With the announcement of the first titles playing at this year's Cannes Film Festival, one could argue that this year's awards race has already begun. After all, future Oscar-winner THE ARTIST made it's debut at Cannes in 2012, and several contenders, including ALL IS LOST and NEBRASKA, were included in last year's selection. But what about the bigger studio fare due in the traditionally packed fourth quarter? Here, in collaboration with our partners at Pepsi Pulse is a list of some of next year's hottest titles, starting with a movie that seems primed to make it's big debut at this year's Toronto and/or Telluride Film Festival.
Robert Downey Jr. plays a lawyer who returns to his hometown only to discover that his father, the town judge, is the prime suspect in a murder. With Downey Jr. taking a break from big tent pole action movies, The Judgesounds like a crowd-pleaser in the making, and a spot at the Toronto International Film Festival in the fall seems like a given. Its studio, Warner Bros, clearly has faith in the movie giving it a prime October release date, which worked well for its Oscar-winners Argo and Gravity. If this is well-received, Robert Downey Jr. seems like a lock for a best actor nomination, while a supporting nod for Robert Duvall, who plays his father, also seems like a good bet.