So, the Oscars are right around the corner and like most awards season, I’m ready for this one to be blissfully over. La La Land is gonna win a ton of Oscars, but how many? Here are my final Oscar predictions.
Best Picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Listen, there’s no point in even wondering about this category. The only movies I can think about that got so many nominations and didn’t walk away with picture was Avatar? Gravity? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? And all of those were against movies that were def going to win so…La La Land has this in the bag (unfortunately).
Will Win: La La Land
Should Win: Moonlight
Should Have Been Nominated: Midnight Special
Director
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By the Sea
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Another category where the most deserving person won’t win. But this will just be another in the huge haul La La Land will take.
Will Win: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Should Win: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Should Have Been Nominated: Richard Linklater, Everybody Wants Some
Actor
Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea
Denzel Washington, Fences
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Vigo Mortenson, Captain Fantastic
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
This is honestly the only category that has some real drama and intrigue. Denzel’s SAG win threw this race for a loop, giving the actor the first win of his career. Will he take his third Oscar? There are many times in Oscar predicting where you go with heart sometimes over your head. Casey has won a ton of awards. But something about this race feels like he’ll trip Casey up.
Will Win: Denzel Washington, Fences
Should Win: Denzel Washington, Fences
Should Have Been Nominated: Joe Seo, Spa Night
Actress
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
What was once a super competitive race for the nomination has turned into a coronation for Emma Stone. This is one of the coolest actress lists that we’ve had and it’s tough that some women couldn’t make it.
Will Win: Emma Stone, La La Land
Should Win: Natalie Portman, Jackie
Should Have Been Nominated: Sally Field, Hello My Name is Dorris
Supporting Actor
Dev Patel, Lion
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
This is the race that I think should be sewn up but some people don’t think it is and therefore I’m getting nervous? Ali, honestly truly, feels like the winner here. But Patel won the BAFTA and this field is different than any of the other fields Ali has faced. I’m sticking with my man tho.
Will Win: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Should Win: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Should Have Been Nominated: Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight
Supporting Actress
Viola Davis, Fences
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea
Viola is locked and loaded for this one. I do wish she was competing in Lead tho.
Will Win: Viola Davis, Fences
Should Win: Viola Davis, Fences
Should Have Been Nominated: Kate Dickie, The Witch
Original Screenplay
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By the Sea
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water
Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou, The Lobster
Mike Mills, 20th Century Women
Many pundits will tell you that musicals don’t win Screenplay (they don’t) but most of those are in Adapted. La La Land is on it’s way to winning upwards of 8 Oscars and it’s really foolish to think Chazelle won’t win (remember we all thought Boyhood would win Screenplay?) AND YET, is it really gonna challenge for the most wins of all time? Sheridan and Lonergan are right there…
Will Win: Manchester by the Sea
Should Win: Hell or High Water
Should Have Been Nominated: Midnight Special
Adapted Screenplay
August Wilson, Fences
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Luke Davies, Lion
Theodore Melfi, Hidden Figures
Eric Heisserer, Arrival
The WGA winners for Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay are competing here so anything really could happen. Moonlight should be the one to come out on top but I would not be surprised if Arrival won cause it really is a masterful adaptation.
Will Win: Moonlight
Should Win: Moonlight
Should Have Been Nomianted: Captain America: Civil War
Animated Film
Zootopia
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
The Red Turtle
My Life as a Zucchini
Will Win: Kubo and the Two Strings
Should Win: Zootopia
Should Have Been Nominated: N/A
Foreign Language Film
Land of Mine, Denmark
A Man Called Ove, Sweden
The Salesman, Iran
Tanna, Australia
Toni Erdmann, Germany
Will Win: The Salesman
Should Win: N/A
Should Have Been Nominated: N/A
Documentary
Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
O.J.: Made in America
13th
Will Win: I Am Not Your Negro
Should Win: 13th
Should Have Been Nominated: They Call Us Monsters
Editing
Joe Walker, Arrival
John Gilbert, Hacksaw Ridge
Jake Roberts, Hell or High Water
Tom Cross, La La Land
Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon, Moonlight
Will Win: La La Land
Should Win: Moonlight
Should Have Been Nominated: The Witch
Cinematography
Linus Sandgren, La La Land
Grieg Fraser, Lion
Bradford Young, Arrival
James Laxton, Moonlight
Rodrigo Prieto, Silence
Will Win: La La Land
Should Win: Arrival
Should Have Been Nominated: The Witch
Production Design
Arrival
Production Design: Patrice Vermette
Set Decoration: Paul Hotte
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Production Design: Stuart Craig
Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Hail, Caesar!
Production Design: Jess Gonchor
Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
La La Land
Production Design: David Wasco
Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
Passengers
Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas
Set Decoration: Gene Serdena
Will Win: Arrival
Should Win: Hail, Caesar!
Should Have Been Nominated: The Handmaiden
Costume Design
Joanna Johnston, Allied
Colleen Atwood, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Consolata Boyle, Florence Foster Jenkins
Madeline Fontaine, Jackie
Mary Zophres, La La Land
Will Win: Jackie
Should Win: Jackie
Should Have Been Nominated: Hello, My Name is Doris
Make Up
Eva von Bahr and Love Larson, A Man Called Ove
Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo, Star Trek Beyond
Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson , Suicide Squad
Will Win: Star Trek Beyond
Should Win: Star Trek Beyond
Should Have Been Nominated: Sing Street
Visual Effects
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The Jungle Book
Doctor Strange
Kubo and the Two Strings
Deepwater Horizon
Will Win: The Jungle Book
Should Win: Kubo and the Two Strings
Should Have Been Nominated: Midnight Special
Sound Mixing
Arrival, Bernard Gariépy Strobl and Claude La Haye
Hacksaw Ridge, Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace
La La Land, Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee and Steve A. Morrow
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, David Parker, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Mac Ruth
Will Win: La La Land
Should Win: Arrival
Should Have Been Nominated: The Witch
Sound Editing
Arrival, Sylvain Bellemare
Deepwater Horizon, Wylie Stateman and Renée Tondelli
Hacksaw Ridge, Robert Mackenzie and Andy Wright
La La Land, Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan
Sully, Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
Will Win: Arrival
Should Win: Arrival
Should Have Been Nominated: Captain America: Civil War
Original Score
Jackie, Mica Levi
La La Land, Justin Hurwitz
Lion, Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka
Moonlight, Nicholas Britell
Passengers, Thomas Newman
Will Win: La La Land
Should Win: Jackie
Should Have Been Nominated: Captain America: Civil War
Original Song
“Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
“Can’t Stop The Feeling” from Trolls
Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster
“City Of Stars” from La La Land
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
“The Empty Chair” from Jim: The James Foley Story
Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting
“How Far I’ll Go” from Moana
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Will Win: “City Of Stars” from La La Land
Should Win: “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana
Should Have Been Nominated: “You’e Welcome” Moana
Best Animated Short Film
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper
Best Live Action Short Film
Ennemis Intérieurs
La Femme et le TGV
Silent Nights
Sing
Timecode
Best Documentary Short
Extremis
4.1 Miles
Joe’s Violin
Watani: My Homeland
The White Helmets
Final Tally
La La Land – 8
Moonlight – 2
Arrival – 2