'The Irishman' Is (Almost) Here, Eddie Murphy Is Back, and 'Diego Maradona' Scores | The Oscars Show

The Irishman 2019

3 hours 20 minutes, based on Charles Brandt's 'I Heard You Paint Houses,' de-aging tech on Pacino, De Niro, and Pesci. Premiered to rapturous reviews at NYFF; hosts haven't seen it yet but call it the Best Picture frontrunner.

Marriage Story 2019

One of two other Netflix films in the Best Picture conversation alongside The Irishman.

The Two Popes 2019

Premiered to acclaim at Telluride; the third potential Netflix Best Picture nominee.

Roma 2018

Last year's streaming-anxiety precedent, cited as the reason people underestimate how the Academy will treat The Irishman.

Green Book 2018

The safe, familiar winner voters picked over Roma; the comparison point for how The Irishman might play.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019

Tarantino's Best Director case, framed as a face-off with Scorsese this season.

1917 2019

Sam Mendes floated as the classic Academy compromise pick over both Scorsese and Tarantino.

Dolemite Is My Name 2019

Opens in one LA theater (the Alamo Drafthouse) before Netflix on October 25; a dramatic-but-funny turn the hosts think is a real Oscar performance.

Dolemite 1975

The original Rudy Ray Moore film being dramatized; boom mics fall into frame and the crew keeps rolling anyway, so it's unclear how much of it is intentionally bad.

Trading Places 1983

Cited as some of the funniest work Murphy's ever done, and the kind of comedy performance the Academy never recognizes.

Coming to America 1988

Beverly Hills Cop 1984

Referenced via a recent Rewatchables episode; not a great movie overall but a showcase for Murphy's screen presence.

Mr. Church 2016

Murphy's last live-action film before this one, a forgettable sentimental drama.

Dreamgirls 2006

The last time Murphy went dramatic and got an Oscar nomination out of it.

A Fish Called Wanda 1988

Kevin Kline's Best Supporting Actor win is cited as one of the rare times the Academy has rewarded a comedy performance.

Green Book 2018

Peter Farrelly's pivot from broad comedy to Oscar-friendly sincerity, offered as a precedent for Murphy's own turn.

There's Something About Mary 1998

Called vastly better than Green Book.

Dumb and Dumber 1994

Kingpin 1996

Daddy Day Care 2003

Marks the family-movie stretch of Murphy's career.

Dr. Dolittle 1998

Marks the family-movie stretch of Murphy's career.

Eddie Murphy Raw 1987

One of Murphy's two famous stand-up specials, singled out as the material that's aged the worst.

Eddie Murphy: Delirious 1983

The other of Murphy's two famous stand-up specials, singled out as the material that's aged the worst.

Diego Maradona 2019

American Factory 2019

Apollo 11 2019

Entirely archival footage; called an incredible feat of filmmaking.

One Child Nation 2019

The Edge of Democracy 2019

The Cave 2019

The Biggest Little Farm 2018

Knock Down the House 2019

Could have done solid indie box office if it hadn't gone straight to Netflix.

The Kingmaker 2019

The Great Hack 2019

Called more of a 'wallpaper' watch than a favorite, but effective at explaining Cambridge Analytica.

Ask Dr. Ruth 2019

Honeyland 2019

Called genuinely cinematic; watching it at home instead of in a theater felt like a loss.

The Elephant Queen 2019

The Apollo 2019

For Sama 2019

American Factory 2019

Directors Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar follow a Chinese company reopening a shuttered Dayton, Ohio GM plant; glass becomes a running metaphor for the whole film. Empathetic to both sides without picking one.

Diego Maradona 2019

Focuses on Maradona's mid-to-late-80s run at Napoli, built from an enormous private archive; a portrait of fame, doping, and self-destruction rather than a highlight reel.

Fyre 2019

Missed the DocsNYC list, probably for skipping a theatrical release, despite being one of the year's most talked-about documentaries.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond 2017

Director Chris Smith's prior Netflix documentary.

American Movie 1999

Director Chris Smith's earlier, much-loved documentary.

Diego Maradona 2019

The final entry in his 'Child Genius' trilogy; nine hours of interviews with Maradona in Dubai, most of the archival footage from his years in Naples.

Senna 2010

His first film in this style, told entirely through archival footage; took five years to make.

Amy 2015

Made a year after Amy Winehouse's death, when almost no one close to her would talk; won the Oscar for Best Documentary.

Parasite 2019

Kapadia's pick for the last great thing he's seen; saw it at its Cannes premiere and predicted it would win.

The Two Popes 2019

Also singled out as one of the best things he's seen recently, from a Telluride screening.