3. Noah
Darren Aronofsky’s Biblical epic was once considered an awards heavyweight, but its March release and divisive reception will make it tough for the film to get any attention from the Academy. Still, it’s an impressive, if flawed film, and there’s a possibility that the Academy will see fit to honor it in a few categories.
Noah doesn’t deserve a Best Picture nomination, and it won’t get one, given how crowded that field is going to be this year. However, Aronofsky’s distinctive, ambitious direction could earn him a Best Director nomination, especially if voters come to appreciate the massive scale that the director was working on with Noah. Best Production Design is also a strong possiblity, as is Best Visual Effects. The sequences involving the ark, the Nephilim and the flood are all positively breathtaking, so Noah could definitely remain in voters’ minds. In the acting categories, only Russell Crowe stands a chance of getting a nomination, but he’ll almost definitely get pushed out by contenders who’ll pick up buzz in the fall. Still, Crowe’s last role in a historical epic – 2000’s Gladiator – actually won him the Best Actor trophy, so ruling him out might be ill-advised.