The trailer looks like it has Oscar written all over it. Robert Zemeckis has the chops to make interesting films with a whole lot of heart. When Denzel turns the volume to 11, he can shake the cage like no other actor working today. The internet Oscar peeps are buzzing with anticipation. Billboards are plastered all over Los Angeles. The new poster (see below) looks like something very special. Paramount Pictures obviously thinks they have a winner. Will Flight soar into Oscar season as a late season shocker? In a year that’s very open, with no film yet uniting critics and audiences the way The Artist, The Social Network, The Hurt Locker, and Slumdog Millionaire had in previous years, Zemeckis’ return to live action filmmaking might be the film to beat come awards season.

Flight sees the light of day at the New York Film Festival on October 14th. By the time it opens theatrically on November 2nd, we should know whether it’s the real deal or not. I, for one, am rooting for this one to be a hit. Death Becomes Her and Cast Away are two of my favorite films of the past two decades. I love how Zemeckis has the rare ability to turn a Hollywood sense into a heartfelt smallness that entertains while also engaging in a relatable way. He doesn’t always succeed, but he always gives it all the soul he has. In some ways, he may be the last classic Hollywood director left working today.

Click below to see the new Flight poster: