We had five films release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

Bleed for This

The Academy has a long and varied history with boxing dramas. Of all sports-oriented features, boxing has been recognized far more frequently than any other. Perhaps it’s the underdog drama that permeates boxing history. Perhaps it’s the creativity with which editors need to work in order to pull off the rapid-fire punching associated. Whatever the reason, new boxing dramas have to at least be put into consideration.

That’s true when you have actors like Miles Teller and Aaron Eckhart involved. The only problem is the film has to generally be good to be considered. Critics have been decidedly mixed on the film, giving it a lukewarm 63% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Since the film failed to ignite the box office, you can probably write this one off entirely.

The Edge of Seventeen

Hailee Steinfeld was a strong contender for an Oscar nomination for her performance in the re-adaptation of True Grit. While she hasn’t had a vehicle worthy of her since, nor one capable of Oscar consideration, she may have finally stumbled on it now.

The Edge of Seventeen is receiving enthusiastic reviews. While I doubt Steinfeld will be able to crack the highly competitive Best Actress race, there’s a solid chance it could make inroads in other categories like Best Original Screenplay or Best Supporting Actor for Woody Harrelson. There are a lot of challengers out there, so it faces an uphill battle, but with support from critics, it might be able to do well.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

One of the most consistently recognized franchises in cinema history, the Harry Potter universe has claimed only twelve Oscar nominations to date. That comes from 6 of the 8 movies put out. As such, it’s hard to imagine Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an extension of the universe, not having a chance at nominations.

Set in 1920s New York City, the fantastical world of witches and wizards has plenty of eye candy for cinema buffs. The period setting combined with the myriad effects on display make this the first of the franchise that could crack the 3 nominations the first and final film each received. Where will it compete? Best Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. I suspect that it will only pick up four of these nods, but more is always possible. Drop the two sound awards from the list and you have my best guesses.

Manchester by the Sea

It is one of the most acclaimed films of the year, which makes it one of the year’s biggest contenders. Written and directed by Oscar nominee Kenneth Lonergan, the film stars Oscar nominees Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams.

While Williams’ role is said to be small, the film belongs to Affleck, one of today’s finest working actors. That fact alone gives him a leg up in the Best Actor race. Many are already declaring the competition over and it wouldn’t surprise me. With the critics in full support, look for it to also figure in Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor (Kyle Chandler), Original Score, and Film Editing. The music category and supporting actor and actress are its two weakest chances, but to be a major Best Picture contender, it needs more than five nominations.

Nocturnal Animals

Tom Ford’s hyper stylish drama has received solid, but not ecstatic responses from critics. His second film has some distinct possibilities for nominations, but the lack of driving force with critic awards will keep its chances muted.

Seven years removed from his Oscar-nominated A Single Man, Ford doesn’t benefit from a long overdue status, as this is only his second film to date. That doesn’t mean he won’t get nominated, but since Single Man only managed a nomination for lead actor Colin Firth. It could have managed nominations for other members of the cast or for the film itself in writing or elsewhere, but ultimately it couldn’t muster enough support.

This time out, stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams are both frequent Oscar contenders, as are supporting actors Michael Shannon and Laura Linney. Add to them Aaron Taylor-Johnson who’s getting strong notices, and you have plenty of room for consideration. Adams, however, has Arrival to push her into the Best Actress race, Gyllenhaal seems to be the perpetual Best Actor bridesmaid, and Taylor-Johnson just doesn’t have the longevity to demand attention. Shannon, however, probably has the best shot. After his surprise nomination for Reservation Road, we always suspect he could be in the race. A lot now depends on how well the film hangs on through Precursor Season and how well it performs with the Golden Globes.