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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 20 July 2017
‘Dunkirk,’ ‘Get Out’ may give Oscars a crowd-pleasing punch

By JAKE COYLE gage with it, anything that Oscar heavyweight. “The
AP Film Writer comes later is a huge bo- War for the Planet of the
NEW YORK (AP) — The nus.” Apes” even has some buzz,
stranglehold that autumn “Dunkirk” may bear the including pleas for consid-
prestige films have on Os- look and seriousness of an ering Andy Serkis’ motion-
car season just might be Oscar season film, right capture performance as
wilting in the summer sun. down to the wool coats. the ape Caesar. Such an
Christopher Nolan’s World But shot in 70mm IMAX, it honor, while unlikely, would
War II epic “Dunkirk” hits also has much of the vis- be a game-changer in an
theaters Friday, but the ceral spectacle of a sum- increasingly digitized mov-
overflowing reviews have mer movie. Thomas and ie world.
already made it abundant- Nolan have also previously Jordan Peele’s horror sen-
ly clear: It’s a major Oscar had success July. It’s when sation “Get Out” ($252 mil-
BC-US--Film-Early Oscar Season,2nd Ld-Writethru contender and a best-pic- they released “Inception” lion worldwide after open-
07/19/2017 2:38PM - 992 words ture front-runner — even in (which earned eight Oscar ing in late February) could
(Eds: Adds additional photos. With AP Photos.) July. nods and won four awards) well be the first horror film
And “Dunkirk,” which ana- and “The Dark Knight.” The nominated for best picture
lysts expect to debut this Oscar oversight of the lat- since 1991’s “The Silence of
weekend with $60 million- ter, released in 2008, was the Lambs.” At the least,
plus in domestic ticket seen as a major motivation Peele should be a likely
sales, might not be the only for the expansion of the nominee for best screen-
box-office hit to crash this best-picture category the play.
year’s awards season. The next year from five nomi- Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder
zeitgeist-grabbing sensa- nees to up to 10. Woman” has been an
tions “Get Out” and “Won- “We’ve had very good luck even bigger box-office dy-
der Woman” could also be in July in the past and we namo and earned nearly
players come Academy like this date. It’s an acces- as good reviews as “Get
Awards time. sible movie,” said Thomas. Out.” Whereas Peele’s film
It is, of course, exception- “When you put movies at was received as landmark
ally early to handicap the the end of the year, you’re film for its fusion of genre
Oscars. And it’s far from sort of saying something with a satirical critique of
uncommon for early break- about it. You’re almost lim- race in America, “Wonder
outs to recede once the fall iting it, in a way, and we Woman” set a new record
film festivals start firing out don’t want to limit the film.” for top-grossing film by a fe-
heavily anticipated releas- The Oscars haven’t been male director. Jenkins and
es from Hollywood’s most without crowd-pleasers. star Gal Gadot could well
acclaimed directors. Ste- “La La Land” made more be in the hunt. The unlikely
ven Spielberg, Paul Thomas than $440 million globally. awards run last season of
Anderson and Alexander “Hidden Figures” charmed “Deadpool” suggested
Payne are just some of North American audiences voters may be open to
those waiting in the wings to $230 million. The year awarding a superhero film.
this year. before, the May-released A campaign for Jenkins,
But any influx from the rest “Mad Max: Fury Road” who helmed the Oscar-
of the calendar year would crashed the Academy winning “Monster,” would
be a welcome change of Awards with 10 nomina- be closely watched since
pace for an awards sea- tions and six wins. only four women have ever
son that has in recent years “Dunkirk” may be a similar been nominated for best
only further solidified as a force in craft categories. director. Kathryn Bigelow,
predominantly September- Its ensemble nature may the sole winner of the four,
December affair. Last year, leave less room for acting also has a film upcoming:
August’s “Hell or High Wa- attention, though recent her ambitious Detroit riots
ter” was the earliest best- Oscar-winner Mark Ry- drama “Detroit,” out Aug.
picture nominee. lance is a standout. More 4.
Aside from spreading out notably, Nolan seems likely Usually, a highly relevant,
what are potentially some to finally land his — some socially conscious film
of the year’s best movies, would say overdue — first from one of Hollywood’s
any awards love for the likes directing nomination. He most celebrated filmmak-
of “Dunkirk,” ‘’Get Out” or has already earned the ers would be plunged right
“Wonder Woman” would praise of fellow filmmak- into awards season. But the
give the Oscars something ers like Rian Johnson (who calculus was different for
it has often lacked in re- called the film “an all tim- “Detroit,” which was delib-
cent years: major release er”) and Jon Favreau (“be- erately timed to the 50th
crowd-pleasers. lieve the hype”). anniversary of the riots.
“It’s not really a factor for Other summer movies And she, like many others,
us, the awards thing,” says might also shake up the doesn’t love the increased
Emma Thomas, producer Oscars. The acclaimed ro- emphasis on Oscar season.
of “Dunkirk.” ‘’This film we mantic comedy “The Big “It’s not why we make
primarily thought of as an Sick” has the backing of these films,” said Bigelow.
entertainment. For us, we Amazon, which last year “The motivation behind the
make films for audiences. similarly acquired “Man- release has to do with the
My feeling is always: If your chester by the Sea” at 50-year anniversary,” she
film works and people en- Sundance and made it an said. q