North Texas Daily

The nominations for the 90th Oscar Academy Awards on March 4 were announced a couple of weeks ago and finally, and for the first time in a while, a diverse selection of nominees have been recognized for their talents.

Below are my predictions for this year’s award ceremony on Sunday.

Best Picture:

This has been one of the most unpredictable Best Pictures races in forever because at least every single movie nominated this year has won Best Picture at other, various award ceremonies throughout the year.

What I think will win: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

’Billboards’ has had a huge push at becoming the victor at the Oscars. It won Best Drama at the Golden Globes and has gained some huge momentum among Academy voters as the months have gone on. While it has gained some controversy among the way one of the characters is presented in the film, I still think it might become victorious in this category.

What I want to win: “Call Me By Your Name”

“Name” is one of the best portraits of first love ever captured onscreen accompanied by brilliant direction and performances, and is the standout choice for me to win Best Picture.

Best Actress:

Who I think will win: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards”

McDormand gave one of the most powerful and emotional performances in all of 2017 and almost every awards circuit has recognized her work here and I think the Academy will, too.

Who I want to win: Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”

Robbie is already a movie star, but “I, Tonya” is going to make her a prestigious A-lister. Her performance as Tonya Harding is fantastic, raw and too real.

Best Actor:

Who I think will win: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”

Oldman has won every Best Actor trophy on the awards circuit lately, and his transformative performance as Winston Churchill will surely nab him the Oscar.

Who I want to win: Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”

Chalamet’s performance here is a star making showcase full of strong emotion and tragic realism. The fireplace scene alone should be good enough for the trophy.

Best Director:

Who I think will win: Guillermo Del Toro, “The Shape of Water”

Del Toro is the master of strange love stories and monster films, and “The Shape of Water” may just be Del Toro’s best in terms of those aspects. He won the Golden Globe and the Director’s Guild, so it would make sense the Oscar would follow suit.

Who I want to win: Great Gerwig, “Lady Bird”

Greta Gerwig has crafted an entire world in “Lady Bird” which felt more than lived in in such a small scale, it would be criminal to ignore her accomplishments here.

Best Supporting Actress:

Who I think will win and who I want to win: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”

Janney has been the clear frontrunner here from the start for good reason, and her already multiple wins in several other award ceremonies should solidify her win at the Oscars. Janney gave one of the most hardened and devious performances of the entire year as Tonya Harding’s cold mother, and Janney pulled it off with expertise.

Best Supporting Actor:

Who I think will win and who I want to win: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards”

Rockwell has won all major awards including the BAFTA, the Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guld for his performance here, so I can only imagine the Oscar will be next. All controversy aside surrounding his character, Rockwell completely surprised me in every aspect with his performance in this film and I will be genuinely happy if he wins this award.

Best Animated Film:

What I think will win and what I want to win:  “Coco”

This is the only category in all of the nominations where I see no competition as who will be crowned the winner. “Coco” has won the award for best animated feature in every single award ceremony throughout the year, so it will only make sense the Oscar will then be given to it. Not only because it is the best offering out of the bunch, but the love for it is so universal, there is no way it won’t win.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

What I think will win and What I want to win: James Ivory, “Call Me By Your Name”

“Call Me By Your Name” is a beautiful portrait of first love crafted so wonderfully by its poignant screenplay penned by 89-year-old veteran James Ivory. Here’s to hoping it will swoon the Academy voters with its beautiful, aching dialogue as much as it did for me.

Best Original Screenplay:

What I think will win and what I want to win: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”

Jordan Peele’s screenplay is as culturally significant as it is horrifying, and thanks to all the love it’s received from other award ceremonies, expect Jordan Peele to make Oscar history with his monumental screenplay.

Best Cinematography:

What I think will win: “The Shape of Water”

“The Shape of Water” has gained some surprising momentum in this category thanks to Academy voters, so we could possibly see a surprise win here.

What I want to win: “Blade Runner 2049”

Shockingly enough, the legend Roger Deakins has never won an Oscar for his cinematography work. If there is any film where he should win it though, it this one. “Blade Runner 2049” is a masterful work of art, thanks to Deakins’ beautiful lensing. He cannot be robbed again this year.

Best Visual Effects:

What I think will win and what I want to win: “War For The Planet Of The Apes”

The new trilogy of “Planet of the Apes” films have all boasted groundbreaking, beautiful visual effects, and the final installment in the trilogy here arguably boasts the most incredible visuals of the bunch. The Oscars will certainly take note of this.

Best Costume Design:

What I think will win and what I want to win: Mark Bridges, “Phantom Thread”

“Phantom Thread” boasts the most lavish, beautiful costumes of last year and the overarching theme of design present in the film should stick out among the rest of the nominees.

Best Production Design:

What I think will win: “The Shape of Water”

“Shape” has less overall design than most of the nominees, but the Academy is sure to take note of the beautiful, period style look of the production design.

What I want to win: “Beauty and the Beast”

“Beauty and the Beast” contains some of the most lavishly and exquisitely beautiful production designs I’ve seen in a film in quite some time. I feel like this may be snubbed, but it should not be ignored.

Best Editing:

What I think will win and what I want to win: Lee Smith, “Dunkirk”

“Dunkirk” presents a war in its most horrific form, and Smith’s editing throws the viewers right into the war with these characters. The film is a technical marvel, and The Academy has seemingly been eyeing this as their victor since nominees were announced.

Best Score:

What I think will win and what I want to win: Alexandre Desplat, “Shape Of Water”

There is some stiff competition in this category, but Desplat’s beautiful score should prevail in this crowded, fantastic field of nominees.

Best Original Song:

What I think will win: “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman”

Thanks to the inspiring message contained in the song, “This is Me” should prevail based on the merits of its strong message in a year that needed it most.

What I want to win: “Remember Me” from “Coco”

It is the most emotionally affecting and most emotionally stirring song out of the bunch. There was not a dry eye in the theater when it played, and it has carried its weight of this category all the way through.

Featured Image: Illustration by Austin Banzon