The Imitation Game

On Thursday, the Toronto International Film Festival kicks off and this marks (along with Venice Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival) that, yes, Oscar season just fired its starting gun. I will be headed to Toronto to cover the festival for ScreenCrush and, well, it's a little overwhelming. There are a lot of good movies! There's Benedict Cumberbatch playing WWII code breaker Alan Turing in 'The Imitation Game'; and Jake Gyllenhaal as a sleazy freelance photographer in 'Nightcrawler,' and Jon Stweart's directorial debut, 'Rosewater'; and the Cannes darling, 'Foxcatcher,' starring Channing Tatum, Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo. And two -- count 'em -- TWO Adam Sandler movies that just might signal his long-awaited return to, let's say, well reviewed films with 'The Cobbler' and Jason Reitman's 'Men, Women & Children.' Anyway, I can't decide on my own, so we enlisted the help of a slew of respected film journalists who are also headed to TIFF and asked them what it is they are all looking forward to seeing.

The Toronto International Film Festival is considered by many critics and movie fans to be the best in the world, and the list of titles announced for this year's fest is compelling evidence that this is true. In addition to the star-studded gala premieres, the festival is hosting all kinds of fascinating films that you're going to want to keep an eye on.

Technology is the star in the first 'Imitation Game' trailer, which previews Benedict Cumberbatch's upcoming turn as Alan Turing, the historic mathematician who cracked the German's Enigma code during WWII. Could this be Cumberbatch's chance for an Oscar? Granted it's early for speculation, but he is the perfect choice to play such a part.

When we last heard about 'The Imitation Game,' Leonardo DiCaprio was dropping out of it. However, a role as juicy as that of Alan Turing wasn't going to go unoccupied for long and it looks like 'Sherlock' star and 'Star Trek Into Darkness' villain Benedict Cumberbatch may be stepping in.