The 89th annual Academy Awards promise to be one for the books. To be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on February 26th, there are many things to pay attention to throughout the night. Will there be a repeat of last year’s #oscarssowhite? Will it resemble the SAGs in January when celebrities used their acceptance speeches as an opportunity to speak out against Trump? Will Lupita Nyong’o win the dress game again? (I’m betting yes). While all of these questions certainly add to the Oscar experience, at the heart of it all it’s still Hollywood’s biggest night, a night to honor greatness in cinema. I’ve been busy the past few months viewing as many of the nominated movies as possible, and so without further ado here are my Oscar predictions for the show’s most significant awards:
Cinematography
Nominations: Arrival (Bradford Young), La La Land (Linus Sandgren), Lion (Greig Fraser), Moonlight (James Laxton), Silence (Rodrigo Prieto)
Prediction: La La Land
I’d personally like to see Arrival get some credit here, simply because its chances of winning in other categories are slim to none, but I think La La Land will grab most of the nights production awards. It certainly deserves the wins, but I can’t help wishing for them to spread the awards around.
Best Animated Film
Nominations: Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana, My Life as a Zucchini, The Red Turtle, Zootopia
Prediction: Moana
While Zootopia managed to snag the Golden Globe for animation, I’m going with Disney’s crowd-favorite Moana here. The story of a young Polynesian girl setting out to save her tribe and establish her identity has been the year’s top animated film.
Best Director
Nominations: Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
Prediction: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Damien Chazelle’s La La Land has been in the works since 2010, and its clear why. The screenplay, cinematography, costumes, acting (plus singing and dancing), and overall incredible production value all came together under Chazelle’s direction. He well deserves what I believe will be his first Academy here.
Best Supporting Actress
Nominations: Viola Davis (Fences), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Nicole Kidman (Lion), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)
Prediction: Viola Davis (Fences)
This is one of the most competitive categories this year, and all of these actresses are fully deserving of the award. However, I must go with Viola Davis in Denzel Washington’s movie Fences. Her portrayal of a housewife in 1950s Pittsburg, struggling with her husband’s erratic behaviors, is simply one for the ages.
Best Supporting Actor
Nominations: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Dev Patel (Lion), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)
Prediction: Dev Patel (Lion)
Garth Davis’ beautiful movie following the story of a young Indian boy separated from his family, and his search for them years later as an adult is worthy of all of its many nominations. However, I’m guessing that in this competitive year, Best Supporting Actor may be its only shot at a major win. Dev Patel’s portrayal as the adult Saroo is emotionally gripping, and win or not I’m sure we’ll be seeing more from him in the future.
Best Actress
Nominated: Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Ruth Negga (Loving), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Emma Stone (La La Land), Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)
Prediction: Emma Stone (La La Land)
This for me was the easier prediction to make. While Natalie Portman was wonderful in Jackie, and Meryl Streep is certainly a force to be reckoned with after 20 Oscar nominations, Emma Stone’s magical performance in the modern-day musical is certain to guarantee her first Oscar win.
Best Actor
Nominated: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Denzel Washington (Fences)
Prediction: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
I believe that Casey Affleck’s performance of a man haunted by the horrors of his past, who must return to his hometown in order to raise his late brother’s teenage son will warrant the younger Affleck his first Oscar. However, Denzel Washington’s performance in his self-directed movie Fences based on August Wilson’s play could easily win as well. Also not to be underestimated is Ryan Gosling for La La Land.
Best Picture
Nominated: Arrival, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight
Prediction: Moonlight
While La La Land is a clear top contender after its sweep at the Golden Globes (as well as being my personal favorite), I’m going with Barry Jenkin’s coming-of-age film starring Mahershala Ali, Ashton Sanders, and Naomie Harris for the night’s biggest award. Following the difficult life of a boy called Chiron from his time growing up in Miami to becoming a drug dealer in Atlanta, I think the Academy will provide an upset by picking this art film over the more mainstream La La Land.
That concludes my predictions for the night’s biggest awards. If you don’t agree, you can submit your own predictions here for a chance to win tickets to next year’s ceremony. And don’t forget to tune into the Oscars at 4 PM Pacific time on Sunday February 26th on ABC. Happy watching!