The Goods: 20 Should-Be Oscar Contenders from 2015

The year is over. A lot of films have come and gone, but a few managed to stick in our heads for perhaps longer than we expected. Will these titles and their stars pop-up on the Academy's list in a couple weeks? Probably not, but maybe they should! 

We have compiled 20 should-be contenders this awards season. Some of them might surprise you! Who do you think should be in the conversation? Check out our list and leave a comment.

"Room" Review (****½)

Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson shine in "Room."

"Room" opens with Ma (played by Brie Larson, "Short Term 12,") and Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in the midst of their morning routine. The shots are close and color-muted. The frame is both sharp and unfocused, creating this disorienting, claustrophobic sensation within the viewer. From the very beginning we know that something is wrong, a feeling that I attribute entirely to Stephen Rennick's score and Danny Cohen's cinematography. Ma and Jack stretch; Jack runs back and forth; he takes his vitamins; they eat breakfast. We see bits of the room: a small bed, a bathtub, a toilet, a wardrobe.