And the Oscar goes to...Our 2018 Academy Award Predictions
Hello my award season faithfuls! It’s hard to believe the end of awards season is near and with Sunday’s 90th annual Academy Awards show on the horizon, the time has come to unveil our list of 'should win' and 'will win' awards predictions across thirteen of the Academy's twenty-four categories.
To call 2018's Oscars race anything but compelling would be a disservice to the landmark achievements among this year's outstanding class of nominees. After 2016’s #OscarsSoWhite, who would have guessed we would be prognosticating the chances for Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig and DP Rachel Morrison!? While Moonlight's thrilling Best Picture win still feels fresh in our minds, we head into Sunday's awards show feeling a bit uncertain as to who will prevail despite feeling strong about who should prevail among the major categories including Best Picture.
So let's get down to brass tacks shall we? Today, two of our senior writers Jackson Murphy and Delali Adogla-Bessa, along with special guest contributor, Courtney Young from On the Screen Reviews have lent their voices in the always entertaining prediction piece detailing who/what should have been nominated and who will win vs. who should win.
But before you play along, we thought it would be best to preface our predictions with icebreaker introductions. Because, who would judge anyone who loves them some Beauty and the Beast ('91), Alien/Aliens, and David Cronenberg - among many other delights!?! Judgment-free zone people.
As always, I encourage you to give Jackson, Delali, and/or Courtney a follow on social media and be sure drop them a comment. They're good people.
About Jackson Murphy @LCJReviews
Born: Albany, New York, USA
Favorite filmmakers: It always rotates - don’t have one in particular.
We can’t be ‘friends’ if you don’t like this film: Beauty and the Beast (1991)
2017 performance(s) deserving more love: Denzel Washington (“Roman J. Israel, Esq.”); uneven film but a fantastic performance!
2017 Film(s) ‘they weren’t feeling’ but I loved: The Greatest Showman (for the most part, it really works).
2017 Film(s) ‘I wasn’t feeling’ but they loved: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - I only genuinely liked 3 short scenes.
You can find me at: Twitter @LCJReviews ⎮ Web: Lights-Camera-Jackson.com ⎮ YouTube: Lights Camera Jackson ⎮ Instagram@lightscamjackson
About Courtney Young @FilmVibes
Born: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Favorite filmmakers: Tarantino, Fincher.
We can’t be ‘friends’ if you don’t like this film: Alien, Aliens.
Last film that made me shed tears of sorrow or happiness: The Shape of Water.
2017 performance(s) deserving more love: Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman in Logan.
Favorite ‘new to me’ view(s) of 2017: Blade Runner (1982) I’d seen it once before, but it’d been nearly 15 years.
2017 Film(s) ‘they weren’t feeling’ but I loved: A Ghost Story, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.
2017 Film(s) ‘I wasn’t feeling’ but they loved: Three Billboards, The Florida Project.
You can find me at: Twitter: FilmVibes ⎮ Web: www.onthescreenreviews.com ⎮ Email: onthescreenreviews@gmail.com
About Delali Adogla-Bessa @DelaliBessa
Born: Reading/UK
Favorite filmmakers: David Cronenberg, Martin Scorsese.
We can’t be ‘friends’ if you don’t like this film: We can’t be ‘friends’ if you don’t like a film because 90 percent of its runtime isn't kung fu, gunfights and explosions.
Last film that made me shed tears of sorrow or happiness: Coco.
2017 performance(s) deserving more love: Will Poulter and Algee Smith in Detroit.
Favorite ‘new to me’ view(s) of 2017: A Ghost Story.
2017 Film(s) ‘they weren’t feeling’ but I loved: The Bad Batch, Alien: Covenant.
2017 Film(s) ‘I wasn’t feeling’ but they loved: Thor: Ragnarok, Lego Batman
You can find me at: Twitter: @delalibessa ⎮ Web: thebrokencliche.com ⎮ Email: delalibessa@yahoo.com
Without further ado, I present to you our list of predictions! Chime in if you agree or disagree! - Greg Harmon, Editor
The 90th annual Academy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California at 5:00 p.m. PST on March 4, 2018.
BEST PICTURE - Nominees
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
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Wonder, I, Tonya & Blade Runner 2049 - My Other Top Films of 2017.
● Courtney: Logan - By far one of the more superior comic book movies in a long time; if not for Best Picture, it deserves acting acknowledgment.
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: The Post - Best Film of 2017!
● Courtney: Dunkirk - It’s is a masterpiece. Full stop. This is probably the only true Academy Award movie of 2017 through and through, and it’s going to get sadly snubbed. White knuckled, heart racing and teeth clenched, this movie engulfed me.
● Delali: Get Out
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Get Out - It’s had the most momentum…for an entire year.
● Courtney: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
● Delali: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
BEST ACTRESS - Nominees
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 SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Annette Bening (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game), Judi Dench (Victoria & Abdul) & Diane Kruger (In the Fade)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Margot Robbie
● Courtney: Margot Robbie - By far the most complex and challenging role of those nominated.
● Delali: Frances McDormand
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Frances McDormand
● Courtney: Frances McDormand - She seems to be the favorite, and I’d choose her after Robbie.
● Delali: Frances McDormand
BEST ACTOR - Nominees
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 SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Christian Bale (Hostiles), Sam Elliott (The Hero), Tom Hanks (The Post) and Jeremy Renner (Wind River)
● Courtney: Hugh Jackman (Logan)
● Delali: James Franco (The Disaster Artist)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Gary Oldman
● Courtney: Gary Oldman - Lol I haven’t even seen this movie, but just based on the trailers, he looks like a solid winner.
● Delali: Daniel Day-Lewis
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Gary Oldman AND Daniel Day-Lewis - Yep. It’s gonna be a tie. Honor the best performance AND the icon for another amazing performance.
● Courtney: Gary Oldman
● Delali: Gary Oldman
SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Nominees
Mary J. Blige - Mudbound, Allison Janney - I, Tonya, Lesley Manville - Phantom Thread, Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird, Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water
WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Hong Chau (Downsizing), Holly Hunter (The Big Sick), Melissa Leo (Novitiate) and Rosamund Pike (Hostiles)
● Delali: Bria Vinaite (The Florida Project), Betty Gabriel (Get Out)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Allison Janney
● Courtney: Allison Janney - I knew when I saw this movie back in October that she’d be nominated, and I was right. “I want to see her face…” should be her Oscar clip.
●Delali: Allison Janney
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Allison Janney
● Courtney: Allison Janney
● Delali: Allison Janney
SUPPORTING ACTOR - Nominees
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 SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Steve Carell (Battle of the Sexes), Bryan Cranston (Last Flag Flying), Jason Mitchell (Mudbound), Ray Romano (The Big Sick), Patrick Stewart (Logan) and Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me by Your Name)
● Courtney: Patrick Stewart (Logan)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Christopher Plummer - Dynamite last-minute work.
● Courtney: Sam Rockwell - Because he’s Sam Rockwell and that performance was outstanding.
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Sam Rockwell
● Courtney: Sam Rockwell
● Delali: Sam Rockwell
DIRECTOR - Nominees
Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk, Jordan Peele - Get Out, Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird, Paul Thomas Anderson - Phantom Thread, Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water
WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Steven Spielberg (The Post) and Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049)
● Delali: Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Jordan Peele
● Courtney: Christopher Nolan - Do I even need to explain this?
● Delali: Christopher Nolan
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Guillermo del Toro
● Courtney: Guillermo del Toro
● Delali: Guillermo del Toro
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - Nominees
The Big Sick, Get Out, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: I, Tonya & The Post
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Get Out
● Courtney: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
● Delali: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Get Out
● Courtney: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
● Delali: Get Out
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - Nominees
Call Me By Your Name, The Disaster Artist, Logan, Molly’s Game, Mudbound
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Wonder - I read the book after I saw the movie. Strong adaptation to the screen.
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Mudbound
● Courtney: Logan
● Delali: Molly's Game
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Call Me By Your Name
● Courtney: Mudbound
ANIMATED FEATURE - Nominees
The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving, Vincent
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Captain Underpants & The LEGO Batman Movie
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: The Breadwinner & Loving Vincent (both highly deserving)
● Courtney: Coco
● Delali: Coco
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Coco
● Courtney: Coco
● Delali: Coco
FILM EDITING - Nominees
Baby Driver, Dunkirk, I, Tonya, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: All the Money in the World & The Post - Both edited in historically short amounts of time.
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: I, Tonya
● Courtney: Baby Driver
● Delali: Baby Driver
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Baby Driver
● Courtney: Baby Driver
● Delali: Baby Driver
ORIGINAL SONG - Nominees
“Mighty River” — Mudbound, “Mystery of Love” — Call Me By Your Name, “Remember Me” — Coco, “Stand Up for Something” — Marshall, “This is Me” — The Greatest Showman
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: “Jump” (performed by Cynthia Erivo, from the Documentary “Step”) and “You Shouldn’t Look At Me That Way” (performed by Elvis Costello, from “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: "This Is Me" - The Greatest Showman
● Delali: "Remember Me" - Coco
WILL WIN
● Jackson: "This Is Me" - The Greatest Showman
● Delali: "Remember Me" - Coco
ORIGINAL SCORE - Nominees
Dunkirk, Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: The Post - John Williams delivers again.
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Jonny Greenwood - Phantom Thread - Haven’t been able to get it out of my head since I saw the movie.
● Courtney: Alexandre Desplat - The Shape of Water
● Delali: Hans Zimmer - Dunkirk
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Alexandre Desplat - The Shape of Water
● Courtney: Alexandre Desplat - The Shape of Water
● Delali: Jonny Greenwood - Phantom Thread
CINEMATOPGRAPHY - Nominees
Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins), Darkest Hour (Bruno Delbonnel), Dunkirk (Hoyte van Hoytema), Mudbound (Rachel Morrison), The Shape of Water (Dan Laustsen)
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
● Jackson: Hostiles (Masanobu Takayanagi) & The Man Who Invented Christmas (Ben Smithard)
SHOULD WIN
● Jackson: Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins)
● Courtney: Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins) - I will combust if this doesn't win
● Delali: Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins)
WILL WIN
● Jackson: Blade Runner 2049 - Let’s Go Roger Deakins!
● Courtney: Blade Runner 2049 - I will combust if this doesn't win
● Delali: The Shape of Water (Dan Laustsen)
