Sam Mendes' 1917 First Reactions Praise a Technical Marvel & Awards Contender

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Reactions for 1917 have hit social media following its first screenings, and they all suggest the film is a major awards contender. Directed by Sam Mendes (Skyfall), the plot of 1917 follows two British soldiers (George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman) in World War I who must cross enemy lines to deliver a message which will prevent over a thousand men from walking into a deadly trap. The film is based on a story Mendes' grandfather once told him about his own experiences in the war. The rest of the all-star British cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, and Colin Firth.

Even before its first screenings, 1917 was tentatively considered an awards contender thanks to those working on the project. The cast contains multiple previous Oscar and BAFTA nominees, and Mendes himself won the Oscar for Best Director for American Beauty. Plus, the film's cinematographer, Roger Deakins, is largely considered one of the very best cinematographers in Hollywood. 1917 was shot and edited to look like one continuous take, a move which appears to have paid off.

1917 will have a limited release in December to qualify for an awards run before going wide on January 10, 2020. In order to get the word out, Universal Pictures has begun to hold screenings of the film. Check out some of the reactions collated from Twitter below:

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While early reactions tend to usually be more favorable than actual reviews, these bode well for 1917's awards prospects. So far films like Joker, Marriage Story, and The Irishman have dominated the awards talk, but there is still time for other movies to stake their claim. 1917's later-in-the-year release will likely not hurt it's chances based on its reputation alone, and the fact that it is as a war film based on a true story. How general audiences may respond to 1917 is unclear, but Mendes' reputation could draw people in, as well as this new awards buzz.

So far, it's looking like 1917 could earn nominations for Best Picture, Cinematography, and Director, as well as a variety of other behind the scenes categories. Many people are already considering it a front-runner in some of those categories, meaning the race just got a lot more exciting. It is likely 1917 will appear on a lot of year end lists, though people will have to wait a bit longer for official reviews. Oscar nomination voting doesn't open until January 2, but there are plenty of smaller awards popping up before then which will give viewers a better indication of which movies will be included on the final ballots.

1917 (2019) release date: Dec 25, 2019