It’s that time of year once again!! My favorite time, Oscar
time!! Oh my gosh, sooooo excited for this year’s Oscars!!! I have watched the
Oscars every year without fail since 2002. This means WAY too much to me, is
what I’m saying. This is my Super Bowl guys! Every year I make my predictions on
oscar.go.com. So fingers crossed I get a
better score than last year (16 out of 24). Although that was better than the
previous year (15 out of 24). So here are my predictions!
Best
Picture
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw
Ridge
Hell
or High Water
Hidden
Figures
La La
Land
Lion
Manchester
by the Sea
Moonlight
My pick: La La Land.
This one is pretty much a lock. Everyone is predicting this to win. It’s a
musical that’s a love letter to Hollywood. And Hollywood’s favorite thing is to
pat itself on the back so yeah, it’s a pretty sure bet. The only film I could
see making an upset here is Moonlight, which has been getting some good
momentum lately. But that’s a longshot at best. I’ve only seen one of these
films (Hell or High Water) and it was amazing, so if it somehow won instead I’d
be over the moon!
Actor
in a Leading Role
And the nominees are:
Casey
Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Andrew
Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
Ryan
Gosling (La La Land)
Viggo
Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
Denzel
Washington (Fences)
My pick: Denzel
Washington for Fences. This one is a tough category. Casey Affleck was the
frontrunner for a while, but has lost momentum in recent weeks. Washington on
the other hand won the Screen Actors Guild award and that is usually a very
good predictor for who will win the Oscar. However, Washington already has 2
Oscars, and the Academy can be stingy when it comes to giving an actor a third
Oscar. So this could really go either way, but my pick is Washington.
Actress
in a Leading Role
And the nominees are:
Isabelle
Huppert (Elle)
Ruth
Negga (Loving)
Natalie
Portman (Jackie)
Emma
Stone (La La Land)
Meryl
Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)
My pick: Emma Stone
for La La Land. This one is a pretty safe bet. Stone has been winning all the other
awards this season. The only person I could see possibly winning instead is
Isabelle Huppert for Elle. But that’s a long shot at best.
Actor
in a Supporting Role
And the nominees are:
Mahershala
Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff
Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Lucas
Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)
Dev
Patel (Lion)
Michael
Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)
My pick: Mahershala
Ali for Moonlight. This category is almost certainly a lock for Ali who has
been having a great year. With amazing performances in both TV and film (yes he
played Cottonmouth on Luke Cage) this is his award to lose. However, Dev Patel
has been gaining momentum lately. So I could see him pulling at upset here. I
would be happy either way really, I love both of these actors (I’ve loved Patel
since Slumdog Millionaire!).
Actress
in a Supporting Role
And the nominees are:
Viola
Davis (Fences)
Naomie
Harris (Moonlight)
Nicole
Kidman (Lion)
Octavia
Spencer (Hidden Figures)
Michelle
Williams (Manchester by the Sea)
My pick: Viola Davis
for Fences. This is a sure thing. This is Davis’s third nomination, she’s been
in the film industry for a long time, and she’s won every other award this
season. So come on Academy, just give her the award already! The only person I
could see upsetting here is Naomie Harris, but only in a parallel dimension.
Animated
Feature Film
And the nominees are:
Kubo
and the Two Strings
Moana
My
Life as a Zucchini
The
Red Turtle
Zootopia
My pick: Zootopia.
Oh my gosh this category is so difficult! Kubo won the BAFTA which is almost
always an indicator of which film will win the Oscar. However, Zootopia has a
great message and was a surprise hit earlier this year. On the other hand,
Zootopia came out a long time ago, so Moana might be fresher in the minds of
voters. But the fact that 2 Disney films are in this category might split the
vote and leave Kubo winning. This category often has Disney films going up
against Pixar films (I know they’re both Disney but you see what I mean) but
doesn’t often have Disney competing with itself. I really could see Kubo taking
the award, but I’m giving Zootopia the slight edge. Side note: I loved Kubo,
Zootopia, and Moana. So I’d be happy if any one of those 3 won. However, if
Kubo won it would be the first Oscar for Laika studios (and it would make it the
first stop motion animated film to win an Oscar) and that would make me very happy!
I do think Kubo was the more visually stunning film (and the fact that it’s
stop motion is very impressive). But I do think Zootopia had a better message
and had better voice acting. Moana obviously had the best music and was also
very beautiful. This category is difficult is what I’m saying.
Cinematography
And the nominees are:
Arrival
La La
Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence
My pick: La La Land.
This one is a pretty safe bet. However, I could see Lion pulling an upset here.
But La La Land will probably win.
Costume
Design
And the nominees are:
Allied
Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence
Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La
Land
My pick: Jackie.
This one is a tough category. The fact that La La Land is even nominated in
this category is shocking to me. It is not a period piece and it is basically
nominated for the one yellow dress. It’s insulting really. That being said, I
could see La La Land winning here. It would make me want to vomit if it did,
but it could. However, I’m going with Jackie since it is a period piece and showcased
Camelot in all its glory. I wouldn’t be upset or too surprised if Fantastic
Beasts won this one though.
Directing
And the nominees are:
Damien
Chazelle (La La Land)
Mel
Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
Barry
Jenkins (Moonlight)
Kenneth
Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
My pick: Damien
Chazelle for La La Land. This one is a pretty sure thing. However, I could see
Barry Jenkins winning this. Since he has been gaining momentum lately and if he
does he will be the first African American to win in this category. Ultimately
I do think Chazelle will win this one.
Documentary
(Feature)
And the nominees are:
Fire
at Sea
I Am
Not Your Negro
Life,
Animated
OJ:
Made in America
13th
My pick: OJ Made in
America. This one is pretty much a lock to win. I could see 13th pulling an
upset here though, it has some pretty good momentum behind it. Personally I LOVED
Life, Animated and even though it is not the most “important” film in this
category, if it won I would be over the moon!!!
Documentary
(Short Subject)
And the nominees are:
Extremis
4.1
Miles
Joe’s
Violin
Watani:
My Homeland
The
White Helmets
My pick: The White
Helmets. Yes, I’m picking the dark horse in this category. I know Joe’s
Violin (the film about a Holocaust survivor’s violin) is the frontrunner. But
after watching the trailers for these films I just feel like White Helmets (a
film about Syrian rescue workers) is a film that should win. I could also see
Watani winning in this category as well.
Film
Editing
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Hacksaw
Ridge
Hell
or High Water
La La
Land
Moonlight
My pick: La La Land.
A pretty safe bet, but I could see Arrival or Moonlight winning.
Foreign
Language Film
And the nominees are:
Land
of Mine (Denmark)
A Man
Called Ove (Sweden)
The
Salesman (Iran)
Tanna
(Australia)
Toni
Erdmann (Germany)
My pick: The
Salesman. Toni Erdmann was once the frontrunner in this category. But in
recent weeks The Salesman has been picking up steam. Mainly because the film’s
director has decided to boycott the award show in protest of Trump’s Muslim
ban. So for that reason I’m giving it the edge. However, I could see A Man
Called Ove pulling an upset here since it’s the only foreign language film to
be nominated in another category. Plus, I’ve heard really great things about
it, my mom loved it!
Makeup
& Hairstyling
And the nominees are:
A Man
Called Ove
Star
Trek Beyond
Suicide
Squad
My pick: Star Trek
Beyond. Come on, this has to win, right Academy? I know there was some
great aging makeup in A Man Called Ove. But seriously, did anyone see the
amazing alien makeup in Star Trek? It needs to win!!
Music
(Original Score)
And the nominees are:
Jackie
La La
Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers
My pick: La La Land.
Did I mention this was a musical? Even if this film wasn’t going to win a bunch
of other awards, it would win this one. Even if it was only nominated for this
category it would win. Have I mentioned it’s a musical? Personally I think Lion’s
soundtrack is beautiful as is Moonlight, but it’s La La Land all the way. Did
you know it’s a musical?
Music (Original
Song)
And the nominees are:
“Audition
(The Fools Who Dream),” La La Land
“Can’t
Stop the Feeling,” Trolls
“City
of Stars,” La La Land
“The
Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story
“How
Far I’ll Go,” Moana
My pick: “City of
Stars,” La La Land. This one is tough. La La Land has 2 songs in this category
so either one could take the prize. However, it may also split the vote and let
something else sneak in like “How Far I’ll Go”. Plus, if “How Far I’ll Go,”
wins it will give Lin Manual Miranda his EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and
make him the youngest person to do so. Not to mention that the Academy (and
pretty much everyone) LOVES Lin Manuel Miranda so they could give it to him for
that reason alone. But La La Land is a musical and I can’t think of the last
time a musical didn’t win for best song. If the song going up against La La
Land was “Let it Go,” we would be having a very different conversation.
However, as much as I love “How Far I’ll Go,” it is not as popular as “Let it
Go”. So then it comes down to which song La La Land will win for, my bet is on “City
of Stars,” but I could also see “Audition,” winning instead.
Production
Design
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail,
Caesar!
La La
Land
Passengers
My pick: La La Land.
It’s a musical with a ballet sequence, need I say more? However, I could see
Fantastic Beasts or Arrival making an upset here.
Short
Film (Animated)
And the nominees are:
Blind
Vaysha
Borrowed
Time
Pear
Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper
My pick: Piper.
This is the short film shown before Finding Dory. It’s adorable and it is Pixar
so it’s a pretty safe bet. However, Pixar doesn’t have the best track record in
this category. So I could see this going to Pearl or Borrowed Time.
Short
Film (Live Action)
And the nominees are:
Ennemis
Interieurs
La
Femme Et Le TGV
Silent
Nights
Sing
Timecode
My pick: Ennemis
Interieurs. This one is a fairly safe bet. But I wouldn’t count out La
Femme or Sing. Personally I thought Silent Nights looked the most interesting,
but I doubt it will win.
Sound
Editing
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Deepwater
Horizon
Hacksaw
Ridge
La La
Land
Sully
My pick: Hacksaw
Ridge. Sound editing is all about creating sounds that were not there on
the day of shooting and for that reason musicals are not often nominated in
this category. But of course La La Land is nominated, so it could win here. But
I’m taking the war film for the win.
Sound
Mixing
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Hacksaw
Ridge
La La
Land
Rogue
One: A Star Wars Story
13
Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
My pick: Hacksaw
Ridge. Sound mixing is all about mixing the sounds captured while shooting.
And I’ve heard some complaints about the mixing in La La Land. So I’m betting
that Sound Mixing and Sound Editing will go to the same film this year. Plus,
this category often goes to war movies. However, that means 13 Hours could
upset here. Arrival could upset as well for all the alien noises. But the
Academy could just give it to La La Land because it’s La La Land.
Visual
Effects
And the nominees are:
Deepwater
Horizon
Doctor
Strange
The
Jungle Book
Kubo
and the Two Strings
Rogue
One: A Star Wars Story
My pick: The Jungle
Book. This might be a first for me, I’ve seen every film nominated in this
category!! So I feel pretty good about my pick. Look Kubo was beautiful. As was
Doctor Strange. But EVERYTHING in Jungle Book is CGI, with the exception of the
boy who played Mowgli. EVERYTHING. Jungle Book was filmed in a studio in LA and
it made you believe you were deep in the jungle. This is the definition of a
sure thing. If Jungle Book doesn’t win, something is very wrong.
Writing
(Adapted Screenplay)
And the nominees are:
Arrival
Fences
Hidden
Figures
Lion
Moonlight
My pick: Moonlight.
I think this will be the one Oscar that Moonlight takes home. The only film I
could see upsetting here is Arrival, but that’s a long shot at best.
Writing
(Original Screenplay)
And the nominees are:
Hell
or High Water
La La
Land
The
Lobster
Manchester
by the Sea
20th Century Women
My pick: Manchester
by the Sea. I think this will be the only award that Manchester takes home.
But it’s pretty much a toss-up between Manchester and La La Land. Flip a coin
it could go either way really. But if Hell or High Water wins I’d be sooo
happy!!!
So there you have it, my picks for the 89th Academy
Awards. I hope you all watch the show. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting so it promises
to be a fun night!!
