Awards season finally comes to a curious, confounding and sometimes confusing end this Sunday when the Oscars announce their winners at the Dolby Theater.
This year, there is no host (may come to regret that, Kevin Hart detractors) for Hollywood’s version of The Super Bowl. And in a Black History Month where a notable number of nominated films celebrated diversity, we have to somehow escape the stench of the Jussie Smollett fiasco of the last three weeks.
More so, we have no clear-cut favorite. None of the films nominated have pulled out in front by winning multiple awards from the guilds… except for Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade.
Eighth Grade didn’t even get one Oscar nom!
After analyzing all of the winners from other shows during this awards season as well as looking into crystal balls, Magic 8 balls and consulting Alexa, I have come up with my selections for the show which airs this Sunday.
But these predictions come with an asterisk. For every predicted winner, there are one or two other selections that can spoil the proud walk up to receive the gold.
So, here we go
THE NOMINEES
BEST PICTURE:
BLACK PANTHER
BLACKKKLANSMAN
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
THE FAVOURITE
GREEN BOOK
ROMA
A STAR IS BORN
VICE
My pick: ROMA
DIRECTING:
Spike Lee, BLACKKKLANSMAN
JPaweł Pawlikowski, COLD WAR
Yorgos Lanthimos, THE FAVOURITED
Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
Adam McKay, VICE
My pick: Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Christian Bale, VICE
Bradley Cooper, A STAR IS BORN
Willem Dafoe, AT ETERNITY’S GATE
Rami Malek, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Viggo Mortenson, GREEN BOOK
My pick: Rami Malek, BOHEHMIAN RHAPSODY
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Maherhsala Ali, GREEN BOOK
Adam Driver, BLACKKKLANSMAN
Sam Elliott, A STAR IS BORN
Richard E. Grant, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Sam Rockwell, VICE
My pick: Mahershala Ali, GREEN BOOK
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Yalitza Aparico, ROMA
Glenn Close, THE WIFE
Olivia Colman, THE FAVOURITE
Lady GaGa, A STAR IS BORN
Melissa McCarthy, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
My pick: Glenn Close, THE WIFE
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams, VICE
Marina De Tavira, ROMA
Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Emma Stone, THE FAVOURITE
Rachel Weisz, THE FAVOURITE
My pick: Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, BLACKKKLANSMAN
Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters, A STAR IS BORN
My pick: Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, BLACKKKLANSMAN
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, THE FAVOURITE
Paul Schrader, FIRST REFORMED
Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, GREEN BOOK
Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
Adam McKay, VICE
My pick: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, THE FAVOURITE
ALSO READ: Best seats in town: Siskel Center Oscar Viewing Party
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Łukasz Żal, COLD WAR
Robbie Ryan, THE FAVOURITE
Caleb Deschanel, NEVER LOOK AWAY
Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
Matthew Libatique, A STAR IS BORN
My pick: Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
FILM EDITING
Barry Alexander Brown, BLACKKKLANSMAN
John Ottman, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Yorgos Mavropsaridis,THE FAVOURITE
Patrick J. Don Vito, GREEN BOOK
Hank Corwin, VICE
My pick: John Ottman, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
COSTUME DESIGN
Mary ZophresTHE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
Ruth Carter, BLACK PANTHER
Sandy Powell, THE FAVOURITE
Sandy Powell, MARY POPPINS RETURNS
Alexandra Byrne, MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
My pick: Sandy Powell, THE FAVOURITE
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Jay Hart, BLACK PANTHER
Production Design: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton, THE FAVOURITE
Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas, FIRST MAN
Production Design: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim, MARY POPPINS RETURNS
Production Design: Eugenio Caballero; Set Decoration: Bárbara Enríquez, ROMA
My pick: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton, THE FAVOURITE
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Göran Lundström and Pamela Goldammer,BORDER
Jenny Shircore, Marc Pilcher and Jessica Brooks, MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney, VICE
My pick: Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney, VICE
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Ludwig Goransson, BLACK PANTHER
Terence Blanchard, BLACKKKLANSMAN
Nicholas Britell, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Alexandre Desplat, ISLE OF DOGS
Marc Shaiman, MARY POPPINS RETURNS
My pick: Ludwig Goransson, BLACK PANTHER
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Music by Kendrick Lamar, Mark “Soundwave” Spears and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith; Lyric by Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, “ALL THE STARS”, BLACK PANTHER
Diane Warren, “I’LL FIGHT”, RBG
Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyric by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, “THE PLACE WHERE LOST THINGS GO”, MARY POPPINS
Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, “SHALLOW”, A STAR IS BORN
Music and Lyric by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, “WHEN A COWBOY TRADES HIS SPURS FOR WINGS”, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
My pick: Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, “SHALLOW”, A STAR IS BORN
SOUND EDITING
Benjamin A. Burtt and Steve Boeddeker, BLACK PANTHER
John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan, FIRST MAN
Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl, A QUIET PLACE
Sergio Díaz and Skip Lievsay, ROMA
My pick: John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
SOUND MIXING
Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor and Peter Devlin, BLACK PANTHER
Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Ai-Ling Lee and Mary H. Ellis, FIRST MAN
Skip Lievsay, Craig Henighan and José Antonio García, ROMA
Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Jason Ruder and Steve Morrow, A STAR IS BORN
My pick: Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
VISUAL EFFECTS
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
FIRST MAN
READY PLAYER ONE
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
My pick: FIRST MAN
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
INCREDIBLES 2
ISLE OF DOGS
MIRAI
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
My pick: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
CAPERNAUM, Lebanon
COLD WAR, Poland
NEVER LOOK AWAY, Germany
ROMA, Mexico
SHOPLIFTERS, Japan
My pick: ROMA, Mexico
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
FREE SOLO
HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING,THIS EVENING
MINDING THE GAP
OF FATHERS AND SONS
RBG
My pick: FREE SOLO
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
BLACK SHEEP
END GAME
LIFEBOAT
A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN
PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.
My pick: PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
BAO
LATE AFTERNOON
ONE SMALL STEP
WEEKENDS
My pick: BAO
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
DETAINMENT
FAUVE
MARGUERITE
MOTHER
SKIN
My pick: MARGUERITE
Agree? Disagree? This year we have given you your own handy, dandy scorecard that you can print out and keep track. Have fun!
The 91st Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, February 24, 2018 8 pm EST/7 pm CST/5 pm PST.
