November is a weird month. The weather is starting to change from fall to winter, and a sweatshirt is no longer enough to keep a person warm.
But other than Thanksgiving, there is another perk to the 11th month of the year — it’s awards season.
Films start making early pushes for the Academy Awards in November, so a surge of buzz-worthy films make their way to the big screen.
The season for watching movies comes at the perfect time. People can bundle up, head to the theater and sit in movie theater seats away from the brutally cold world. There’s also popcorn. Never forget the popcorn.
There are some reservations with releasing films that could garner nominations almost four months before the ceremony. The biggest obstacle movies face is longevity. The prime time to release an Oscar-worthy film is in mid-December, a couple weeks before ballot nominations close. So the early November premieres run the risk of Academy voters forgetting about those distributed before the final push.
Of course, the date doesn’t really matter too much when it comes down to choosing the best film. Take, for instance, the most recent Best Picture winner, Moonlight. The film was released Nov. 18 last year. Moonlight didn’t generate immediate buzz. It really wasn’t considered until it started winning awards at the Golden Globes and Screen Actor’s Guild Awards. The film’s subject matter also sparked a long-lasting discussion about the portrayal of gay characters.
A benefit of releasing films in November is that the films also make the cut for the Golden Globes — which helped Moonlight last year. The Golden Globes air in early January with submissions due in October for a whole month of screening in November. Just getting nominated for a Golden Globe can put movies in voting Academy members’ minds.
For film fanatics, the discussion about which films would be in contention for the next ceremony began months ago. It’s an ongoing cycle. But for those who only want to participate in the conversation when it’s totally relevant, now is the time to brush up on the films that could be recognized come March.
Georgia Davis is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What is your favorite part about awards season? Tell Georgia by tweeting her at @georgiadee35.
