This Sunday, the biggest stars in Hollywood will come together under one roof to celebrate some of the greatest films in the past year.
There’s a competitive field stacked with talent, including The Shape of Water with 13 nominations and Dunkirk at 7.
But which films will take home the coveted gold statue?
My predictions are who I think will win the Oscar and my picks are the ones I would like to see win.
Best Picture:
Call Me by Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Prediction: Three Billboards
Pick: Lady Bird
It’s shocking to see Three Billboards gain the amount of press it has, because it doesn’t strike me as a film that would be universally known or a box office hit like Get Out or Dunkirk.
It was one of my favorite films of the year, but I love Lady Bird slightly more. I laughed, cried and was heartbroken during Lady Bird, but that’s what going to the movies is all about.
Lead Actor:
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Prediction: Gary Oldman
Pick: Daniel Day-Lewis
I know that the Academy is not allowed to award Day-Lewis his fourth Oscar because that would be unfair.
Gary Oldman gives an incredible performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, but it feels like Oscar bait.
On the other hand, Day-Lewis is hypnotizing as Reynolds Woodcock and manages to give an unforgettable performance although he’s blown away audiences in so many other roles throughout the decades.
Hats off to Oldman though, it’s well deserved.
Lead Actress:
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post
Prediction: Sally Hawkins
Pick: Margot Robbie
Sally Hawkins gave an excellent performance as a mute in The Shape of Water by conveying so much emotion without uttering a word.
However, Margot Robbie is wired in I, Tonya and became a much more serious actress in Hollywood with this role.
It’s fine if Hawkins takes the gold, but I’d love to see Robbie pull up an upset.
Supporting Actor:
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Prediction: Sam Rockwell
Pick: Willem Dafoe
I’m not sure why Rockwell is getting all the love during awards season.
Sure, he did fine in his role as Officer Dixon in Three Billboards, but I don’t think anyone saw Dafoe as Bobby in The Florida Project because it underperformed at the box office.
Dafoe acts from the heart in his role and stars as one of the most lovable characters in recent memory. Let’s go Dafoe!
Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water
Prediction: Allison Janney
Pick: Allison Janney
Allison Janney completely transforms herself into a foul-mouthed old woman with wrinkles, a greasy grayish-brown hairdo and Elton John-sized glasses while wearing a fur coat and tubes in her nose from an oxygen tank in I, Tonya; Janney acts hard nosed and packs a punch in this Oscar worthy role.
Director:
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Prediction: Guillermo del Toro
Pick: Guillermo del Toro
I wasn’t blown away by The Shape of Water, but I respect the heart and vision del Toro poured into it. Del Toro is a well respected director who deserves the Oscar for his work in this film and his previous pieces.
Best Live Action Short Film:
DeKalb Elementary, Reed Van Dyk
The Eleven O’Clock, Derin Seale, Josh Lawson
My Nephew Emmett, Kevin Wilson, Jr.
The Silent Child, Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton
Watu Wote/All of Us, Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen
Prediction: DeKalb Elementary
Pick: The Silent Child
DeKalb Elementary is a relevant film, considering it touches upon mental illness and school shootings in an emotional way. I loved Dekalb, but I learned something I never thought of from The Silent Child.
There are thousands of children placed in mainstream schools that should instead be learning to communicate through sign language.
This especially hits home, considering I knew someone in that situation who went my high school.
All the films are excellent in this category and I’m content with whoever brings home the gold.
Cinematography:
Blade Runner 2049, Roger Deakins
Darkest Hour, Bruno Delbonnel
Dunkirk, Hoyte van Hoytema
Mudbound, Rachel Morrison
The Shape of Water, Dan Laustsen
Prediction: Roger Deakins
Pick: Roger Deakins
Roger Deakins is Hollywood’s biggest loser. The cinematographer has 14 Oscar nominations and not a single win. His work is great in Blade Runner 2049 and it’s about time he wins an Oscar.
Best Documentary Short Subject:
Edith+Eddie, Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright
Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405, Frank Stiefel
Heroin(e), Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon
Knife Skills, Thomas Lennon
Traffic Stop, Kate Davis, David Heilbroner
Prediction: Traffic Stop
Pick: Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405
Traffic Stop deserves the win because it deals with the tensions between cops and African Americans by eloquently telling the story of a woman who you would think would be the last person involved in an incident with the police.
I love all the films in this category, but Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 tells an unexpectedly heartwarming story that shows how art can be the cure to our toughest problems.
IMAGE TAKEN from exostipress.gi
IMAGE TAKEN from thehollywoodreporter.com
IMAGE TAKEN from whatculture.com
