My Oscar predictions
2016 Oscar Predictions
I left this far later than I had hoped, but here we are. The Oscars are on this Sunday, and I guess I am going to make my predictions. I’ve never fully gone in depth like this before with predictions, so let’s see how good I am at predicting what a bunch of old, white and rich American men’s favourite holocaust movie this year was.
(I actually do quite enjoy the Oscars for what they are, but it’s fun to poke fun at stuff)
I am going to start with the categories that nobody cares about, so that you won’t only read about half of this article.
Also I am going to skip over all documentary and short movie categories.
Sound Mixing:
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Arrival
La La Land
Hacksaw Ridge
Star Wars: Rogue One
I haven’t got a Scooby-doo about this category. I would like to see Rogue One pick up an Academy Award. I also worry that Hacksaw Ridge might not bring home some deserving gold so maybe in this category it might get a consolation prize. My pick is going to be La La Land, just because it’s an Academy favourite, and because it mixed sounds well…I think.
Sound Editing:
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully
I am going to pick Hacksaw Ridge for this one. For no particular reason other than to change it up from La La Land. I hope Hacksaw Ridge does well come Sunday. I actually would like to see the other 3 movies in here get the award because they all deserve something, and La La Land will probably clean up in the bigger awards. My pick is still Hacksaw Ridge though.
Costume Design:
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land
I again, have no idea. I feel like La La Land will win this one. If I was feeling braver I would give my pick to Fantastic Beasts, but I am not, so La La Land it is. I might regret that one.
Make-up and Hairstyling:
A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad
I feel like this is a more straight forward category. It’s pretty much which non-realistic creatures looked real. Star Trek Beyond surely will win that if that’s the case. I haven’t even heard of the first movie. I pick Star Trek Beyond.
Editing:
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight
Again, this is reasonably straight forward. If I don’t notice the edits or cuts in a movie, then I consider it well edited. La La Land or Moonlight probably would be the top two when considering that. But if we take into account how hard Hacksaw Ridge would have been to edit, it has to be a favourite. Again this one is down between Hacksaw and La La Land, but again, I think that the Academy will vie in the lane of Hacksaw Ridge. I’m going for Hacksaw, but it will probably lose to La La Land, but also watch out for Moonlight.
Cinematography:
Arrival
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence
I have yet to check out Lion or Silence so I can’t really give my opinion on those, but I think that this one falls down between Arrival and La La Land. I don’t think that La La Land is going to clean up every single award its up for, so my pick is Bradford Young’s work on Arrival.
Production design:
Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
La La Land
Passengers
I have no idea who will win this one. Passengers actually looked excellent but nobody liked that movie so it won’t win. This is another that is going up between La La Land and another movie. Again it is Fantastic Beasts, a movie I didn’t really like, so I will say La La Land.
Visual effects:
Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Star Wars: Rogue One
If The Jungle Book wasn’t their then it would be a dogfight between Rogue One, Doctor Strange and Deepwater Horizon. But unfortunately for them, Jungle Book is there, so The Jungle Book is winning, and is my pick to win.
Original Song:
“Audition” from La La Land
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” from Trolls
“City of Stars” from La La Land
“The Empty Chair” from Jim: The James Foley Story
“How Far I’ll Go” from Moana
Sing Street – Drive it like you stole it should win. It didn’t even get a nomination. One of the La La Land ones will win it, so I will say City of Stars to win.
Original Score:
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers
Haven’t seen Jackie or Lion, but I will go ahead and just say that Justin Hurwitz will win for his work on La La Land’s score. He is the clear frontrunner, and I can’t see anybody knocking him off his perch.
Animated Feature:
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia
I don’t watch animated movies too often. I have only seen Zootopia from this list, and I didn’t even finish it. I am going to pick it by default anyway though. Zootopia to win.
Adapted Screenplay:
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight
I really hope Moonlight wins this one. Wouldn’t be shocked if Hidden Figures causes an upset here, but my money is on Moonlight. This is one of the bigger categories, and Moonlight deserves at least one big win.
Original Screenplay:
20th Century Women
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea
The Lobster
This is a three horse race in my opinion. I am going to predict a Manchester by the Sea victory, but wouldn’t be surprised if Hell or High Water or La La Land takes home the gold. I actually would love to see Hell or High Water win, and if I was to pick my winner, then that would be my choice. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening, and I am predicting Manchester by the Sea to win.
Supporting Actress:
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Viola Davis is winning this one, and rightfully so. Naomie Harris probably out-did Davis a slight bit, but this is Viola’s to lose. This is a very strong group this year, and everyone who loses is unlucky, but only one will win and it will be Viola Davis. Naoime Harris will really push her close though.
Supporting Actor:
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
If it was my choice, I would go with Jeff Bridges, but I am predicting a Mahershala Ali victory. He deserves it 100%, but I just love Jeff Bridges. Like Davis, this is Ali’s to lose.
Leading Actress:
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Does Meryl Streep even care that she is nominated by now? Probably not. She won’t be wining this one anyway. Emma Stone will win this one in my opinion, and she is my pick. Natalie Portman and Huppert might cause an upset, but that is beginning to look unlikely.
Leading Actor:
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences
Man this is a strong category. Every one of them is probably deserving of winning. When it comes down to it though, it is really between Affleck and Denzel. Denzel is taking this one home though. I am actually feeling confident about this one, despite all the hype around Casey Affleck.
Director:
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Another very strong category. If I had the power, I would vote for Villeneuve, but he hasn’t a hope of winning. I am predicting a Damien Chazelle win, and he does deserve it. La La Land is beautifully directed and what he managed to make a musical both good and popular. That’s a hard feat, and he will take home the Oscar.
Picture:
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
At the end of the day, La La Land is the clear front runner. My top 3 of the year is Arrival, Hell or High Water and Hacksaw Ridge, but I don’t see any of the winning. La La Land was great, and is in the my top 10 of the year, but I am going to be bold and predict a Moonlight win. It is the most important movie of the year, and was pure excellence. I am predicting Moonlight to cause an upset and take home the Oscar.
So those are my predictions guys. I have a few bold choices in there, but we will wait and see how I do come Sunday.