This week’s gathering of my Oscar predictions brings changes in some big categories:
- Joker has been at the bottom of my ten Best Picture nominees since its opening, but it drops to #11 in favor of Ford v Ferrari. On the positive side for the film, Joker is back in my Adapted Screenplay estimates over A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
- Harriet is out this weekend and it’s coming in at the higher range of box office expectations. I’m putting Cynthia Erivo back in my top five and that leaves out Alfre Woodard’s work in Clemency.
- Dolemite Is My Name premiered on Netflix a week ago and that’s opened up a floodgate of praise for Eddie Murphy. We shall see if the momentum continues, but I now have vaulted him into my Best Actor nominees. That drops out Robert De Niro in The Irishman. Truth be told, this particular race is absolutely packed and I believe only Adam Driver is safe right now.
Let’s get to it!
BEST PICTURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Marriage Story (PR: 3)
4. Parasite (PR: 4)
5. 1917 (PR: 6)
6. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)
7. Little Women (PR: 9)
8. The Two Popes (PR: 8)
9. Bombshell (PR: 7)
10. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 11)
Other Possibilities:
11. Joker (PR: 10)
12. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 13)
13. The Farewell (PR: 12)
14. Rocketman (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Waves (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
Richard Jewell
BEST DIRECTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
3. Bong Joon-Ho, Parasite (PR: 3)
4. Sam Mendes, 1917 (PR: 4)
5. Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Greta Gerwig, Little Women (PR: 6)
7. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)
8. Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes (PR: Not Ranked)
9. James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 10)
10. Todd Phillips, Joker (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Jay Roach, Bombshell
BEST ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Renee Zellweger, Judy (PR: 1)
2. Charlize Theron, Bombshell (PR: 2)
3. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story (PR: 3)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women (PR: 4)
5. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Awkwafina, The Farewell (PR: 6)
7. Alfre Woodard, Clemency (PR: 5)
8. Lupita Nyong’o, Us (PR: 8)
9. Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Helen Mirren, The Good Liar (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Isabelle Huppert, Frankie
BEST ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Adam Driver, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker (PR: 2)
3. Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes (PR: 3)
4. Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)
5. Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
6. Robert De Niro, The Irishman (PR: 5)
7. Taron Egerton, Rocketman (PR: 7)
8. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (PR: 6)
9. Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 8)
10. Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Paul Walter Hauser, Richard Jewell
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. Al Pacino, The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes (PR: 3)
4. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)
5. Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joe Pesci, The Irishman (PR: 6)
7. Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy (PR: 7)
8. Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy (PR: Not Ranked)
9. John Lithgow, Bombshell (PR: 8)
10. Wesley Snipes, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Sterling K. Brown, Waves
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Laura Dern, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers (PR: 4)
3. Margot Robbie, Bombshell (PR: 2)
4. Florence Pugh, Little Women (PR: 3)
5. Annette Bening, The Report (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Shuzhen Zhou, The Farewell (PR: 6)
7. Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)
8. Nicole Kidman, Bombshell (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PR: 8)
10. Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. Marriage Story (PR: 2)
3. Parasite (PR: 3)
4. The Farewell (PR: 4)
5. Bombshell (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Pain and Glory (PR: 6)
7. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 9)
8. Waves (PR: 7)
9. 1917 (PR: 8)
10. Honey Boy (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Knives Out
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 2)
3. The Two Popes (PR: 4)
4. Little Women (PR: 3)
5. Joker (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 5)
7. Just Mercy (PR: 7)
8. Richard Jewell (PR: 10)
9. Judy (PR: 8)
10. Dark Waters (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Downton Abbey
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Predicted Nominees:
1. Parasite (PR: 1)
2. Pain and Glory (PR: 2)
3. Les Miserables (PR: 3)
4. Monos (PR: 5)
5. Beanpole (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. And Then We Danced (PR: 8)
7. Atlantics (PR: 6)
8. Those Who Remained (PR: 4)
9. A White, White Day (PR: 9)
10. Tel Aviv on Fire (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Traitor
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Toy Story 4 (PR: 1)
2. Frozen II (PR: 2)
3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (PR: 3)
4. Weathering with You (PR: 4)
5. I Lost My Body (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Missing Link (PR: 6)
8. Abominable (PR: 7)
9. Klaus (PR: 10)
10. Funan (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
Okko’s Inn
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. American Factory (PR: 1)
2. One Child Nation (PR: 3)
3. Maiden (PR: 5)
4. Apollo 11 (PR: 2)
5. The Cave (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Biggest Little Farm (PR: 6)
7. Knock Down the House (PR: 8)
8. For Sama (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Sea of Shadows (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Diego Maradona (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
The Edge of Democracy
Western Stars
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917 (PR: 2)
2. The Irishman (PR: 1)
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 3)
4. A Hidden Life (PR: 4)
5. The Lighthouse (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 9)
7. Parasite (PR: 8)
8. Ad Astra (PR: 6)
9. Joker (PR: 7)
10. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (PR: 10)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 3)
3. Little Women (PR: 2)
4. Downton Abbey (PR: 4)
5. Rocketman (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Judy (PR: 7)
7. The Irishman (PR: 6)
8. Cats (Not Ranked)
9. Jojo Rabbit (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Aladdin (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
1917
Joker
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
BEST FILM EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 3)
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
4. 1917 (PR: 5)
5. Parasite (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Marriage Story (PR: 4)
7. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)
8. Rocketman (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Joker (PR: 10)
10. Knives Out (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Avengers: Endgame
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Bombshell (PR: 1)
2. The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Judy (PR: 4)
4. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 3)
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Rocketman (PR: 6)
7. Cats (PR: 10)
8. The Aeronauts (PR: 8)
9. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Joker (PR: 5)
Dropped Out:
Little Women
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917 (PR: 1)
2. Little Women (PR: 3)
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)
4. Marriage Story (PR: 4)
5. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. A Hidden Life (PR: 5)
7. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)
8. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)
9. Waves (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Joker (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Ad Astra
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II (PR: 1)
2. “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman (PR: 2)
3. “Beautiful Ghosts” from Cats (PR: 3)
4. “Stand Up” from Harriet (PR: 4)
5. “I’m Standing With You” from Breakthrough (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Speechless” from Aladdin (PR: 7)
7. “Spirit” from The Lion King (PR: 5)
8. “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 6)
9. “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 8)
10. “One Little Soldier” from Bombshell (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
”Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)
4. Little Women (PR: 3)
5. 1917 (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Parasite (PR: 6)
7. Cats (PR: 7)
8. The Aeronauts (PR: 9)
9. Downton Abbey (PR: 8)
10. Joker (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
BEST SOUND EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 1)
2. 1917 (PR: 3)
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)
4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)
5. Rocketman (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 7)
7. The Irishman (PR: 6)
8. Ad Astra (PR: 5)
9. Cats (PR: 9)
10. The Aeronauts (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Us
BEST SOUND MIXING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 1)
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)
3. 1917 (PR: 3)
4. Rocketman (PR: 6)
5. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)
7. The Irishman (PR: 8)
8. Judy (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Ad Astra (PR: 5)
10. Cats (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Joker
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 1)
2. The Irishman (PR: 3)
3. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 2)
4. The Lion King (PR: 4)
5. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Alita: Battle Angel (PR: 5)
7. Gemini Man (PR: 8)
8. Ad Astra (PR: 7)
9. 1917 (PR: 9)
10. Dumbo (PR: 10)
And that equates to the following number of nominations going to these pictures:
11 Nominations
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
9 Nominations
The Irishman
8 Nominations
1917
7 Nominations
Little Women, Marriage Story
5 Nominations
Bombshell, Ford v Ferrari, Parasite
4 Nominations
Rocketman, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Two Popes
3 Nominations
Dolemite Is My Name, Jojo Rabbit
2 Nominations
Avengers: Endgame, Frozen II, Harriet, Joker, Judy, The Lighthouse
1 Nomination
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Aeronauts, A Hidden Life, American Factory, Apollo 11, Beanpole, Breakthrough, Cats, The Cave, Downton Abbey, The Farewell, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Hustlers, I Lost My Body, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Maiden, Monos, One Child Nation, Pain and Glory, The Report, Toy Story 4, Weathering with You
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