My weekly Oscar predictions in the major categories, as expected, has seen some significant shifting. This is mostly due to the Toronto Film Festival and the screenings of several major contenders.
Here are some quick notes on the movement that’s taken place in the past seven days:
- The addiction drama Beautiful Boy has taken a hit in the standings, due to a mixed Toronto reaction. It falls from #5 all the way to #21 in the Best Picture derby. Additionally, I have taken it out the 5 predicted nominees in Best Actor (Steve Carell) and Adapted Screenplay. However, Timothee Chalamet is still looking good for Supporting Actor.
- If Beale Street Could Talk had its much awaited debut up north. I basically had it as a place holder pick at #1 in both Picture and Director, but it’s fallen in both races to #5 and #4, respectively. This vaults A Star Is Born to the #1 slot in BP with Alfonso Cuaron’s direction of Roma currently topping Best Director.
- The elimination of the Best Popular Film category could be a good thing for Black Panther. For the first time, I have it included in my nine predicted BP nominees.
- Peter Farrelly’s Green Book seemed to be a crowd favorite in Toronto. While I have it just outside my BP rankings, it’s now included in Best Original Screenplay and Mahershala Ali is predicted for Supporting Actor. It’s not entirely certain yet whether he will be placed in that category or go co-lead with Viggo Mortensen.
- Speaking of category placement, we’re still not sure where Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz will end up for The Favourite. Right now, I’m assuming Colman in Actress and both Stone and Weisz for Supporting Actress. I’ve now got Stone getting a nod for the first time.
- The Dick Cheney biopic starring Christian Bale has apparently switched its working title name Backseat to Vice.
- My current Best Actor predictions now include Ryan Gosling (First Man) and Robert Redford (The Old Man & The Gun) with the aforementioned Carell and Hugh Jackman (The Front Runner) out.
- In Best Actress, solid Toronto chatter for the work of Viola Davis (Widows) puts her in the mix with Nicole Kidman (Destroyer) taken out.
- Widows also shined a light on Daniel Kaluuya as he’s said to have a terrific part in it. He is now included in Supporting Actor along with Green Book‘s Ali. Sam Rockwell (Vice) and Russell Crowe (Boy Erased) have been moved out of the predicted nominees.
- In Supporting Actress, Emma Stone has replaced Vera Farmiga (The Front Runner).
- Yorgos Lanthimos has been included in my 5 director nominees and that means Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) is on the outside looking in currently.
Here’s the whole breakdown for this week!
Best Picture
1. A Star Is Born (PR: 2)
2. Roma (PR: 3)
3. First Man (PR: 4)
4. The Favourite (PR: 6)
5. If Beale Street Could Talk (PR 1)
6. BlacKkKlansman (PR: 7)
7. Boy Erased (PR: 8)
8. Vice (PR: 9 – previously known as Backseat)
9. Black Panther (PR: 11)
Other Possibilities:
10. Green Book (PR: 18)
11. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (PR: 15)
12. Widows (PR: 14)
13. The Front Runner (PR: 10)
14. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (PR: 25)
15. The Sisters Brothers (PR: 24)
16. Mary Queen of Scots (PR: 13)
17. At Eternity’s Gate (PR: 21)
18. Mary Poppins Returns (PR: 17)
19. Crazy Rich Asians (PR: 16)
20. Ben Is Back (PR: Not Ranked)
21. Beautiful Boy (PR: 5)
22. Cold War (PR: 20)
23. Bohemian Rhapsody (PR: 23)
24. On the Basis of Sex (PR: 19)
25. Peterloo (PR: 12)
Dropped Out:
July 22
Best Director
1. Alfonso Cuaron, Roma (PR: 2)
2. Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born (PR: 3)
3. Damien Chazelle, First Man (PR: 4)
4. Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk (PR: 1)
5. Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman (PR: 5)
7. Adam McKay, Vice (PR: 8)
8. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased (PR: 9)
9. Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (PR: 12)
10. Ryan Coogler, Black Panther (PR: 13)
11. Steve McQueen, Widows (PR: 15)
12. Peter Farrelly, Green Book (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Jason Reitman, The Front Runner (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Felix Van Groeningen, Beautiful Boy
Mike Leigh, Peterloo
Josie Rourke, Mary Queen of Scots
Best Actor
1. Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born (PR: 1)
2. Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate (PR: 2)
3. Ryan Gosling, First Man (PR: 6)
4. Christian Bale, Vice (PR: 4)
5. Robert Redford, The Old Man & The Gun (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased (PR: 8)
7. Steve Carell, Beautiful Boy (PR: 3)
8. Viggo Mortensen, Green Book (PR: 10)
9. Hugh Jackman, The Front Runner (PR: 5)
10. John C. Reilly, The Sisters Brothers (PR: 14)
11. John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman (PR: 9)
12. Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody (PR: 12)
13. Ethan Hawke, First Reformed (PR: 15)
14. Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really Here (PR: 13)
15. Stephan James, If Beale Street Could Talk (PR: 11)
Best Actress
1. Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born (PR: 1)
2. Glenn Close, The Wife (PR: 2)
3. Olivia Colman, The Favourite (PR: 4)
4. Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (PR: 5)
5. Viola Davis, Widows (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Yalitza Aparicio, Roma (PR: 12)
7. Toni Collette, Hereditary (PR: 7)
8. Natalie Portman, Vox Lux (PR: 9)
9. Nicole Kidman, Destroyer (PR: 3)
10. Julia Roberts, Ben Is Back (PR: Not Ranked)
11. Kiki Layne, If Beale Street Could Talk (PR: 6)
12. Saoirse Ronan, Mary Queen of Scots (PR: 10)
13. Felicity Jones, On the Basis of Sex (PR: 11)
14. Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns (PR: 13)
15. Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
Joanna Kulig, Cold War
Best Supporting Actor
1. Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy (PR: 1)
2. Sam Elliot, A Star Is Born (PR: 4)
3. Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (PR: 2)
4. Daniel Kaluuya, Widows (PR: Not Ranked)
5. Mahershala Ali, Green Book (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sam Rockwell, Vice (PR: 3)
7. Russell Crowe, Boy Erased (PR: 5)
8. Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman (PR: 7)
9. Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther (PR: 8)
10. Oscar Isaac, At Eternity’s Gate (PR: 6)
11. Armie Hammer, On the Basis of Sex (PR: 10)
12. Ben Foster, Leave No Trace (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Jason Clarke, First Man (PR: 12)
15. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased (PR: 11)
Dropped Out:
Matthew McConaughey, White Boy Rick
J.K. Simmons, The Front Runner
Best Supporting Actress
1. Claire Foy, First Man (PR: 1)
2. Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk (PR: 2)
3. Emma Stone, The Favourite (PR: 7)
4. Amy Adams, Vice (PR: 3)
5. Nicole Kidman, Boy Erased (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sissy Spacek, The Old Man & The Gun (PR: 14)
7. Rachel Weisz, The Favourite (PR: 11)
8. Elizabeth Debicki, Widows (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Maura Tierney, Beautiful Boy (PR: 6)
10. Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians (PR: 9)
11. Marina de Tavira, Roma (PR: Not Ranked)
12. Vera Farmiga, The Front Runner (PR: 4)
13. Kathy Bates, On the Basis of Sex (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Margot Robbie, Mary Queen of Scots (PR: 8)
15. Meryl Streep, Mary Poppins Returns (PR: 12)
Dropped Out:
Amy Ryan, Beautiful Boy
Blythe Danner, What They Had
Rachel McAdams, Disobedience
Best Adapted Screenplay
1. A Star Is Born (PR: 3)
2. First Man (PR: 5)
3. If Beale Street Could Talk (PR: 1)
4. BlacKkKlansman (PR: 6)
5. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Boy Erased (PR: 4)
7. Widows (PR: 13)
8. Black Panther (PR: Not Ranked)
9. The Front Runner (PR: 7)
10. Crazy Rich Asians (PR: 10)
11. The Sisters Brothers (PR: 12)
12. Beautiful Boy (PR: 2)
13. Mary Queen of Scots (PR: 9)
14. Disobedience (PR: 11)
15. Wildlife (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Best Original Screenplay
1. The Favourite (PR: 1)
2. Roma (PR: 2)
3. Vice (PR: 3)
4. Green Book (PR: 6)
5. Eighth Grade (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (PR: 13)
7. Ben Is Back (PR: 9)
8. A Quiet Place (PR: 10)
9. At Eternity’s Gate (PR: 5)
10. Vox Lux (PR: 8)
11. First Reformed (PR: Not Ranked)
12. On the Basis of Sex (PR: 12)
13. Mid90s (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Hereditary (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Sorry to Bother You (PR: 15)
Dropped Out:
Peterloo
Isle of Dogs
Bohemian Rhapsody