A Look at the 11 Youngest Oscar Nominees Throughout History

Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense

The time is upon us. We are officially in the single digits of the Academy Awards countdown. Leading up to the big day, I will be sharing random goodies that will be meant to highlight various Oscar trends. Yesterday was a ranking of every nominated film with more than 10 wins. In honor of today marking only 9 days to go, I have decided to pay tribute to the little guy. By that, I mean the kids who have populated the Oscar circles with their own impressive performances. The following is a list of the 11 youngest performers, for whom cinema would be  greatly different without.

"12 Years a Slave" Impresses Tiff and Raises Oscar Buzz Potential

Left to right: Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, and Chiwetel Ejiofir

This past week saw many already put the stamp on what is going to be the Best Picture winner this year.With such high praise, many critics who attended the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) were privy to seeing one of my most anticipated movies of the Fall: director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave. While it has also given many other reveals on potential nominees (including the critically panned August: Osage County), this is great news not only from the standpoint of the director, but for the season to come. It may make the season dull, but to know that we already have a front runner suggests that Oscar Buzz season is starting off just right.

The "12 Years A Slave" Trailer Makes the Fall Season Look More Exciting

Left to right: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender

If there has been one film that seems to have come out of nowhere and suggested Oscar Buzz in the past week, it has to be director Steve McQueen's latest 12 Years a Slave. With an all-star cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, and last year's Academy Award Best Actress nominee Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild), it already looks to be one of the most impressive groups in a film this year. With a mix of current events and the idea that a movie like Django Unchained can receive nominations, is it possible that this tale of slavery is capable of getting a Best Picture nomination? If the recently released trailer is any clue, I would place my money on it.

Will the Word of Mouth Success of "Beasts of the Southern Wild" get the Film Oscar Nominations?

Left to right: Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry

Check out my review for the film here.

It has been quite a year for indie films in regards to awards season. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master managed to win over critics and place Joaquin Phoenix as a top contender (though his comments may cause problems) and has gotten a few record breaking titles attached to its legacy. However, long before The Master was winning over audiences, there was director Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild, which saw one of the most original stories of the year with an equally engaging cast, thus making it the indie film that could. However, is the early praise of the film able to sustain now that we're seeing all of the big shots starting to compete?

Review: "Beasts Of The Southern Wild" presents a strange wilderness

Left to right: Dwight Henry and Quevenzhane Wallis

The following review was originally published in August on CinemaBeach, where I post reviews every Thursday. Stay tuned for a follow-up piece within the next few weeks detailing my thoughts on how the film will do at the Oscars. Will Quvenzhane Wallis stand a chance of getting a Best Actress nomination? All of that will be talked about soon. Until then, please check out my review for further information.