Oprah, Reba, and Francis Ford Coppola are among those throwing their support behind some of this season's top contenders.

Jim Jarmusch invites audiences into three family gatherings of adult children in his gentle tryptic “Father Mother Sister Brother,” starring Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett and Tom Waits.

It was, in other words, a typical year for Vulture, and we couldn’t be prouder of the 20 stories you’ll find below, plus the ...