Yes, I know:
Annabelle, seriously get it together! WHY does it take a couple of months to make a simple 1,000 word post on entertainment culture?! Yeah, well, I don't really have a great response to that, so I'm just gonna continue on, yeah?
Late last year, awards season has raised its feathered wings and soared into existence, and yet, we're still not sure who's going to take the coveted Best Picture award. Each nominee in each category has the merit to snatch away their respective award, but I'll be seeing how we can sort of predict what / who's going to win what.
P.S. I've included my opinions for the categories that I am semi-knowledgeable in, so that I don't look like a pleb.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick for "The Darkest Hour". Gary Oldman = Winston Churchill. 'Nuf said.
Best Costume Design:
lol, I'm going to say Mark Bridges for "The Phantom Thread" just because it's a film about a dressmaker? I'd like to think that they'd have incredible costumes in this, but I could be wrong? (Please don't take my advice!)
Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing & Best Film Editing:
I combined these three award categories because I believe that "Baby Driver's" wins could come from them. However, "Dunkirk" and "Blade Runner 2049" can easily triumph and take these awards. Perhaps it's my personal prejudice, but because "Baby Driver" is one of my favourite films from last year, it'd be fantabulous for it to win at least one award. These three nominees are all deserving of the above accolades, however only one will win (well, obviously).
Best Production Design:
Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin ("The Shape of Water") are coming of an Art Directors Guild award and a BAFTA, so it'll take this like a fish out of water. Dennis Gassner and Alessandra Querzola ("Blade Runner 2049") might be contenders, from their win in the fantasy film category of the Art Directors Guild Award, so beware.
Best Cinematography:
You are automatically submerged into the world that Roger Deakins ("Blade Runner 2049") presents - I haven't even seen the movie (
WHAT?!!), but what the trailer offers in terms of creating a futuristic, cyberpunk world is enough for me to warrant his win.
Hoyte van Hoyteman ("Dunkirk") is definitely cruising behind him, and because I've definitely seen this film, I can say that the masterful weaving that Hoyte does to complement Nolan's world is fantastic to say the least.
Best Original Score:
Having the momentum from the BAFTAs and Golden Globes, Alexandre Desplat ("The Shape of Water") could win swimmingly. All nominees captured their film's themes and messages in a nutshell, so there could be competition from the other nominees. John Williams ("Star Wars: The Last Jedi") could take the award, however, the Academy could justify having already given him a "Star Wars" accolade for "The New Hope" in 1977.
Best Original Song:
If Pasek and Paul's ("This is Me" from "The Greatest Showman") status and credibility isn't already known, it will be cemented with this potential win. In an ideal world, Sufjan Stevens' ("Mystery of Love" from "Call Me By Your Name") would have this in the bag, with the songs he wrote for the film being the soundtrack of a summer's fling. But "This is Me" is an uplifting anthem for the down trodden, ostracised and freaks of the world. It's one of the better parts of "The Greatest Showman." Sue me, I didn't like it!
Best Original Screenplay:
In my opinion, the screenplay nominees in both categories are incredibly diverse and interesting, making these categories the strongest and my favourite of the year.
"Get Out's" only Oscar could come from this category, and it wouldn't be the film it is without Jordan Peele's astute commentary on race, white privilege, and social expectations and inherent prejudices. He masterfully told the story through the appropriate medium of horror, and presented a well-crafted, intriguing film.
The biggest threat comes from Martin McDonagh's "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." It does have the Golden Globes advantage, however misses the punch and pizzazz of "Get Out".
Best Adapted Screenplay:
One of the numerous reasons why "Call Me By Your Name" is incredibly moving is because of James Ivory's delicate, purposeful and beautiful direction of the story. Using Andr
é Aciman's book as his foundation and inspiration, Ivory established a beautiful sensory world that explores love.
Considering that Ivory won the Writers' Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, he will most likely win the Oscar.
Best Director:
Guillermo del Toro's ("The Shape of Water") time is now: having been in this business for years, he's a staple and exceptional filmmaker within his genre, so why wouldn't the Oscars choose him now? With the Directors Guild Award for Best Feature Film in his pocket, it'll be well-earned.
Jordan Peele ("Get Out") is standing on the Directors Guild Award for Best First-Time Feature Film, so he could nudge del Toro out of place. With Christopher Nolan's tour-de-force "Dunkirk", Greta Gerwig's 99% rating of "Lady Bird" on Rotten Tomatoes, and Paul Thomas Anderson's ("Phantom Thread") reputation and film canon are bound to make this a tight competition.
Best Supporting Actor:
Same as above, although I've actually seen "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (yeah, I watch films...sometimes...)
Sam Rockwell ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") will come on top. Even if you disagree with his character's arc and philosophies, "Three Billboards" should be highly credited with the casts' performances, and Sam Rockwell is no exception.
Best Supporting Actress:
I haven't seen any of the performances in this category, so I'll go with the popular vote: Allison Janney ("I, Tonya"). Kudos to Mary J. Blige ("Mudbound"), for being the first person to be nominated for an Oscar in acting and writing an original song in the same year.
Best Actor:
Gary Oldman ("The Darkest Hour") is most certainly going to win: with acclaims and awards galore, it may be time that the Academy recognises his talent, finesse and successful career. Daniel Kaluuya ("Get Out") and Timoth
ée Chalamet ("Call Me By Your Name) aren't too far behind, especially because both gave remarkable, spectacular, career-defining performances in their respective films.
Personally, I would have voted for either Daniel or Timoth
ée - alas, the argument given is that both will have successful, incredible careers in the future. Even if that's true, I still believe that we should give awards based on the nominated performance given, not as a lifetime achievement award (#leoandtherevenant).
Best Actress:
These actresses' performances propelled their respective films forward with the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent that they brought (soz, I've been watching too much "RuPaul's Drag Race").
Frances McDormand ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") is turning out to be the undisputed winner - giving a haunting, realistic and sometimes hilarious performance about a mother who's trying to get the local police department to investigate the murder and rape of her daughter.
However, Saoirse Ronan ("Lady Bird") could give her a run for her money, having won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. With this being her third Oscar nomination, she's not playing around.
Best Picture:
Lord, save us. We've finally come to this...dun, dun, dun! Honestly, I don't know who's going to win. I've watched some of these films, read and listened to others' reviews, opinions and thoughts, sussed out peep's vibes, and yet, I still can't think of a winner.
"The Shape of Water" seems to be the most logical answer, from its award season momentum, beautiful execution and touching story, however, it could quite literally go to any film. "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" won the respective Golden Globe and BAFTA, but will the film's criticism and backlash follow through into the Oscars?
"Get Out", "Lady Bird" and "Call Me By Your Name" are all perfectly executed films with poignant messages and have the social momentum, but could any of them actually win? I doubt it, even though my personal choice would have been either "Get Out" or "Call Me By Your Name" - if you couldn't already tell.
It's such a tight race because of the current political climate we're in, and what all the nominated films present. I'd highly encourage you to go watch at least one of these films because they offer a unique, magnificent narrative and insight into its world.
That's it for me this award season :) I truly hope that you'll see me writing sometime soon - I'm going to try, please be patient with me xx
