Gary Oldman is remarkable as Winston Churchill in Joe Wright’s

suspended production

House of Cards. Ridley

All the Money in the World, features a transformative performance by Spacey

Getty that once seemed to be a lock for a best actor nomination. Now

a third acting Oscar has been essentially suspended, too.

3. DISABILITY CARRIES NO STIGMA

Playing a disabled character has long generated Academy

too numerous to mention,

stammering King George VI in The King’s Speech to

in Rain Man. believe that this year will be any different.

Oscar to go to actresses playing a mute character,

performance as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker, Marlee Matlin

performer to have won the award) in Children of a Lesser God and Holly Hunter in The Piano being the only winners to date.

That will probably change this year. After earning a supporting nomination for Blue Jasmine actress Sally Hawkins has earned major awards buzz for her leading role as a mute cleaning lady who falls in love with

in The Shape of Water. the kind of technically polished and socially sensitive work that and want to share with holiday audiences — a sensitive slice of feelgood entertainment in a season that is about nurturing the goodness of your heart.

promise an escape from Darkest Hour: political counterpart

Dunkirk. becoming prime minister,

government divided over a war against Germany for which it is poorly prepared, or a peace treaty not much different from surrender. Gary Oldman is remarkable as Churchill, completely

costuming and prosthetic jowls, and Kristin Scott Thomas is dramatically and comically outstand-