Potential Oscar Contenders?

So, a rare sight in the past several years, is to have a film contend for even an Oscar nomination that has been released in the first half of the year.  Certainly, years ago when home video was king, we could see  The Silence of the Lambs, which was released in February, winning best picture, likewise, The Shawshank Redemption was also released early in the year and received 7 nominations.  Before the Oscars went to 10 nominations, the only best picture in recent years (since, say 2001), that had been out on DVD before the award season began was Crash.  In the past 2 years since we've had 10 BP nominations, only Pixar films and smaller indie films have been released before July, none of which inarguably would have been up had it not been for the expanded field.

This year, the most acclaimed smaller film thus far is Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen, an Oscar favorite, having been nominated 21 times during his career.  As much as the Oscars LOVE Woody, and this film has been raved as his triumphant return in the midst of all his other films over the last few years, it has only made about $7 million domestic, and a small film coming out early in the year is usually grounds for "forgettable," however, critics might push this film at the end of the year, especially for lack of a better film to fill 10 nominations for Best Picture.

The other, equally as acclaimed film, Win Win, has a small chance too, being that Comedies have been so popular among critics lately (a usually uncharacteristic trait), however, it's lack of star-power may inhibit it's memorability.

And finally, it may be too early to tell how Super 8 will be received, a current 82% on tomato-readings, however, having seen it and loved it, I may be biased for putting it on this list, but it is certainly cinematic, a trait which helped propel Inception last year (along with the half billion dollars the film made).  If Super 8 ends up coming in the top 3 box office gross this year (already almost impossible with Fast Five, Pirates and Hangover), then it should be nominated for Best Pic.

We also can't quite yet count out the Golden Palm winner, The Tree of Life, and how about last year's winner, Thailand's Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives? Maybe? Huh? Maybe?