The 90th Annual Academy Awards - My Predictions

With just a couple of days to go, the excitement is building as we get ready to celebrate all that is great in the Film World, with the arrival of the 90th Annual Academy Awards.

What a year it has been, in some ways good, and in other ways...well...that's another story.
This past year cinematically has been much improved, and I have seen my Cinema attendance increase, surely a sign that things are getting better with the quality of films. There is quite a mixed bag of movies nominated this year. And as usual I am going to concentrate on the main 8 categories:-

Best Original Screenplay
Best Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced or Published
Best Actor in A Supprting Role
Best Actress in A Supporting Role
Best Actor In a Leading Role
Best Actress In A Leading Role
Best Director
Best Picture

These 8 categories have garnered 44 nominations, and I have managed to see 40 of them, so not bad going.
As ever, my list will be of who I think will win, and who I would ideally like to see win.

Best Original Screenplay

This is easy as my Prediction and choice of Winner are the same. I think that Martin McDonagh will be victorious for his excellent screenplay for....









 Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Although there are a couple of films which could throw a spanner in the works, my choice and also the Winner I think will be James Ivory for his stunning adaptation of......






Best Actor in A Supporting Role

I think that Sam Rockwell will win for his brilliant portrayal of a racist cop.
I have no problem with Sam winning but I'd equally like to see his co-star Woody Harrelson win for playing the local Sheriff or even Richard Jenkins for his lovely performance in "The Shape of Water"



Best Actress in A Supporting Role

Again this is an easy one to call. Anyone who has ever watched "The West Wing" will marvel at Allison Janney's transformation into the foul mouthed Mum from hell in "I, Tonya" and this is why she will Win the Oscar, and rightly so








Best Actor in A Leading Role

If ever there was a certainty, then it has to be Gary Oldman for his tour de force performance as Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour"





 

If Mr Oldman had not been nominated then I would like to think that the very excellent Timothee Charlamet would be in with a shout for his stunning performance in "Call Me By Your Name"






Best Actress in A Leading Role

As with all the Acting Awards this year, I think it is safe to say there will be very few surprises. In fact all are pretty much set in stone.
A firm for some time now, Frances McDormand will bag her second Oscar for playing the tough as nails, no nonsense Mom Mildred Hayes in "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri"




Best Director

Don't get me started on the fact that Martin McDonagh has not been nominated in this category - TRAVESTY
If one was a conspiracist, then one might think he was left out to pave the way for the man who I think will win, and he is Guillermo Del Toro for "The Shape of Water"

I would certainly be delighted to see Christopher Nolan win for his great work on "Dunkirk", although not the best film of the film, but his triumph at what was put on screen deserves recognition




Best Picture

Despite that there has been a recent backlash against "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri", I still think it will reign supreme at the Academy Awards and win Best Picture.

If there is going to be a repeat of what happened two years ago when "Spotlight" robbed "The Revenant" of a Best Picture Oscar, then the film that will steal "Three Billboards" thunder will be "The Shape of Water"

In an ideal world, I would love to see "Call Me By Your Name" win Best Picture. From start to finish it was a delight to watch. A wonderful screenplay from James Ivory, great performances ebut especially from Timothee Charlamet and Armie Hammer, and stunning cinematography




So there you have it. Just to recap, the nominees I think will win are:-

Best Original Screenplay - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published - Call Me By Your Name
Best Actor in A Supporting Role - Sam Rockwell
Best Actress in A Supporting Role - Allison Janney
Best Actor in A Leading Role - Gary Oldman
Best Actress in A Leading Role - Frances McDormand
Best Director - Guillermo Del Toro
Best Picture - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

And to just sidestep for a monent, if there is any justice then the Best Cinematography Oscar will go to Roger Deakins for his work on "Blade Runner 2049" not only as it was stunning but also for the fact that he is one of the very best in his field, and he is long overdue for Oscar recognition.

And good luck to Host Jimmy Kimmel, who did a first class job last year, and I for one am delighted to see him back.

Let's hope whoever presents Best Picture, will have the nerve to shout out if something is wrong !!! Lord preserve us should they give the Award to the wrong film.....

Oscar Nominations 2018 - My Thoughts

A little later this year but here are my thoughts on the nominations for the 90th Annual Academy Awards...

BEST PICTURE
Just because the Academy has increased the quote to a maximum of ten movies, does not mean that we have to have a full list, or as in this year, nine.
For me there are a number of films which should not have made the shortlist, and a few omissions, as always.
I have seen all nine of this years nominees, so am well voiced to be critical. For me I would have left out "Phantom Thread", "Lady Bird", at a push "The Shape of Water". All really good films, but one questions whether worthy of a Best Picture nomination.

I must add, that I feel "Get Out" is woefully overrated. Again like the others, it is a good film, cleverly written, but it DOES NOT deserve a Best Picture nomination, or quite a few of its other nominations.
And although there is a lot of love for Aaron Sorkin's "Molly's Game", for me the far superior Jessica Chastain film is "Miss. Sloane", which for me is one of the years best....and not a single nomination.

The only one good thing that having so many nominees in this category does is split the vote mnore, and can lead to an upset, which as a viewer is always exciting....though as with "Spotlight" not always a good choice.

BEST DIRECTOR
I never understand this one. Of late there are more times when the Best Director & Best Picture Oscars go to different films. I know that logic should not factor into the Oscars, silly me for thinking it would, but surely what is voted Best film, then the Director responsible should be rewarded accordingly. However I will also say that this year there would be a fair argument for Christopher Nolan winning Director for his work on "Dunkirk" yet, like many others, feel it is not the best Film. But given how brilliant say "Three Billboards..." is, it is surely a crime that Director Martin McDonagh has not even been nominated. With nine Best Picture nominees, and only five for Director, yes someone is going to lose out. But surely not the Director for the favourite to win Best Picture?
Even if Martin McDonagh had been nominated, I'm sure that Guillermo Del Toro would have won anyway, but that's not the point. There are at least 3 Directors who should not have made the shortlist...Paul Thomas Anderson, Greta Gerwig, and Jordan Peele. Where are the nominees for Joe Wright & Luca Guadagnino?

BEST ACTOR & BEST ACTRESS
Overall I would say that these categories are pretty good. There is the odd exception, and I would have expected a nod to Dame Judi Dench for her stunning work in "Victoria & Abdul" but other than that, its as expected.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR & BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Again as above, these two categories are pretty much as expected. The only thing I have wondered is whether Kevin Spacey would have gotten a nod for his portrayal of John Paul Getty had it not been for the scandal that saw him replaced by Christopher Plummer?


OVERALL
I think this year it is all about ticking boxes, and it SHOULD be about the films, performances and craft technicians who really deserve the recognition.