With over 100 feature and short films comprised of documentaries, thrillers, horrors, dramas, and comedies, and a goal of gender parity through the “Share Her Journey” endeavor, it’s sure to be a tight field vying for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award. This award has, in the past, predicted the next Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards (“Green Book” 2018). This year is still anyone’s guess, but after scouring the preliminary, tentative line-up, I’ve got my top 10 picks of the fest (so far) and one of these just might be bringing home a gold statue on February 9, 2020.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Marielle Heller (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) directs Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers and Matthew Rhys as the jaded journalist whose life views just may be changed by this caring, thoughtful, and beloved children’s television host.
HARRIET
Directed by Kasi Lemmons, Cynthia Erivo recreates the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, delving deeply into the development of the Underground Railroad, risking her own life to save others.
FORD V FERRARI
Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in this “high-speed biographical drama” depicting American automotive engineers taking on the European favorite, Ferrari, in the 1966 “24 Hours of Le Mans.”
JOKER
Even the Joker gets an origin story in Todd Phillips’ film starring Joaquin Phoenix as the dark jester, which promises to be a deep character study as well as a cautionary tale.
FORD V FERRARI