Awards Contenders
Watercooler contributors sift out the movies and series worthy of Oscar, Emmy, or Golden Globe attention.
Watercooler Picks: Film
The Magician’s Elephant
An uplifting family movie night film, The Magician’s Elephant is a richly animated adventure tale about the search for family, belonging and hope.
Aftersun
A deeply felt, slow-burning indie film about a 30-something woman looking back on her last vacation with her father 20 years earlier, it’s a work that’s true impact sneaks up on you after the credits roll.
Triangle of Sadness
With so many awards-caliber movies taking us into very dark places, Triangle of Sadness brings laughter and sunshine to its biting indictment of influencers, wealth and class divides. Stick around for the third act.
Decision to Leave
A romantic Korean noir from legendary director Park Chan-wook, Decision to Leave captivates as much for the chemistry between its detective and suspect as for the shocking psychological mystery that unfolds.
Causeway
After a traumatic brain injury, a US soldier (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts memory loss, PTSD, and her family as she finds an unlikely comrade on her path to recovery.
The Inspection
A psychological drama about feeling alienated that captivates the lost loner in all of us, The Inspection also examines how men are “toughened up” by society. You’ll be hearing more about star Jeremy Pope.
Devotion
A gripping biopic about the Navy’s first Black fighter pilot – Jesse Brown – and the inspiring friendship that transcended racism and the conflicts of the Korean War. Starring Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell.
The Fabelmans
At its heart a story about the relationships that make us who we are, this is a must-see and top Oscar contender, Spielberg’s own version of Back to the Future, minus the DeLorean, for his own time-traveling to life in the 1950s.
Banshees of Inisherin
Riotously funny while weighted by tragicomic depth, Banshees of Inisherin is exquisitely crafted with sharp writing and stunning photography that bring a distinct time and place to life. Expect to laugh, gasp and cry before the credits roll.
Watercooler Picks: Series
Succession S4
Come to Succession for the palace intrigue, stay for the relevance of watching the top one percent plot, scheme, and masterfully insult each other as they face the same fears of obsolescence as the rest of us.
Black Bird
One of the best dramas of 2022, the Golden Globe-nominated Black Bird rises above other true crime shows as a psychological drama that peels away the layers to get to the moral questions beneath.
Fleishman is in Trouble
A smartly-written, often funny marriage drama, Fleishman is in Trouble will resonate with its honest, sometimes brutal, sometimes subtle portrayal of the ways that a connection can break down.
