Image from Flickr
On Tuesday, I broke down my thoughts on this year’s nominees for the Best Picture Oscar. Today, it’s time for my predictions for some of Sunday’s biggest categories.
Best 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.
Who will win: Gary Oldman
Who should win: Timothée Chalamet
Oldman will win simply based on the physical and vocal transformation he underwent to capture the essence of Churchill. Chalamet should win because his emotional performance as Elio, showed much more depth, but also marked him as an emerging talent.
Best 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
Who will win: Frances McDormand
Who should win: Saoirse Ronan
While both of these performances were incredible, McDormand was playing too much of a character. I much preferred the grounded performance of Ronan.
Best 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
Who will win: Sam Rockwell
Who should win: Sam Rockwell
The actors I thought were winners weren’t even nominated (Michael Stuhlbarg in Call Me By Your Name and Michael Shannon in The Shape of Water). Sam Rockwell does a great job as Officer Dixon and was my pick among the nominated actors.
Best Supporting Actress
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water
Who will win: Allison Janney
Who should win: Laurie Metcalf
I love Allison Janney and her win on Sunday will be well deserved. However, Laurie Metcalf’s performance made me cry both times I watched Lady Bird. Just like in the race for Best Actress, I much prefer the performances grounded in reality.
Best Director
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Who will win: Guillermo del Toro
Who should win: Paul Thomas Anderson
Del Toro will win due to the fact that he is able to tell a thorough story, even amongst the spectacle that is The Shape of Water. Anderson on the other hand deftly navigated the twists and turns of Phantom Thread, ensuring that the audience had no idea where the film was going to lead them until those exceptional final minutes. Just consider me #teamphantomthreadforever
Best Original Screenplay
The Big Sick
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Who will win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Who should win: The Big Sick
The Big Sick, though it failed to garner any other nominations, was an exceptional film and it should be recognized for that.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Call Me By Your Name
The Disaster Artist
Logan
Molly’s Game
Mudbound
Who will win: Call Me By Your Name
Who should win: Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name, as the only nominee in this category to be also nominated for Best Picture, has an advantage. That being said, that advantage is deserved, as the screenplay perfectly captures the emotional ups-and-downs of Elio and Oliver’s relationship.
Best Original Song
“Mighty River” from Mudbound
“Mystery of Love” from Call Me By Your Name
“Remember Me” from Coco
“Stand Up for Something” from Marshall
“This is Me” from The Greatest Showman
Who will win: “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman
Who should win: “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman
Just as with The Big Sick, The Greatest Showman was a good film that should have garnered more recognition. Pasek and Paul have contributed to yet another movie musical that has impacted pop culture in a major way. Their anthem of self-acceptance and resilience needs to be acknowledged.
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
Who will win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Who should win: Lady Bird
Film is supposed to be a form of escapism, and in practice with that, I very rarely want to watch movies that are even remotely similar to my real life. Lady Bird is the sole exception. I love this movie and all it represents.