Sean P. Means: Halfway through 2017, some reminders of Oscar-worthy work

Nobody talks about the Oscars in June.

In Hollywood's calendar, summer is the time for mindless blockbusters (hello there, "Transformers"), while the important movies that might garner Academy Awards and other prizes are saved up for the end of the year.

The thinking here is that Academy voters have short memories, so when they vote in January, they forget about the movies from six or eight months ago. On the other hand, summer is when kids are out of school, so that's when the drivel aimed at them will make the most money.

But just as blockbusters are now a year-round item, so too are good movies worthy of awards-season talk.

With 2017 nearly half over, let's remember — category by category — some work that should not be forgotten in six months' time:

Best Picture: "Wonder Woman" • Superhero movies don't get Oscar love, except in the technical categories (visual effects, sound mixing and so on). But Patty Jenkins' "Wonder Woman" is that rare popcorn movie that's also graced with powerful imagery, strong performances and genuine artistry.

Best Director: Jordan Peele, "Get Out" • On his first effort as director, the comedian/actor hit one out of the park. Peele used the trappings of the horror genre to create a lively, thought-provoking story about race and wealth — and it was still scary as hell.

Best Actor: Richard Gere, "Norman" • Dismissed as a pretty boy in his early career ("American Gigolo," "An Officer and a Gentleman"), Gere has mellowed into a reliably solid actor in recent years. Playing a New York fixer who cultivates political relationships, Gere delivers a career-defining performance filled with wit and pathos.

Best Actress: Kate Mara, "Megan Leavey" • I could have put Gal Gadot here, because her mix of strength and compassion as Princess Diana/Wonder Woman makes that movie what it is. But I'll go with another female hero, a real-life Marine finding her place in the world as part of a combat canine unit sniffing out IEDs in Iraq. Mara is pitch-perfect as the no-nonsense Megan, showing vulnerability only when it comes to her four-legged comrade-in-arms.

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Pattinson, "The Lost City of Z" • Pattinson, the former "Twilight" sparkly vampire, disappears completely behind glasses and a bushy beard to play the loyal assistant to Charlie Hunnam's obsessed explorer in James Gray's lush drama. Still, the viewer's eyes always return to him to see how he'll react next.

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Ehle, "A Quiet Passion" • Cynthia Nixon's portrayal of the poet Emily Dickinson in Terence Davies' austere biography is more showy, but Ehle's warm-hearted performance as Emily's devoted younger sister Lavinia gives this movie its pulse.

Original Screenplay: Nacho Vigalondo, "Colossal" • You can't say it's not original: A semi-alcoholic screw-up (Anne Hathaway) goes back to her hometown and discovers her actions control the movements of a kaiju rampaging Seoul, South Korea. Vigalondo, who also directed, not only conceived of this off-the-wall idea, but shaped it into a moving story of a woman fighting her demons.

Adapted Screenplay: Gaby Chiappe, "Their Finest" • Taken from Lissa Evans' World War II novel, this story of a young writer (Gemma Arterton), finding her voice while making movies to buck up British morale, hits all the right emotional notes as it moves gracefully from laughter to tears.

Sean P. Means writes The Cricket in daily blog form at www.sltrib.com/blogs/moviecricket. Follow him on Twitter @moviecricket. Email him at spmeans@sltrib.com.