Fret not, eager filmgoers. The journey through the mediocrity of post-summer and fall films is coming to an end. Need I say more? It’s Oscar season, baby.

It’s okay that you haven’t been to the movies in a month. Coming from me, that’s a pretty huge statement. To give you an idea, I’m usually the guy alone at the movie theater at 11:00am on a Saturday morning, throwing popcorn at Mel Gibson trailers. So when I say that you haven’t missed much, I really mean it.

If you’re like me, when the topic of seasonal movie previews is addressed, there is a moment of stress. One can feel overwhelmed with such an onslaught of potentially great films. Sorry to be melancholy, but the truth is, hype means nothing.

As a personal anecdote, I can’t help but think of that same feeling I had when I received Entertainment Weekly’s “Winter Movie Preview” issue a couple years ago. I developed serious anxiety rather quickly as I read up on all the upcoming flicks, only to be sorely disappointed that films such as “The Lovely Bones” weren’t worth the stress. I’m here to break down only a select few films that should be on your radar. To me, giving you a hundreds of upcoming movie titles can be a little much.

To summarize where the Oscar race currently stands so far this year, its safe to say that nothing yet has had the potential to create serious Oscar steam. Sure, there have been some great films and performances, such as Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life, the controversial summer art-house film starring Brad Pitt. While it was certainly cerebral, the film is far too polarizing to pick up any real Oscar steam. As for the others, “dramedy” Midnight in Paris and political thriller The Ides of March have gotten some acclaim, but they are hardly worthy of serious consideration, due to their lack of overwhelming praise. Still, we must consider that the Academy holds 10 Best Picture Nominations, so it is very possible for a couple of Fall films to slip in there.

Ok, let’s get down to business. How many movies should the average filmgoer actually get hyped about for the 2011 Oscar season? I’d say around three. Of course, there is no limit to the amount of films that people can look forward to, but there are only a select few that are truly valid to have great expectations for.

Let’s start with The Descendants, slated for wide release November 18. The film is written and directed by beloved filmmaker Alexander Payne, who returns to the silver screen after seven years. His portfolio includes films such as Sideways and About Schmidt. It doesn’t hurt that the film stars George Clooney, who is bound to give a brilliant performance. There has been some serious early buzz about this film, and you should mark November 18 on your calendar.

The next film that should hit your radar this month is a smaller film, unlikely to create much buzz around non-intense filmgoers. However, from what I hear about The Artist, it’s going to be great. A period piece set in Hollywood circa 1920, the film focuses on the relationship between a silent movie star and an up-and-coming dancer. If one were to read any other Oscar previews for 2012, they would see this film right at the top of the list of the probable. Oscar loves a period piece, whether its The King’s Speech racking up the awards last year, or films such as Shakespeare in Love and Titanic that picked up serious Oscar love. The advantage this flick has is that it has already been pre-screened by a number of critics, and the acclaim has been universally positive. With the Weinstein Brothers as the distributor and a late November countrywide release, expect The Artist to get serious Oscar buzz.

The final film on this list will be a little easier to seek out. It’s Steven Spielberg’s much-anticipated war epic, Warhorse. Film geeks (like yours truly), have been hearing about this one for years, and the hype machine has never been bigger than it is right now. Let’s break it down. Steven Spielberg, a master director for about 30 years, is known for getting Oscar love, but when it came down to his war film Saving Private Ryan in 1998, it was robbed of a Best Picture win. Thanks, Shakespeare in Love. As just a thought, perhaps War Horse will be his redemption, and Oscar will reward him with his first Best Picture win since Schindler’s List. No one has seen this one yet, so there is always a chance for a surprising bust, a la Shutter Island.

Of course, these are only a few films that will likely get an Oscar nod, but lets not forget about some other serious contenders. There’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. The Help, a late summer tearjerker. And you could never count out Clint Eastwood, for J. Edgar could be a smash.

Clearly, there is no way of knowing what to expect in this crazy season of cinema, but I am here to just make it a little easier for you. The truth is, most years don’t have too many great films, so we would be blessed to have more than five in any year. However, with a handful of big-time directors with a big budget, you never know what could happen. You have been warned, however.