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Oscar Predictions 2018

With the Academy Awards only 2 days away, I thought I’d throw my hat into the prediction ring. So here are my predictions for who will win, as well as my thoughts on who should win.

We’ve also made a 2018 Oscars Nominee Viewing Guide which shows you where to watch each of the Oscar nominees (on Amazon, at the Cinema, and even Netflix). And scroll to the bottom to fill out your predictions for a chance to win a surprise Blu-Ray DVD from 2018.

So here we go, here are the predictions. Feel free to tear into them on Sunday night/Monday morning!

Best Actor

Is this one really as ‘easy’ as everyone thinks? Gary Oldman has already scooped up the SAG and BAFTA top prizes and his role fits exactly what the Academy Award loves: historical figures, transformations, and of course, good acting. But the Academy also loves Daniel Day Lewis (3 career wins already), and Timothee Chalamet has what is probably the best performance of the category, maybe even the whole acting category. Which is why I’m going for the upset. Although Gary Oldman deserves a career Oscar and his performance in Darkest Hour is good, Timothee Chalamet’s performance was excellent. Therefore I’m predicting he will be the deserving winner of the Best Actor award.

Should Win: Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

Will Win: Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

Best Actress

After the upset call in the Best Actor category, I’m playing it safe in The Best Actress category. Frances MacDormand has already won the top awards at the SAG and BAFTA ceremonies and is brilliant in her role. I can only see another candidate winning if critics are pan Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  and all their actors are damaged as a result. Only then could the equally deserving, Saoirse Ronan sneak in for the win.

Should Win: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird

Will Win: Frances MacDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Supporting Actor

There’s only one former winner in the Best Supporting Actor category and that’s latecomer Christopher Plummer. But if things go as expected, this will be another win for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Not for Woody Harrelson, who was also nominated, but for Sam Rockwell. His biggest challenger is Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project (which you should go watch). We marginally prefer Willem Dafoe’s role, but we’re not going to complain if Sam Rockwell wins as both acted their roles perfectly.

Should Win: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

Will Win: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Supporting Actress

Another acting category and another ‘upset’. Whilst the talk has mostly focused on Allison Janney’s mean mum, I think Laurie Metcalf’s mean mum will win this one. Allison Janney has the more memorable role, and acts well, but I think Laurie Metcalf’s performance was better. Just think of that scene in the car. And if you don’t know what scene I’m talking about you haven’t watched the film… so go watch it!

Should Win: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Will Win: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Best Director

This one is up for grabs. Whilst Guillermo Del Toro has won at the Director’s Guild, Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson are both admired in the industry. I wouldn’t even rule out first-timers Jordan Peele and Greta Gertwig. That being said, I’m backing Guillermo Del Toro to make it 4 out of 5 for Mexico in the Best Director category after Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity in 2014 and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Birdman 2015 and The Revenant 2016).

Should Win: Guillermo Del Toro

Will Win: Guillermo Del Toro

Best Picture

Moonlight surprised La La Land last year, and Spotlight surprised The Revenant two years ago. That makes 2 surprises in the last 2 years. Which is why I’m not going for Shape of Water. It’s a great film, but it’s a too recognisable. For me it had the feel of a R-rated Disney film (if ever there was one).  Which leaves three options for me: 1. Call Me By Your Name, 2. Lady Bird, and 3. Get Out.

Whilst I would love to see Call Me By Your Name win, I think the Academy ruled it out when it didn’t nominate Luca Guadagnino for Best Director. That leaves Lady Bird and Get Out. Both have run good campaigns, generating a lot of word of mouth. However, whilst Lady Bird might be the slightly better made film, Get Out is the more unique and memorable. Therefore I’m going for Get Out to surprise everyone and become the first pseudo horror film to win since The Silence of the Lambs in 1991.

Should Win: Call Me By Your Name

Will Win: Get Out

Best of the Rest

Here’s the rest of my predictions – definitely don’t trust me on the short films!

  • Best Animated Feature: Coco
  • Beat Documentary: Faces Places
  • Best Foreign Language Film: The Insult
  • Best Cinematography: Bladerunner 2049
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: Call Me By Your Name
  • Best Original Screenplay: Lady Bird
  • Best Costume Design: Phantom Thread
  • Best Film Editing: Dunkirk
  • Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Darkest Hour
  • Best Original Score: The Shape of Water
  • Best Original Song: “Remember Me” from Coco
  • Best Production Design: The Shape of Water
  • Best Short Film: DeKalb Elementary
  • Best Short Animation: Dear Basketball
  • Best Documentary Short: Heroin(e)
  • Best Sound Editing: Dunkirk
  • Best Sound Mixing: Dunkirk
  • Best Visual Effects: War for the Planet of the Apes

What Next?

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