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Next Sunday sees the 90th Academy Awards take place on what promises to be yet another extravagant night full of glitz and glamour.
Below are our predictions for who will take home gold in the main categories as a number of big films like Dunkirk, Get Out, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri battle it out!
BEST PICTURE
Unlike recent years, we have at least FIVE films that are all in contention to take home the big prize. Though Three Billboards performed well at the Golden Globes, SAG and BAFTA, its Best Director snub may well dampen its chances. Lady Bird will have a lot of support particularly through the #MeToo campaign while Dunkirk may well appeal to voters due to its gritty take on the Dunkirk story. However the likely race could well be between Get Out and The Shape of Water which both deal with strong issues regarding race (especially in the former’s case) and sexuality. With Guillermo del Toro sweeping the director awards, you would think that Shape has it in the bag but remember that four of the last five Best Director winners have failed to see their film land Best Picture. Watch this space!
BEST DIRECTOR
Guillermo del Toro has been dominant with this category in other award guilds like the Globes, BAFTA and the Director’s Guild. So Guillermo del Toro looks odds on to be victorious as Best Director. Another visionary filmmaker who still has a chance is Christopher Nolan who finally landed his first nod in this category for his work on Dunkirk after being snubbed for The Dark Knight and Inception. Jordan Peele and Greta Gerwig both seem more likely to compete in the Best Original Screenplay field.
BEST ACTOR
Unless he commits a terrible act between now and Sunday, Gary Oldman is going to be celebrating a well-deserved Oscar win. The British veteran has comfortably won a number of awards for his excellent portrayal of renowned Prime Minster Winston Churchill. If there is to be an unlikely upset, then young starlet Timothee Chalament seems possible but he has every chance of winning a gold statue in the future.
BEST ACTRESS
Frances McDormand is on course to win her second Oscar for her stunning performance as Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards with BAFTA the latest awards group to recognise her. It’s just a shame that Sally Hawkins, Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan all delivered career-best work that won’t be enough to help them win in what many will consider to be the strongest Best Actress line-up ever.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Despite competing with his co-star Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell is a sure thing to take home gold for his diverse role as conflicted cop Jason Dixon. It’s a deserved reward for some of the work he has put in over the years in films like The Green Mile and Moon. Veteran Willem Dafoe might grab some sentimental votes for The Florida Project but his hopes of an Oscar win will have to wait.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Again, the recent televised awards have paved the way for Allison Janney to land the Oscar for her performance in I, Tonya. Though some felt the film glorified Tonya Harding, Allison has been another consistent performer in film and television who deserves the recognition. If there is an upset, then fellow veteran Laurie Metcalf could swoop in for playing another eccentric mother character in Lady Bird.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Pixar’s record in this category has been remarkable over the years and with Coco doing so well for various reasons, the film is on course to win. The Breadwinner (produced by Angelina Jolie) is the other animation that could triump but it’s safe to say that Pixar has this one in the bag.
REST OF THE PREDICTIONS
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Call Me By Your Name
PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Shape of Water
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Blade Runner 2049
COSTUME DESIGN: Beauty and the Beast
MAKEUP & HAIR: Darkest Hour
FILM EDITING: Dunkirk
SOUND MIXING: Dunkirk
SOUND EDITING: Dunkirk
VISUAL EFFECTS: Blade Runner 2049
ORIGINAL SCORE: Alexandre Desplat – The Shape of Water
ORIGINAL SONG: Coco – “Remember Me”
FOREIGN LANGUAGE: The Square
DOCUMENTARY: Faces Places