First, as a caveat, let me be clear that Im not an Oscar prognosticator.
The first is Gary Oldmans portrayal of Winston Churchill in Joe WrightsDarkest Hour.
The film follows the pitbull British prime minister during one crucial month in the early stages of WWII.
Jack English / Focus Features
That would be May 1940, when the countries of Western Europe are falling like dominoes to the Nazis.
Hitlers invasion of France means that his next stop is Britain.
And the country, under a failure of leadership, leans on the controversial and bigger-than-life Churchill.
Lorey Sebastian, Le Grisbi Productions/Waypoint Entertainment
Ill be honest, Oldman hasnt been this good for a very long time.
To be even more honest, hes starred in a lot of junk in the past decade.
Its both a relief and revelation to see him get the chance to swing for the fences again.
Hidden under pounds of latex jowls, pear-shaped body padding, and flawless aging make-up, OldmanisChurchill.
But Oldmans Churchill seems to go beyond acting into a sort of conjuring act.
As for the movie, its very good.
But not quite on the level of Oldmans squalling performance.
They seem to exist under glass.
And youre always aware of the director when you should be swept up in the story.
Still, I liked it a lot.
After all, any time Christian Bale is in a movie, its an event.
Along with del TorosThe Shape of Water, it was my favorite film at Telluride.
Bale plays Captain Joe Blocker, a haunted soldier in the untamed west in 1892.
Hes a career officer famous for his ruthless and bloody subjugation of Native Americans.
move, and Blocker wants no part of it, but he has no choice.
Shot in New Mexico and Colorado, the film is stunning to look at.
But the biggest draw is watching Bale do so much with seemingly so little.
Every gesture feels authentic and real.
You immediately understand who this man is (for better and worse) and what hes grappling with.
Darkest Houris out Nov. 22;Hostilesdoes not yet have distribution or a 2017 release date.
