The Big Ohhhhh
So far, the guess-work across the board has been a mix-bag of safe choices and bold hunches, where speculations are influenced based on popular votes coupled with the celebrated winners of the past months. But no one can say for sure that certain stars are secured for the win, much less a nomination, and nobody knows how to react to this year's playing field which is crowded with great performances on all fronts. It's unpredictable and exciting in equal measure. Safe for specific categories like Best Actor and Best Actress, which is pretty much a lock for both Gary Oldman and Frances McDormand (two of the dominant forces who control the game plan this season), other nominees are truly up in the air. Sam Rockwell, hard on the heels of his Emmy's, Critics Choice's, and SAG's Supporting Actor victories (for playing an annoying police officer in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) is poised to seize the golden statue. This certainly won't come as a surprise. He is that good.
Despite the accolades surrounding Billboard, the film has been overcast by resentments of late. Opinionated, unhappy voices who have problems with the film, even going so far as to point out similarities with Crash - a movie many considered as the worst Best Picture winner ever. There are complains about the film being unreal, prejudiced towards certain character whose racist slant is just a passing remark without really showing the effects it had on the entire narrative, convenient coincidences that were conceived to tie loose ends, and misguided plot/character development that make little or no sense. These, however, are not going to stop the voters from pushing the film into the front-runner seat, as we see Martin McDonagh's black comedy gaining traction and honours, again and again. People may be unfamiliar or have forgotten the kind of players and outlines McDonagh is famous for. We shall then see if the Academy members thought otherwise, but I'm pretty certain that it will be one of the films to garner the most noms.
What works and what doesn't becomes the agenda for critics who have too much time on their hands, formulating discourses through think pieces, dissecting films like they are some kind of bacteria.
Chill.
Films are meant to start conversations and inspire, but they are also a medium ultimately aimed to entertain, sometimes without any political, racial or social commentary attached. Life's too short to be upset in plots and plotholes, or the lack thereof. Analysis is always welcome, especially during this awards season, but be glad that in a year where Trump rules in shittiness (thank God I'm not in that country), we can still escape to the world of celluloid to be enlightened.
So I digressed a bit, but the story continues. The ongoing "award shows" and their corresponding winners are enough to excite even the zaniest of cineaste as they scamper to make the final bets. This can go many ways, and it's rather nice to check certain names off the long list when the revelation is being announced. There will be upsets, there will be snubs, there will be dark horses and backlashes aplenty. Chill.
Here are my shots...
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
Tom Hanks – The Post
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
Strong contenders:
Denzel Washington – Roman J. Israel, Esq.
James Franco – The Disaster Artist (lower chance after his sexual harassment allegations, but his performance will not go overlooked)
Best Actress
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
Strong contenders:
Judi Dench – Victoria & Abdul
Emma Stone – Battle of The Sexes
Best Supporting Actor
Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Armie Hammer – Call Me by Your Name
Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water
Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Strong contender:
Christopher Plummer – All the Money in the World
Best Supporting Actress
Allison Janney – I, Tonya
Mary J. Blige – Mudbound
Hong Chau – Downsizing
Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer – The Shape of Water
Strong contender:
Tiffany Haddish – Girls Trip
Best Original Screenplay
Jordan Peele – Get Out
Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor – The Shape of Water
Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird
Liz Hannah, Josh Singer – The Post
Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Strong contenders:
Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch – The Florida Project
Paul Thomas Anderson – Phantom Thread
Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon – The Big Sick
Best Adapted Screenplay
James Ivory – Call Me by Your Name
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – The Disaster Artist
Aaron Sorkin – Molly’s Game
Virgil Williams and Dee Rees – Mudbound
John Pollono – Stronger
Strong contenders:
James Mangold, Scott Frank, Michael Green – Logan
Best Director
Guillermo del Toro – The Shape of Water
Luca Guadagnino – Call Me by Your Name
Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Christopher Nolan – Dunkirk
Steven Spielberg – The Post
Strong contenders:
Ridley Scott – All The Money In The World
Jordan Peele – Get Out
Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson – Phantom Thread
Best Picture
Call Me by Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Strong contenders:
All The Money In The World
Battle of The Sexes
The Florida Project
I, Tonya
Mudbound
Phantom Thread
Counting down...
