A bounty of biopics to set off the autumn award season right

A major sign that fall is upon us are the big league dramas that arrive at the movie theaters, some of which clearly meant to be seen and noticed for Oscar nomination consideration.

One category that's surefire to get such attention and acclaim is the biopic, where actors showcase their skills in being fictional yet realistic versions of legendary figures from the past.

Some are better than others when it comes to the sincerest form of flattery but at the moment, we have a trio of performances that promise to be more than just cinematic imitations.

For example, Renee Zellweger is gathering up favorable reviews as the title character in Judy and yes as in Garland. This portion of the Hollywood icon's life is set in 1969, where she had trouble making ends meet and has to travel to London for an exclusive tour at Talk of the Town.

Her substance abuse problems have taken a toll on her, making it hard to be with her children and for American producers to want to work with her. As Judy struggles to keep herself together in order to complete her theatrical contract, a new romance in her life is not helping to maintain her professional needs.

This film is based on an award winning stage play(called End of the Rainbow) and it wouldn't be too surprising to see the movie get a Best Screenplay Adaptation here yet it's Zellweger who is bringing folks to the multiplex for her heartfelt portrayal of a woman who spent most of her life putting on a happy face for audiences but never able to find her own true joy in this world:

Meanwhile, just released in theaters(with streaming on Netflix due by October 25) is Dolemite Is My Name, starring Eddie Murphy as Rudy Ray Moore who brought his comedic character Dolemite to life on the silver screen.

Moore had to self finance the movie, something that he was no stranger to as his raunchy comedy albums were also sold that way. His outrageous style of humor did give him a small amount of fame yet by making Dolemite the star of several blaxploitation films, he achieved a level of influence upon future generations that is still felt today.

While this is seen as a good comeback vehicle for Eddie Murphy , there is a solid supporting cast along side him such as Keegan-Michael Key as Dolemite screenwriter Jimmy Jones, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Lady Reed and Wesley Snipes as director D'Urville Martin. Whether you see it on the big screen or the small, this sounds like a great way to celebrate the power of movie making no matter what it takes:

Speaking of the small screen, we're getting Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood in November. Matthew Rhys co-stars as a cynical journalist doing a profile on the humble  children's TV
host who finds himself pleasantly surprised by how authentic Fred Rogers truly was.

This is a tricky film release, due to the success of the Fred Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? last year. With that movie fresh in the minds of most of the target audience for this flick, a lot of compare and contrast will be taking place here.

However, Hanks has become a rather lovable figure with folks who is almost as respected as Mr. Rogers himself , so this may be a perfect match of artist and subject, we shall see:

While it's hard not to get a bit jaded with some of the fall films out for award show contention, it's also refreshing to see that some of the big biopics out there appear to be quality material that intend to engage moviegoers with insight as well as nostalgia.

Of course, if you're more inclined to stay home, you won't be biopic deprived. HBO is planning to air a miniseries starring Helen Mirren as one of history's most memorable royal ladies, Catherine the Great, a true queen and formidable diva indeed. A good biopic can do more than just entertain, it can inspire and perhaps this look at a woman in power will be a good object lesson in more ways than one: