7. Kill the Messenger
This is a riskier pic than most, but I could see it shaping up to be this year’s Argo. The movie centers on Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner), an American journalist who, in 1996, uncovered that the CIA had ties to a major crack cocaine smuggling operation in California and was using the profits from that operation to funnel arms to rebel fighters in Nicaragua. Webb’s investigation puts him and his family at risk, but he continues to dig, determined to bring the ugly truth to the American public. It’s a compelling subject, and one that should play exceptionally well with voters.
I’m predicting Best Actor for Renner (the lone actor snubbed for American Hustle, and one who is long overdue for another nomination) and Best Adapted Screenplay (for journalist Peter Landesman’s script). Beyond that, it’s a guessing game. Kill the Messenger might be able to swing a Best Picture nomination, but so could every movie on this list, and Kill the Messenger is far from a power player.
Kill the Messenger opens October 10th.