Hello Oscar season!

November is right around the corner and with it comes the slew of movies all vying for that little golden statue called Oscar.\n While 2005 has already seen potential candidates in the form of Ron Howard's brilliant boxing biopic "Cinderella Man," Fernando Meirelles' political thriller "The Constant Gardener" and John Madden's mathematically poignant "Proof," most studios hold off on releasing the cream of the crop until the end of the year. So kick back, relax and have a look at what the rest of the year has to offer in terms of Best Picture contenders:
\nJarhead -- (Nov. 4)
\nThe season kicks off with a bang in the form of director Sam Mendes' "Jarhead," a big screen adaptation of Anthony Swofford's harrowing account of his days as a marine during Desert Storm. Sam Mendes is no foreigner to the Oscars, having won Best Picture and Best Director with his debut effort "American Beauty." And with a cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Chris Cooper, "Jarhead" sure won't be going down without a fight.
\nWalk the Line -- (Nov. 18)
\nIf last year was any evidence of the Academy's love for biopics, especially musical ones like "Ray," "Walk the Line," the biopic of Johnny Cash, looks to be chasing the golden statue. While there is plenty of competition for Best Picture, Joaquin Phoenix's performance as the Man in Black is sure to grab an Oscar nomination.
\nSyriana -- (Nov. 23)
\nChances are if you loved Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic" then "Syriana" is a must-see on your list. Written and directed by Stephen Gaghan (whose "Traffic" screenplay won him an Oscar), "Syriana" tells the story of CIA operative Robert Baer (played by George Clooney) and his experiences with terrorists and oil barons in the Middle East. With an ensemble cast and elements of political commentary on our government, "Syriana" is sure to grab everyone's attention one way or another.
\nBrokeback Mountain -- (Dec. 9)
\nHaving already claimed the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" is practically a shoe-in for Best Picture. "Mountain" tells the story of two male ranchhands who fall in love while herding sheep in Wyoming during the summer of 1963. Ang Lee, whose previous Oscar effort "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" amazed the Academy, has made one film sure to grab nominations all around including Best Director, and Best Actor slots for Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
\nMemoirs of a Geisha -- (Dec. 9)
\nRob Marshall impressed everyone with his directorial debut in the form of "Chicago" and now he returns with his sophomore effort: an adaptation of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel "Memoirs of a Geisha." Beautifully crafted and using the crème de la crème of Asian talent -- Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li to name a few -- "Memoirs" is the story of how the young Sayuri went from being a little girl from a fishing village to one of Japan's greatest geisha.
\nMunich -- (Dec. TBA)
\nAlready being called the film to beat this year by numerous critics, Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg finally returns to Oscar-caliber filmmaking with "Munich" -- and there isn't even a trailer for it yet! "Munich," based on the assassination of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympics, sees Spielberg handling the serious kind of material that guaranteed him Oscar wins with "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." And while I'm sure the Academy regrets giving "Shakespeare in Love" the Best Picture win over "Ryan," they probably won't make the same mistake twice.
\nThe New World -- (Jan. 13)\nJust barely making it before consideration deadline, director Terrence Malick's 7-year hiatus ends with his newest work of art, "The New World." The last time Malick was nominated it was for "The Thin Red Line," his take on the Pacific Theater during WWII while Spielberg took on Europe. This time Malick is telling the story of John Smith and Pocahontas -- the real story, not some Disney-esque fairytale. With an incredible cast and his eye for even the most minor details, Malick is sure to challenge Spielberg once again for Best Director consideration. \nThese are only some of the Oscar contenders for the year. There are still plenty others currently floating around in limited release which are sure to make voters think long and hard before making a checkmark on their ballots. "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Capote," "North Country," "The Producers" and even "King Kong" all have the potential for the coveted Oscar nod(s). Come Jan. 31, 2006 at \n5:30 a.m. PST the nominations will be announced, which gives you plenty of time to see some of the year's forthcoming films.