance, it's being released widely in theaters from Neon.
Potential Nominations: As with most documentaries, breaking out of the Best Documentary Feature category is near impossible. Also this branch is notoriously hard to predict, so you never know.
Where to Watch: Buy tickets at Fandango.
12.Leave No Trace
What It's About: The class action lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America stemming from over 80,000 sexual assault cases, as well as the nefarious history of the organization in general.
Why It Has Buzz: The topic is certainly provocative, and having done well at festivals, it's now hitting a larger audience on Hulu.
Potential Nominations: Again, its best bet is Best Documentary Feature.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Hulu.
13.Lightyear
What It's About: In a slightly confusing meta setup, Lightyear is supposedly the film that Toy Story's Andy watched and the toy that inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure.
Why It Has Buzz: Pixar has 11 Best Animated Feature Oscars, so it's foolish to count out a Pixar film, although this is a spinoff film and when Pixar has missed the Oscars it has typically been with sequels and spinoffs.
Potential Nominations: Best Animated Feature is really the only play here.
14.Marry Me
What It's About: A pop star is jilted at the alter/live concert televised wedding and so she marries a school teacher on a whim instead.
Why It Has Buzz: It's got a whole slew of original song contenders from Jennifer Lopez who, having been snubbed for a Hustlers nomination, may be primed for a makeup nomination from the Academy.
Potential Nominations: The only realistic nomination it could land would be Best Original Song, probably for the titular track. There is lots of good will toward J Lo at the moment, and the song category has been weak as of late, so this could be a great way to honor J Lo and also secure a buzzy ceremony performance.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
15.Master
What It's About: Regina Hall plays the first Black master at a prestigious New England university with a haunted past.
Why It Has Buzz: The prestige horror film had buzz coming out of the festivals, especially for Regina Hall, who is beloved and yet to receive an Oscar nomination.
Potential Nominations: Best Actress would be the major play here. Hall has been putting out consistently great work for years and deserves to be recognized by the Academy. This early release, however, could also be an added feather in her cap as she has more films releasing in the back half of the year which might steal some of her thunder here.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Prime Video.
16.Men
What It's About: A woman looking for respite from her trauma, rents a house in the English countryside, only to be beset upon by a hoard of horrific local men.
Why It Has Buzz: Director Alex Garland's directorial debut Ex Machina was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. His follow up Annihilation, while blanking at the Oscars, is beloved by many. Also Men's lead Jessie Buckley landed her first nomination last year for The Lost Daughter, so there is buzz around all her new projects.
Potential Nominations: A tepid box office and middling response from critics has largely bumped this from the conversation BUT Rory Kinnear's performance as a half dozen distinctly different men is very impressive. Don't be surprised to see an awards push for him, especially from critic's groups, come fall that could bring this back into the conversation.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
17.The Northman
What It's About: Basically Hamlet but with vikings. Uncle kills dad. Uncle marries mom. Son heads out to avenge dad, save mom, and kill uncle.
Why It Has Buzz: Its the EXPENSIVE follow up from Roger Eggers to The Lighthouse which despite being wildly polarizing still managed a surprise Cinematography nomination. This one is from Focus Features (not A24) and so was given a much bigger budget in the craft categories and it shows.
Potential Nominations: I don't think that this kind of straightforward revenge narrative will be breaking into a Screenplay or Picture conversations, and the performances here are just a bit too weird to appeal to Oscar voters. But Cinematography feels like a nice repeat, and Sound, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Original Score could all play in.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Peacock.
18.Official Competition
What It's About: An eccentric director (Cruz) takes two very different actors through a series of exercises before they start shooting a new film.
Why It Has Buzz: Three powerhouse Spanish actors, Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, and Oscar Martinez are all beloved and given plenty of room to perform here. With the continued expansion of international Academy members, films from outside the US are being honored in other categories more and more.
Potential Nominations: I'm not sure how they would choose to run the trio between lead and supporting, but all three are doing magnificent work here, and I could definitely see Banderas snagging his second nomination. There's also a chance this gets a Best International Film nomination if it is the Spanish submission.
Where to Watch: Buy tickets on Fandango.
19.RRR
What It's About: A frenetic, highly stylized Indian musical action film about two revolutionaries who fought against British Imperialism (using tigers according to this). Think Moulin Rouge meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets The Matrix meets The Patriot.
Why It Has Buzz: RRR is the most expensive Indian film ever made, the third highest grossing Indian film of all time, and has received top notch reviews from critics the world over. Now it's readily accessible on Netflix and continuing to build a fandom in the US.
Potential Nominations: In so many ways, this is NOT an awards movie. It's a three-hour-plus gory action film with extended musical numbers (including a rather upbeat public torture song). In Oscar history, India has only been nominated three times for Best International Feature as well, meaning Bollywood and Tollywood films are not what the Academy often gravitates to.
That all being said, this is set up to be the exception to the rule. Its universal success demands attention, and it is sure to be memorable in a crop of typically dower competitors. If India chooses to submit this for Best International Feature, then it stands a strong chance of making the five. The film is SO STYLIZED that it's a bit difficult to see where Production Design ends and Visual Effects begin, but given the increasingly international makeup of the Academy, it's possible it could break out there. Best Original Song is also on the table.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Netflix.
20.Top Gun: Maverick
What It's About: Tom Cruise flying planes a long time after he flew planes before.
Why It Has Buzz: It is the biggest hit of the year so far, raking in the cash and receiving nearly universally positive reviews.
Potential Nominations: There's early chatter about a potential Best Picture/Best Actor nomination. I think that's highly unlikely as the Academy RARELY gives nominations to things that are this low brow and populist (or gives nominations to Tom Cruise, generally), but this is certainly the blockbuster of the summer, so they'll want to reward it somehow. Sound feels like the most obvious nomination and could be paired nicely with Best Original Song for Lady Gaga's new anthem "Hold My Hand" which they use within the film's score as well as the credits. The original also got a Best Editing nomination. The amount of practical effects here make a Visual Effects nomination a bit unlikely. If only they had a stunts category.
21.Turning Red
What It's About: A girl starts turning into a giant red panda in a metaphor about puberty.
Why It Has Buzz: It is Pixar's other play of the year, and received much better reviews than Lightyear even if its release was much quieter.
Potential Nominations: I expect this to take one of the Best Animated Feature slots, as the category has become more discerning in recent years about actually going for the good film over the, cough, buzzy one.
Where to Watch: Stream it on Disney+.
22.The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
What It's About: Nic Cage plays a version of himself that gets taken hostage while making a guest appearance.
Why It Has Buzz: A year after the Pig hype, the world is rooting for a Nic Cage comeback. This cheeky, meta comedy is nothing but Nic Cage, so there is potential there.
Potential Nominations: This is probably a pipe dream, but I think Nic Cage is actually very good in this and would deserve a nomination here should the Academy remember that this film came out this year. Plus, his last nomination was for 2003's Adaptation in which he gave a similarly meta performance.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
23.X
What It's About: A group of filmmakers go to an abandoned farm to shoot a porno, only to be killed by the aged couple who own it.
Why It Has Buzz: The A24 horror film doesn't have much buzz in general, but it does have some impressively transformative makeup for Mia Goth.
Potential Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling is the only angle for this one, so it might be too far out of the conversation, but could also land a Coming 2 America, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Wonder-style nomination as this category really does look at all possible options.
Where to Watch: Rent it on Prime Video.
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