Oscar Predictions 2018

Oscar Predictions 2018

Before we get underway with anything Oscar related, can we please make sure that everyone has the correct envelopes? As hilarious as that gaffe was, I don't think my heart can sustain another shock like that. Nevertheless, it's that time of year again. The Oscars are airing tonight and, as I have done for the past two years, I now present to you my Oscar predictions. It's been a good year for films in general but an especially good year for those nominated. Call Me By Your Name was a beautiful love story with amazing performances set in the stunning Italian countryside. It also ruined me from ever eating peaches again. Gary Oldman is nominated for Best Actor for his performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour but I will always remember his best performance; Drexl from True Romance, a drug-dealing, Rastafarian pimp. It was such a classy performance. Marking a record breaking 21st nomination, Meryl Streep will once again attend for her performance in The Post. Rumours are suggesting that next year she will play a blade of grass in a brief cameo of Bee Movie 2 and receive her 22nd nomination. In the animated category, Coco, Pixar's newest attempt to destroy your soul and drown you with your own tears, seems to have been put in the wrong category as its fellow nominees include Ferdinand, starring John Cena as a bull who has to escape the Matador life, and The Boss Baby starring Alec Baldwin and a walking, talking baby and I'm not talking about his Donald Trump impression on Saturday Night Live. Anyway, more on the nominees in just a bit. Firstly, for anyone reading these predictions, do not think of these as the bona fide truth. These are just the assumptions of a twenty year-old, soon to be in debt, possibly alcoholic student who likes watching movies now and again. That being said, I've upped the stakes this year and actually put some money on my predictions so I might be even more in debt after this night. So that you can make heads or tails of my predictions, there are a couple of suggestions I make after my analysis of every category. They are:
WILL WIN: This is the nominee that I think stands the most chance of picking up the award tonight.
SHOULD WIN: This is the nominee who I believe deserves the award. This is more of a personal choice.
COULD WIN: This is the nominee who probably stands the next biggest chance at winning. Their win wouldn't cause an upset though.
WILDCARD: This is the nominee that could cause a massive upset and completely go against all punditry. Otherwise known as the 'Crash' choice.
MISSING: This is the non-existent nominee who I believe deserves a nomination but yet was overlooked by the Academy.
It's also worth me noting that, despite my best efforts, I have not seen every single movie to be released this year. Therefore for the following categories, I cannot give a qualified analysis and predictions:
- BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
- BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
- BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) - The only nominee I've seen here is Lou. It was featured before Cars 3 and was better than that entire film.
- BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE-ACTION)
And so, with the formalities out of the way, let's crack on with my Oscar Predictions for the 2017-18 season...







BEST PICTURE

- CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
- DARKEST HOUR
- DUNKIRK
- GET OUT
- LADY BIRD
- PHANTOM THREAD
- THE POST
- THE SHAPE OF WATER
- THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

From studying the awards race up until now, this seems to be a two horse race between The Shape Of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. My personal pick to win the biggest award of the night would be The Shape Of Water. Three Billboards won the BAFTA but seeing as that was a British made film, the odds were in their favour then. The Academy always love a film that can combine fantasy and reality and Del Toro has gone on far too long without picking up the main gong. Personally, The Shape Of Water would be my choice simply because of how it swept me off my feet and I fell head over heels for a romance between a mute woman and a fish-man. Only the magic of movies can make that possible. Three Billboards is also still an incredible movie and I won't be disappointed if that wins either. It's a sharp and very timely film with some fantastically written character arcs and this year's best performances. As for the other nominees, I am so happy to see Get Out nominated and for it to get the recognition it deserves. Dunkirk and Darkest Hour both managed to tell the story of the Dunkirk evacuations in their own unique way. Dunkirk was a cinematic triumph from Christopher Nolan whereas Darkest Hour focused on the behind the scenes action that was elevated by its lead performance. Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird were this years standout coming of age tales although told at the opposite ends of the globe. Call Me By Your Name tells the story of a budding summer romance between a young man and an older American guest. It's one of the years most profound films but it's been overshadowed by the more popular and slightly more accessible nominees. As for Lady Bird, Phantom Thread and The Post, each of these might have had a chance in another year but alas, these films fall to the bottom of the pile. However, the fact that Blade Runner 2049 hasn't been nominated yet can be found in many other categories is bewildering. It took science fiction to another level and built off of the classic original.

WILL WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER

SHOULD WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER

COULD WIN: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

WILDCARD: GET OUT

MISSING: BLADE RUNNER 2049

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

- TIMOTHEÉ CHALAMET - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
- DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - PHANTOM THREAD
- DANIEL KALUUYA - GET OUT
- GARY OLDMAN - DARKEST HOUR
- DENZEL WASHINGTON - ROMAN J. ISRAEL ESQ.

Congratulations Gary Oldman. After years of continually giving ground-breaking performances and emerging as a true character actor, it would probably be the ceremony's biggest shock if Oldman doesn't win. His depiction of Winston Churchill is bold, brutish and was the only captivating part about Darkest Hour. The only real competition that could stop Oldman's name being read from the envelope is if Timotheé Chalamet nabs a surprise victory. He recently just won the Independent Spirit Award so seems to have enough clout to knock Oldman off of the throne. Chalamet was excellent in Call Me By Your Name and deserves acclaim from the final scene alone however, even if Chalamet loses this year, he's surely got a bright future ahead of him meaning that this won't be the last time we see him nominated in this category. Daniel Day-Lewis might possibly stand a chance because he's Daniel Day-Lewis and whilst his performance as Reynolds Woodcock is a masterclass in acting and a true testament to the work of Day-Lewis, it's not quite enough to trump Oldman. As for Kaluuya and Washington, they stand little chance to walk away the winner tonight. Kaluuya was fantastic in Get Out and even though I'm glad to see his nomination and Get Out receiving more acclaim, he hasn't been talked about enough to stand a chance. Washington is more of a mystery. I'm sure he was great in Roman J. Israel Esq. but his nomination seems more like a filler where, personally, it should have gone to someone like Hugh Jackman in Logan for what was an absolute powerhouse of a performance.

WILL WIN: GARY OLDMAN - DARKEST HOUR

SHOULD WIN: GARY OLDMAN - DARKEST HOUR

COULD WIN:  TIMOTHEÉ CHALAMET - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

WILDCARD - DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - PHANTOM THREAD

MISSING - HUGH JACKMAN - LOGAN

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

- SALLY HAWKINS - THE SHAPE OF WATER
- FRANCES MCDORMAND - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
- MARGOT ROBBIE - I, TONYA
- SAOIRSE RONAN - LADY BIRD
- MERYL STREEP - THE POST

Similar to Best Picture, this award will likely be down to Hawkins vs. McDormand. Both of these performances are award worthy in their own right but I think McDormand will edge out ever so slightly. Her performance in Three Billboards was breathtaking and to see her revel in the dark comedy that Martin McDonagh writes so well was sensational but it was the little nuances from McDormand and the cracks that we begin to see appear in her steely exterior that make her my pick to win Best Actress. That should not take away from the excellence of Sally Hawkins. She is pitch perfect in Del Toro's unorthodox romance but whilst she might not say a word, her facial expressions and body language speak volumes. Yet again, Streep comes charging into the category that she practically owns at this point. If there ever comes a year where she isn't nominated then the end of the world must be nigh. As for her performance in The Post, Streep is on fine form but I do have to question whether she triumphed over some other actresses who missed out on a nomination such as Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain. I doubt there will be many potential upsets in this category with the only possible underdog to be Saoirse Ronan for yet another electrifying performance under the guidance of Greta Gerwig in the magnificent Lady Bird. As for Margot Robbie, she gave a career best performance in I, Tonya but I don't think she stands out enough as much as the other nominees. Another year perhaps?

WILL WIN: FRANCES MCDORMAND - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

SHOULD WIN: FRANCES MCDORMAND - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

COULD WIN: SALLY HAWKINS - THE SHAPE OF WATER

WILDCARD: SAOIRSE RONAN - LADY BIRD

MISSING: JENNIFER LAWRENCE - MOTHER!

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

- WILLEM DAFOE - THE FLORIDA PROJECT
- WOODY HARRELSON - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
- RICHARD JENKINS - THE SHAPE OF WATER
- CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD
- SAM ROCKWELL - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

What a category. Aside from Dafoe, who I've yet to see in The Florida Project and it pains me to admit that, all of these actors are incredibly deserving of their nominations here. Rockwell will likely pick up the award and rightly so. Partly due to the phenomenal script from McDonagh, Rockwell is the best he's ever been as he takes a despicable and disgusting character and adds a level of humanity to him leading to an impressively executed character arc that most films daren't attempt. Rockwell's co-star, Woody Harrelson, was also on fine form in Three Billboards as a Sheriff in the town of Ebbing who is tasked with trying to keep the peace between police and McDormand going full anarchist. It's a terrific and endearing performance but he wasn't the name on the tip of everyone's tongue as they left that film. The biggest talking point of this category however, is the nomination of Christopher Plummer in Ridley Scott's thrilling, All The Money In The World. To think that three months ago, Plummer had nothing to do with this movie but after the infamous outing of Kevin Spacey and his eventual firing by Scott, Plummer came aboard to production, re-filmed all of Spacey's scenes and still hit the intended release date. Furthermore, Plummer was astonishing as the tyrant, J. Paul Getty and who knows, they might make a film about how All The Money In The World was made and that then might gain him an award then. As for this year, he's close but not in contention. Richard Jenkins is the only possible competition I can see to dethrone Rockwell. Jenkins plays Sally Hawkins' next door neighbour in one of the sweetest and most charismatic performances this year. His arc is fantastically realised and provides not only a significant purpose to the film, but also can be related to today's society in finding your place and purpose in your world. Jenkins might not be as extravagant as Sam Rockwell in their respective roles but if Jenkins pulls an upset and walks away the winner, then I won't be upset. If I were to add my own personal nomination, it would be for Michael Stuhlbarg in Call Me By Your Name. He was sensational as Elio's father and delivers one of the most beautiful monologues of the year.

WILL WIN: SAM ROCKWELL - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

SHOULD WIN: SAM ROCKWELL - THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

COULD WIN: RICHARD JENKINS - THE SHAPE OF WATER

WILDCARD: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

MISSING: MICHAEL STUHLBARG - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

- MARY J. BLIGE - MUDBOUND
- ALLISON JANNEY - I, TONYA
- LESLEY MANVILLE - PHANTOM THREAD
- LAURIE METCALF - LADY BIRD
- OCTAVIA SPENCER - THE SHAPE OF WATER

This is a very interesting category because aside from Janney and Metcalf, I'm not entirely sure that I agree with these nominations. Admittedly, I haven't seen Mudbound so I cannot comment on Blige's performance but as for Manville and Spencer, whilst their performances are solid, I wouldn't say that they're at the calibre of their competitors. A case could possibly made for Manville because she gives a dominative performance that goes toe to toe with Daniel Day-Lewis but as does Vicky Krieps who, if nominated, might have won. As for Octavia Spencer, she is delightful in The Shape Of Water but as I was watching it, I never once found her to be a clear nomination. It's a good performance but nothing to rave about. Therefore, it's down to Janney vs Metcalf and I think it will be Janney who comes out on top. She's got the Golden Globe and BAFTA under her belt so it seems like a foregone conclusion for her to win the Oscar too. Janney is remarkable as LaVona Harding and is absolutely terrifying yet engrossing to watch. But we shouldn't sleep on Metcalf who, if the Academy take a particular liking to Lady Bird, could walk away the winner with a very heartfelt and realistic depiction of a mother trying her best to hold her dysfunctional family together.

WILL WIN: ALLISON JANNEY - I, TONYA

SHOULD WIN: ALLISON JANNEY - I, TONYA

COULD WIN: LAURIE METCALF - LADY BIRD

WILDCARD: LESLEY MANVILLE - PHANTOM THREAD

MISSING: VICKY KRIEPS - PHANTOM THREAD

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

- THE BOSS BABY
- THE BREADWINNER
- COCO
- FERDINAND
- LOVING VINCENT

By far and large, this is the easiest prediction of the entire awards. Coco has got this sewn up and rightly so. Not only is it beautifully animated but it treats the world of the Mexican afterlife and their culture with such respect and crafts an amazing story around it. The other nominees don't stand a chance. The Breadwinner and Loving Vincent might be worthy of their nomination because of their daring animation style but I am still reeling as to why The Boss Baby and Ferdinand are nominated. Neither were that memorable with the latter having clear animation issues. Instead of these two films filling spaces for deserving films, why not include animated films that either stand a chance of winning or have earned the right for a nomination such as The LEGO Batman Movie or Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Anyway, congratulations Coco. You might as well start celebrating now.

WILL WIN: COCO

SHOULD WIN: COCO

COULD WIN: THE BREADWINNER

WILDCARD: LOVING VINCENT

MISSING: THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

- BLADE RUNNER 2049 - ROGER DEAKINS
- DARKEST HOUR - BRUNO DELBONNEL
- DUNKIRK - HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA
- MUDBOUND - RACHEL MORRISON
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - DAN LAUSTSEN

If Deakins doesn't win this year, I swear to almighty God, I will riot. Blade Runner 2049 is one of the most beautiful films ever made with every single shot appearing as if it was painted from heaven upon high using the clouds as an easel and the colours of the rainbow as the paint. Deakins has been nominated fourteen times and hasn't won a single award. This is the absolute pinnacle of his work and if he doesn't win then The Academy has completely lost all credit for me. I only need to see a screenshot from the film and I'm already bowled over by its beauty. As for the other nominees, it was nice of them to feature. Dunkirk, as I mentioned earlier, is an immersive experience like no other and the cinematography to capture the aerial battles and the war on land is some of the most impressive for a war film. The Shape Of Water is also another stunning motion picture with some truly gorgeous shots that feel as if they were ripped straight out of a renaissance art gallery but they are all cowering in the shadows of Deakins. And I highly doubt anyone left Darkest Hour raving about the cinematography. So yes, if Deakins does not win this award, I think I'm going to go Supernova and explode in a fiery ball of rage.

WILL WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - ROGER DEAKINS

SHOULD WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - ROGER DEAKINS

COULD WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - DAN LAUSTSEN

WILDCARD: DUNKIRK - HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA

MISSING: THE POST - JANUSZ KAMINSKI

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

- BEAUTY & THE BEAST - JACQUELINE DURRAN
- DARKEST HOUR - JACQUELINE DURRAN
- PHANTOM THREAD - MARK BRIDGES
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - LUIS SEQUEIRA
- VICTORIA & ABDUL - CONSOLATA BOYLE

A film centred on a fashion designer. Surely Phantom Thread is a certainty for this category. The costumes are stunning and appear as if they were designed and created by the most illustrious fashion designer of all time. Each dress, shoe and bow tie tells a story about the character who wears it and becomes an integral piece of the narrative rather than just a way to make the actors look dashing and pretty. Jacqueline Durran will likely be fairly confident as she walks into the ceremony with two nominations for Beauty & The Beast, which does a cracking job at recreating the costumes from the animated original, and Darkest Hour which, similar to the cinematography, is impressive but nothing special. As for the other nominees, there isn't anything overly striking about their inclusion that could possibly cause an upset. Maybe, depending if The Shape Of Water goes on a winning streak, this category could swing in its favour.

WILL WIN: PHANTOM THREAD - MARK BRIDGES

SHOULD WIN: PHANTOM THREAD - MARK BRIDGES

COULD WIN: BEAUTY & THE BEAST - JACQUELINE DURRAN

WILDCARD: THE SHAPE OF WATER - LUIS SEQUEIRA

MISSING: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN - ELLEN MIROJNICK

BEST DIRECTOR

- DUNKIRK - CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
- GET OUT - JORDAN PEELE
- LADY BIRD - GRETA GERWIG
- PHANTOM THREAD - PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - GUILLERMO DEL TORO

Of the nominations that The Shape Of Water has acquired, this is the one I'm hoping will win. Del Toro crafts a story for the ages that takes a typical fairy tale and subverts it into his own bizarre style and world of oddities. From the overall look of the film, the use of music and colour to determine themes and his ability to wrangle out incredible performances from his entire cast, Del Toro well and truly earns this award in my eyes and judging from the award shows up until now, seems like the top candidate. Considering the other nominees, Jordan Peele could pull off a sneak attack thanks to one of the most impressive directorial debuts, possibly, ever. His style throughout Get Out is indelible and his voice is crying out to be heard so he is certain to appear in this category for years to come. I'm glad that Christopher Nolan is nominated for Dunkirk because it is because of him that Dunkirk is unlike any war film to date but he hasn't been making big enough waves to win this year but it's only a matter of time before he eventually does. Of course, it was refreshing to see the talents of Greta Gerwig nominated here because of her outstanding work in Lady Bird but I was much happier that her screenplay had been recognised too because that's where my heart lies with Lady Bird. Paul Thomas Anderson was an unexpected nomination, as were many of Phantom Thread's nominations, but whilst his stylistic flair was imprinted throughout the film, I can't help but think that the talents of Martin McDonagh, Edgar Wright and Denis Villeneuve have been overlooked.

WILL WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - GUILLERMO DEL TORO

SHOULD WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - GUILLERMO DEL TORO

COULD WIN: GET OUT - JORDAN PEELE

WILDCARD: LADY BIRD - GRETA GERWIG

MISSING: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - DENIS VILLENEUVE

BEST FILM EDITING

- BABY DRIVER - PAUL MACHLISS & JONATHAN AMOS
- DUNKIRK - LEE SMITH
- I, TONYA - TATIANA S. RIEGEL
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - SIDNEY WOLINSKY
- THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI - JON GREGORY

If there is one request I can have this year for the Academy to honour  it would be for them to finally recognise the work of Edgar Wright and reward him for his incredible editing efforts. The editing of Baby Driver was some of the most intricate and seamless of the nominated movies in the last decade. Editing is a key style of Wright's work and instead of putting in a bit of flair to hopefully gain a nomination, uses this technique to further the story. I, Tonya also contains some unique editing skills to incorporate multiple shots to seem as if they were one continuous tracking sequence and also cutting back and forth between dramatized events and recreations of interviews. It's not as ground-breaking as Baby Driver but it could sneak a win if the Academy aren't ready to recognise Wright just yet. The other nominees, whilst well edited, don't stand out as much as the other two with the only possible exception being Three Billboards thanks to a brilliant one shot sequence sprawling the space of the entire town. However, and this goes for other categories as well, I'm a little taken aback by the lack of nominations for mother! I understand it was very risky and extremely different but the technical aspects involved were all of a high class level and the editing was incredibly artistic.

WILL WIN: BABY DRIVER - PAUL MACHLISS & JONATHAN AMOS

SHOULD WIN: BABY DRIVER - PAUL MACHLISS & JONATHAN AMOS

COULD WIN: I, TONYA - TATIANA S. RIEGEL

WILDCARD: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI - JON GREGORY

MISSING: MOTHER! - ANDREW WEISBLUM

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

- DARKEST HOUR - KAZUHIRO TSUJI, DAVID MALINOWSKI & LUCY SIBBICK
- VICTORIA & ABDUL - DANIEL PHILLIPS & LOU SHEPPARD
- WONDER - ARJEN TUITEN

Having not seen Victoria & Abdul and as good as the prosthetic used in Wonder is, this is, unquestionably, Darkest Hour's award to lose. Gary Oldman gave an outstanding performance but it was the mind-blowing make-up and prosthetics that helped aid the transformation. Oldman is unrecognisable as Churchill to the point where it felt as if I was watching a documentary of events rather than a movie. Wonder helped transform Jacob Tremblay and looked very realistic but it simply doesn't stand a chance. Let's just hope that we don't have another Suicide Squad on our hands this year. But I am going to address the elephant in the room; WHERE THE HELL IS THE SHAPE OF WATER!?!? The fact that this didn't even make the shortlist and that it apparently relied on CGI too much for The Amphibian Man is ludicrous. That was the only challenge that Darkest Hour might have faced but The Academy completely snubbed it.

WILL WIN: DARKEST HOUR - KAZUHIRO TSUJI, DAVID MALINOWSKI & LUCY SIBBICK

SHOULD WIN: DARKEST HOUR - KAZUHIRO TSUJI, DAVID MALINOWSKI & LUCY SIBBICK

COULD WIN: WONDER - ARJEN TUITEN

WILDCARD: N/A

MISSING: THE SHAPE OF WATER

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

- DUNKIRK - HANS ZIMMER
- PHANTOM THREAD - JONNY GREENWOOD
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
- STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI - JOHN WILLIAMS
- THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI - CARTER BURWELL

This is the first category that I believe will have a discrepancy between the nominee I think will win and the nominee I want to win. Hans Zimmer, at this point, can almost do no wrong and his score of Dunkirk is unparalleled as is his team-up with Benjamin Wallfisch for Blade Runner 2049. He combines the ticking of Christopher Nolan's very own pocket watch with a intensifying score that gradually increases and builds to dramatic effect. It suits the ongoing action perfectly and serves as another brilliant partnership between Nolan and Zimmer. So whilst I am rooting for Zimmer, I'm fairly confident that Desplat will emerge victorious. His score for The Shape Of Water is blissful as he merges a typical fantastical score with a touch of the Parisian lifestyle. It's a terrific score and a more than deserving winner but one that I think can't quite reach the level of Zimmer. Jonny Greenwood also rightfully earns a nomination with a surprisingly emotionally driven score that suits the beauty on screen as well as the beauty affecting your other sense. As I mentioned in my review, it sounds as if Greenwood recorded the sounds of heaven itself and planted it within Anderson's film. Now, my next comment might be considered sacrilegious and I hope this doesn't dock me point on my nerd cred status but Williams' score for The Last Jedi was good but nothing remotely worthy of a nomination. Whereas in The Force Awakens, Williams introduced new musical themes for the characters, here he just reuses some of the same themes with slight alterations. As for Carter Burwell, his score works well in the context of the movie but isn't that memorable otherwise.

WILL WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT

SHOULD WIN: DUNKIRK - HANS ZIMMER

COULD WIN: DUNKIRK - HANS ZIMMER

WILDCARD: PHANTOM THREAD - JONNY GREENWOOD

MISSING: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - HANS ZIMMER & BENJAMIN WALLFISCH

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

- "MIGHTY RIVER" FROM MUDBOUND - MARY J. BLIGE, RAPHAEL SAADIQ & TAURA STINSON
- "MYSTERY OF LOVE" FROM CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - SUFJAN STEVENS
- "REMEMBER ME" FROM COCO - KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & ROBERT LOPEZ
- "STAND UP FOR SOMETHING" FROM MARSHALL - DIANE WARREN & LONNIE R. LYNN
- "THIS IS ME" FROM THE GREATEST SHOWMAN - BENJ PASEK & JUSTIN PAUL

Let's be honest; they could have nominated the entire Greatest Showman soundtrack and it wouldn't go amiss. The main rivalry here is between The Greatest Showman and Coco. Personally, I'm a fan of both songs and understand the importance in each movie but, going on a popularity basis, This Is Me might just have the edge. Remember Me is still an emotional song and works brilliantly in the context of the film but This Is Me is the tentpole of its film and has created such an iconic cultural significance across the world. It wouldn't surprise me if Coco took the win because of the power of Disney but they also have to contend with Pasek and Paul coming off their win from La La Land last year so are already in The Academy's good books. The songs from Mudbound and Marshall, whilst I'm sure are good, haven't been heard by myself so that leaves Mystery Of Love from Call Me By Your Name which is such a beautiful and poignant track to listen to. I just don't think it has the popularity to garner itself a victory here. As far as snubs are concerned, I'm surprised the original songs from Beauty & The Beast didn't feature in the nominations, especially Evermore.

WILL WIN: "THIS IS ME" FROM THE GREATEST SHOWMAN - BENJ PASEK & JUSTIN PAUL

SHOULD WIN: "THIS IS ME" FROM THE GREATEST SHOWMAN - BENJ PASEK & JUSTIN PAUL

COULD WIN: "REMEMBER ME" FROM COCO - KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & ROBERT LOPEZ

WILDCARD: "MYSTERY OF LOVE" FROM CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - SUFJAN STEVENS

MISSING: "EVERMORE" FROM BEAUTY & THE BEAST - ALAN MENKEN & HOWARD ASHMAN

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

- BEAUTY & THE BEAST - SARAH GREENWOOD & KATIE SPENCER
- BLADE RUNNER 2049 - DENNIS GASSNER & ALESSANDRA QUERZOLA
- DARKEST HOUR - SARAH GREENWOOD & KATIE SPENCER
- DUNKIRK - NATHAN CROWLEY & GARY FETTIS
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - PAUL DENHAM, SHANE VIEAU & JEFFERY A. MELVIN

Whether it be wishful thinking or strategic analysis, I'm predicting a sweep for Blade Runner 2049 in many of the technical awards. The production design for 2049 was off-the-charts incredible. From the bustling, futuristic city streets, the vast desert wastelands to the headquarters of Jared Leto's villainous Niander Wallace, the sets are a beautiful mix of sharp, jagged edges surrounded by stunning and luscious colours. This helps further Deakins' cinematography to another unprecedented level. Beauty & The Beast also stands a considerable chance at picking up an award here thanks to well designed and impressively built sets and the recreation of the Enchanted Castle. Disney always can pull out some surprises in these categories. The Shape Of Water could also do well here. It might not be as grand as the other two nominees, but the level of detail and effort put in, especially for The Amphibian Man's water tank, is very impressive. Personally, I'm not entirely sure as to why Dunkirk and Darkest Hour are nominated here because most if their sets include beaches or cabinet rooms. Instead, I'd select The Last Jedi for a nomination because the production design for that and all Star Wars films are ridiculously astounding. However, once again, mother! has been overlooked. The design of the house and watching the destruction unfold was some of the chaotic and well thought out production design I've seen this year.

WILL WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - DENNIS GASSNER & ALESSANDRA QUERZOLA

SHOULD WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - DENNIS GASSNER & ALESSANDRA QUERZOLA

COULD WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - PAUL DENHAM, SHANE VIEAU & JEFFERY A. MELVIN

WILDCARD: BEAUTY & THE BEAST - SARAH GREENWOOD & KATIE SPENCER

MISSING: MOTHER! - PHILIP MESSINA

SOUND EDITING & MIXING

- BABY DRIVER
- BLADE RUNNER 2049
- DUNKIRK
- THE SHAPE OF WATER
- STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Just for reference, I've combined these two categories due to their uncanny similarities, exact same nominees and the fact that no one can ever explain to me the difference. I'm fairly split on who could walk out the victor here and who deserves it. The quality of sound for all these films are incredible. Baby Driver might sneak a win because, much like its editing, the sound mixing and editing serves a purpose to the story as the movements of characters, firing of bullets and even the sound of the cars are all cut to fit the soundtrack that Baby is plugged into. Blade Runner 2049 has some astonishing sound creations as it has to depict to world of LA thirty-one years into the future with flying cars, futuristic weaponry and holographic advertisements. Dunkirk also has to contend with the sound of bullets and transport you to the battlefield. Seeing this film in IMAX served as the perfect way to experience the sound as Spitfires screamed with an ear-piercing intensity and the explosions sounds as real as can be. The Shape Of Water may not have as thrilling sounds like its other nominees but the creature had such a distinctive sound to it that it was worthy of a nomination alone. And then, as always, The Last Jedi picks up a nomination because, let's face it, simply the sound of a TIE fighter is enough to make the hair on your neck stand up. Once again, mother! misses out and this was the category I had my hopes that it would pick up a nomination for. The sound played such an important role in mother! with every single noise being echoed indefinitely in the vast space of the house.

WILL WIN: DUNKIRK

SHOULD WIN: BABY DRIVER

COULD WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049

WILDCARD: BABY DRIVER

MISSING: MOTHER!

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

- BLADE RUNNER 2049 - JOHN NELSON, GERD NEFZER, PAUL LAMBERT & RICHARD HOOVER
- GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 - CHRISTOPHER TOWNSEND, GUY WILLIAMS, JONATHAN FAWKNER & DAN SUDICK
- KONG: SKULL ISLAND - STEPHEN ROSENBAUM, JEFF WHITE, SCOTT BENZA & MIKE MEINARDUS
- STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI - BEN MORRIS, MIKE MULHOLLAND, NEAL SCANLAN & CHRIS CORBOULD
- WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES - JOE LETTERI, DANIEL BARRETT, DAN LEMMON & JOEL WHIST

Immediately, I would strike GOTG Vol. 2 from the list because those visual effects weren't in the top five produced this year. There was an over reliance them leading to green screen and lacklustre CGI to stand out like a sore thumb. As for the other nominees, there are only two that stand a chance at winning. As good as The Last Jedi's visual effects were, the only standout use was the physical embodiment of Snoke but if we're talking about motion capture, then I'd be remissed to exclude War For The Planet Of The Apes. The final installment of the new Apes trilogy boasted some of the most visually authentic effects ever. Andy Serkis continues his pioneering work but the effects of the Apes go beyond the point of looking realistic; they downright are. I lost track of the amount of double takes I had to do to remember that not a single practical ape was used in this film. I have been clamouring for this series to get the recognition it deserves and I only hope that this is the year it does. It's only competition comes in the form of Blade Runner 2049 which stands the best chance of winning. Paired with Deakins' cinematography, the gritty world of 2049 L.A. is intricately well-realised that the visual effects fade in seamlessly. I do think, and I know I'm going to be controversial here, that Transformers: The Last Knight deserves a nomination here. It may have extreme narrative flaws but one thing no one can deny is that the visual effects are some of the best in today's current standard.

WILL WIN: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - JOHN NELSON, GERD NEFZER, PAUL LAMBERT & RICHARD HOOVER

SHOULD WIN: WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES - JOE LETTERI, DANIEL BARRETT, DAN LEMMON & JOEL WHIST

COULD WIN: WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES - JOE LETTERI, DANIEL BARRETT, DAN LEMMON & JOEL WHIST

WILDCARD: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI - BEN MORRIS, MIKE MULHOLLAND, NEAL SCANLAN & CHRIS CORBOULD

MISSING: TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

- CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - JAMES IVORY
- THE DISASTER ARTIST - SCOTT NEUSTADTER & MICHAEL H. WEBER
- LOGAN - SCOTT FRANK, JAMES MANGOLD & MICHAEL GREEN
- MOLLY'S GAME - AARON SORKIN
- MUDBOUND - VIRGIL WILLIAMS & DEE REES

Firstly, I know it doesn't stand a chance at winning but can I say how refreshing it is to see a superhero movie finally be recognised for an award other than Visual Effects. Logan was one of the best produced scripts this year and completely subverted expectations with a wholly original and powerful comic book adaptation. As for who is likely to win, the odds seems to be stacked in James Ivory's favour and rightly so. Call Me By Your Name might be beautiful in a visual sense but the script itself is emotionally captivating featuring poetic dialogue for the actors to breathe life into. It enthralled me for the entire time and sat with me for a while after. If this doesn't win tonight then I'd be very surprised. Once again, Sorkin more than earns a nomination for his directorial debut in Molly's Game and whilst it didn't think this was his best script he's ever produced, there still was that sweet aroma of Sorkin all within the fast paced and smart dialogue. Once again, Mudbound has slipped my grip but I'm hoping to get around to seeing it someday and The Disaster Artist, whilst a witty script, is surrounded in a lot of controversy regarding James Franco and the ongoing court case involving the script itself so a win here would seem inappropriate.

WILL WIN: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - JAMES IVORY

SHOULD WIN: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - JAMES IVORY

COULD WIN: MOLLY'S GAME - AARON SORKIN

WILDCARD: MUDBOUND - VIRGIL WILLIAMS & DEE REES

MISSING: BLADE RUNNER 2049 - HAMPTON FANCHER & MICHAEL GREEN

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

- THE BIG SICK - EMILY V. GORDON & KUMAIL NANJIANI
- GET OUT - JORDAN PEELE
- LADY BIRD - GRETA GERWIG
- THE SHAPE OF WATER - GUILLERMO DEL TORO & VANESSA TAYLOR
- THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI - MARTIN MCDONAGH

I would love it if Get Out won this award because of how well this script is structured and the small little details that you pick up on during repeat viewings. The amount of thought and precision that Peele has implanted into his script is second to none and whilst it might lose out to The Shape Of Water or Three Billboards, it is my personal pick. The Big Sick is another welcome nomination due to its witty and sharp dialogue as well as documenting their love story. It's heartfelt and hilarious all at the same time. As is Lady Bird which has one of the most relatable and expertly written scripts of this year's nominees featuring dialogue that any actor would be happy to read as it leaps from the screen. Between this and the directing nomination, I'd prioritise this nomination yet I'm glad she's been recognised for both. However, I'd wager money (and I have) that it will come down to The Shape Of Water or Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. If a script can make you understand and appreciate a romance between a human woman and a fish-man, the  that's worth any award on it's own accord. But I think it'll be McDonagh who wins because a dynamite script is his bread and butter. Three Billboards is a punchy film with dialogue and a story that is perfectly written. It's hilarious one moment and heart-breaking the next. That's the true sign of a brilliant script.

WILL WIN: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI - MARTIN MCDONAGH

SHOULD WIN: GET OUT - JORDAN PEELE

COULD WIN: THE SHAPE OF WATER - GUILLERMO DEL TORO & VANESSA TAYLOR

WILDCARD: GET OUT - JORDAN PEELE

MISSING: BABY DRIVER - EDGAR WRIGHT

And that concludes my Oscar predictions and also probably concludes all future use of my thumbs. Hopefully I'll do better than last year's debacle but as always, it's just good to see these films in the first place. If there are any films you're yet to see that feature on these lists, do what you can to see them because they deserve your support and you won't be disappointed.

What do you think of my predictions? Any you agree or disagree with? What are your own predictions? Sound off in the comments below.

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