The most anticipated award show is around the corner and fans of cinema are anxiously awaiting to see who will take home the famous golden trophies. Set to take place on March 4, the Academy Awards, better known as The Oscars, will celebrate their 90th year awarding the finest individuals for their artistic accomplishments on screen and behind the scenes.
The Oscars will be airing at 8 p.m. EST and will be hosted for the second year in a row by late night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel. With cinematic masterpieces such as “Lady Bird” and “The Shape of Water,” the competition this year is intense.
The most esteemed awards could truly go to any of the nominees, however, a few nominees seem to be frontrunners for their categories. This Oscars preview will provide predictions for the most honorable categories and the evening as a whole.
Best Picture
The films vying for the Oscar in this category include “Call Me by Your Name,” “Darkest Hour,” “Dunkirk,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird,” “Phantom Thread,” “The Post,” “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
Set to Win: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Should Win: “The Post”
The film that takes Best Picture essentially wins the entire evening of The Oscars. Speculators believe that only “Dunkirk,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird,” The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” truly have the potential to take home the win.
The Golden Globes are typically a strong indicator of what’s to come at The Oscars and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” took home the win there, so the stakes are high for Sunday night.
However, the strongest candidate for this category is “The Post.” Though “The Post,” hasn’t received as much mainstream buzz as other candidates, its powerful message regarding freedom of the press, coupled with astonishingly crisp frames that make the audience feel as if they are actually in the writer’s room at The New York Times, make this film qualified to take home Best Picture.
Best Director
The directors striving for Best Director are Greta Gerwig for “Lady Bird,” Christopher Nolan for “Dunkirk,” Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “Phantom Thread” and Jordan Peele for “Get Out.”
Set to Win: Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water”
Should Win: Greta Gerwig for “Lady Bird”
Most believe del Toro to be the best fit for Best Director since he successfully turned a narrative about a mute custodian employee and a humanoid-amphibian creature into one of the most captivating love stories out there.
However, Greta Gerwig is the fifth woman to be nominated in the Best Director category. With the ever-present #MeToo movement and the demand for gender equality, a win for Greta Gerwig would make a huge statement; it would show that the Academy is truly gender-inclusive and that women are capable, strong and accomplished.
In the 90 years that The Oscars have aired, only one female has taken home the trophy for Best Director. Not only would a win for Gerwig make a strong cultural impact, but it would also be incredibly well deserved. Her coming of age film was believable and down to earth; the teenage experience of the protagonist, Lady Bird, felt so eerily familiar. The ability to identify with Lady Bird and her mother was one of the strongest aspects of Gerwig’s directorial debut.
Best Actor
The men fighting for the Oscar for Best Actor are Timothée Chalamet for “Call Me by Your Name,” Gary Oldman for “Darkest Hour,” Daniel Kaluuya for “Get Out,” Daniel Day-Lewis for “Phantom Thread” and Denzel Washington for “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”
Set to Win: Gary Oldman for “Darkest Hour”
Should Win: Timothée Chalamet for “Call Me by Your Name”
Critics have suggested that Oldman will take home the win because of his innate acting abilities that provided such an accurate portrayal of Winston Churchill, coupled with his veteran status as an actor. However, Timothée Chalamet more than deserves the honor of winning the Best Actor title.
The 22-year-old was widely unknown prior to his appearance in the film “Call Me by Your Name.” His performance as a gay teen in the film was unbelievably demanding; not only did this role require one to show a vast array of intense emotions, ranging from heartbreak to passionate love, but Chalamet was required to perfect the piano and the Italian language.
Alongside so many seasoned pros, Chalamet is the underdog who will most likely be robbed of the title this time around. Thankfully, because his career is just starting off, he will probably have the opportunity to win this category in the future.
Best Actress
The fierce women who are up for Best Actress are Sally Hawkins for “The Shape of Water,” Margot Robbie for “I, Tonya,” Saoirse Ronan for “Lady Bird,” Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and Meryl Streep for “The Post.”
Set to Win: Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Should Win: Saorise Ronan for “Lady Bird”
McDormand’s performance is certainly compelling as she plays a mother attempting to find her deceased daughter’s murderer. She played the character with grace and precision, conveying strong emotions like anger and passion expertly on the screen.
However, Saorise Ronan’s fabulous portrayal of a teen girl coming into her own and clashing with her mother along the way was spot on. The ability for audiences to identify with her character shows the accuracy of her performance. The narrative of “Lady Bird” may have been slightly predictable, but her portrayal of the eccentric teen was nothing short of amazing.
Best Animated Feature
The animations up for Best Animated Feature are “The Boss Baby,” “The Breadwinner,” “Coco,” “Loving Vincent” and “Ferdinand.”
Set to Win: “Coco”
Should Win: “Coco”
Disney has done it again with their film “Coco.” This feature will, without a doubt, take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. However, the category itself is hardly competitive; none of the other nominees stand a chance against the film “Coco.”
The film takes place in Mexico and tells the story of a young boy with aspirations to become a musician. The narrative encourages children to follow their dreams and work hard at what they love, a classic Disney movie lesson.
This underlying moral of the story, along with the vibrant colors of the animation and the impressive soundtrack, make this children’s film a shoo-in for the Best Animated Feature category.
