2019 Oscar Predictions: October 25th Edition

My latest round of Oscar predictions brings the following developments:

Little Women has held industry screenings and greatly improved its chances at multiple nominations. It’s back in my predicted ten Best Picture contenders and that’s bad news for Ford v Ferrari.
Speaking of Ferrari, it was announced that Christian Bale will contend for Best Actor and not supporting, which is where I’ve had him predicted for weeks. This designation significantly decreases his shot and I have him ranked in 8th. The benefactor in Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe for The Lighthouse.
Back to Little Women. The standout is said to be Florence Pugh, so I now have her down for Supporting Actress, knocking out Shuzhen Zhou in The Farewell.
Speaking of The Farewell, my fifth spot in Actress continues to change as that picture’s Awkwafina slides to sixth with Alfre Woodard (Clemency) in.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood nabs the #1 slot in Picture over The Irishman. It’s a razor thin margin.

Let’s get to it!

BEST PICTURE

Predicted Nominees:

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Previous Ranking: 2)

2. The Irishman (PR: 1)

3. Marriage Story (PR: 4)

4. Parasite (PR: 3)

5. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)

6. 1917 (PR: 5)

7. Bombshell (PR: 9)

8. The Two Popes (PR: 8)

9. Little Women (PR: 12)

10. Joker (PR: 10)

Other Possibilities:

11. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)

12. The Farewell (PR: 11)

13. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 13)

14. Waves (PR: 14)

15. Richard Jewell (PR: 15)

BEST DIRECTOR

Predicted Nominees:

1. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 3)

3. Bong Joon-Ho, Parasite (PR: 2)

4. Sam Mendes, 1917 (PR: 4)

5. Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Greta Gerwig, Little Women (PR: Not Ranked)

7. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)

8. Jay Roach, Bombshell (PR: 10)

9. Todd Phillips, Joker (PR: Not Ranked)

10. James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Lulu Wang, The Farewell

Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory

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: 5)

5. Robert De Niro, The Irishman (PR: 4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (PR: 6)

7. Taron Egerton, Rocketman (PR: 7)

8. Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked – moved from Supporting)

9. Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 8)

10. Paul Walter Hauser, Richard Jewell (PR: 9)

Dropped Out:

Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems

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. Alfre Woodard, Clemency (PR: 6)

Other Possibilities:

6. Awkwafina, The Farewell (PR: 5)

7. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet (PR: 7)

8. Lupita Nyong’o, Us (PR: 8)

9. Helen Mirren, The Good Liar (PR: 9)

10. Isabelle Huppert, Frankie (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen and Slim

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Predicted Nominees:

1. Laura Dern, Marriage Story (PR: 1)

2. Margot Robbie, Bombshell (PR: 3)

3. Florence Pugh, Little Women (PR: 8)

4. Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers (PR: 2)

5. Annette Bening, The Report (PR: 4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Shuzhen Zhou, The Farewell (PR: 5)

7. Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PR: 6)

9. Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)

10. Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)

Dropped Out:

Meryl Streep, Little Women

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: 4)

4. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 3)

5. Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (PR: 6)

Other Possibilities:

6. Joe Pesci, The Irishman (PR: 7)

7. Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy (PR: 8)

8. John Lithgow, Bombshell (PR: 9)

9. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)

10. Sterling K. Brown, Waves (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (moved to lead)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 2)

3. Little Women (PR: 6)

4. The Two Popes (PR: 3)

5. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Joker (PR: 5)

7. Just Mercy (PR: 7)

8. Judy (PR: 8)

9. Downton Abbey (PR: 9)

10. Richard Jewell (PR: 10)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Predicted Nominees:

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

2. Marriage Story (PR: 1)

3. Parasite (PR: 3)

4. The Farewell (PR: 4)

5. Bombshell (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Pain and Glory (PR: 8)

7. Waves (PR: 6)

8. 1917 (PR: 7)

9. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 10)

10. Knives Out (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Booksmart

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Predicted Nominees:

1. Parasite (PR: 1)

2. Pain and Glory (PR: 2)

3. Les Miserables (PR: 4)

4. Those Who Remained (PR: 6)

5. Monos (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Atlantics (PR: 3)

7. Beanpole (PR: 7)

8. And Then We Danced (PR: 8)

9. A White, White Day (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Traitor (PR: 10)

Dropped Out:

Papicha

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: 5)

5. I Lost My Body (PR: 6)

Other Possibilities:

6. Missing Link (PR: 4)

7. Abominable (PR: 7)

8. Funan (PR: 9)

9. Okko’s Inn (PR: 10)

10. Klaus (PR: 8)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Predicted Nominees:

1. American Factory (PR: 2)

2. Apollo 11 (PR: 1)

3. One Child Nation (PR: 4)

4. The Cave (PR: 5)

5. Maiden (PR: 3)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Biggest Little Farm (PR: 6)

7. Diego Maradona (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Knock Down the House (PR: 10)

9. The Edge of Democracy (PR: 7)

10. Western Stars (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Aquarela

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story By Martin Scorsese

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman (PR: 2)

2. 1917 (PR: 1)

3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 3)

4. A Hidden Life (PR: Not Ranked)

5. The Lighthouse (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Ad Astra (PR: 6)

7. Joker (PR: 9)

8. Parasite (PR: 4)

9. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)

Dropped Out:

Marriage Story

Jojo Rabbit

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Predicted Nominees:

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

2. Little Women (PR: 3)

3. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 4)

4. Downton Abbey (PR: 1)

5. Rocketman (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Irishman (PR: 7)

7. Judy (PR: 6)

8. 1917 (PR: 9)

9. Joker (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Aladdin

Jojo Rabbit

BEST FILM EDITING

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

3. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 4)

4. Marriage Story (PR: 5)

5. 1917 (PR: 3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Parasite (PR: 6)

7. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)

8. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 9)

9. Avengers: Endgame (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Joker (PR: 8)

Dropped Out:

Ad Astra

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

Predicted Nominees:

1. Bombshell (PR: 2)

2. The Irishman (PR: 1)

3. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 4)

4. Judy (PR: 3)

5. Joker (PR: 6)

Other Possibilities:

6. Rocketman (PR: 9)

7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)

8. The Aeronauts (PR: 8)

9. Little Women (PR: 5)

10. Cats (PR: 10)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Predicted Nominees:

1. 1917 (PR: 1

2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)

3. Little Women (PR: 3)

4. Marriage Story (PR: 4)

5. A Hidden Life (PR: 8)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)

7. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)

8. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)

9. Joker (PR: 9)

10. Ad Astra

Dropped Out:

Waves

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: Not Ranked)

4. “Stand Up” from Harriet (PR: 3)

5. “Spirit” from The Lion King (PR: 7)

Other Possibilities:

6. “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 6)

7. “Speechless” from Aladdin (PR: 5)

8. “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 4)

9. “One Little Soldier” from Bombshell (PR: 8)

10. “Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn (PR: 9)

Dropped Out:

”Together From Afar” from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Predicted Nominees:

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)

2. The Irishman (PR: 4)

3. Little Women (PR: 5)

4. 1917 (PR: 2)

5. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Parasite (PR: Not Ranked)

7. Cats (PR: 6)

8. Downton Abbey (PR: 10)

9. The Aeronauts (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 7)

Dropped Out:

Ford v Ferrari

Aladdin

BEST SOUND EDITING

Predicted Nominees:

1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 2)

2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 3)

3. 1917 (PR: 1)

4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 8)

5. Ad Astra (PR: 6)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Irishman (PR: 7)

7. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 5)

8. Rocketman (PR: 4)

9. Cats (PR: 9)

10. Us (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Lion King

BEST SOUND MIXING

Predicted Nominees:

1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 1)

2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 3)

3. 1917 (PR: 2)

4. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 6)

5. Ad Astra (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Rocketman (PR: 4)

7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 9)

8. The Irishman (PR: 8)

9. Cats (PR: 7)

10. Joker (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Lion King

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Predicted Nominees:

1. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)

2. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 3)

3. The Irishman (PR: 1)

4. The Lion King (PR: 4)

5. Alita: Battle Angel (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)

7. Ad Astra (PR: 8)

8. Gemini Man (PR: 7)

9. 1917 (PR: 9)

10. Dumbo (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

And that equates to the following films getting the following number of nominations:

10 Nominations

The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

8 Nominations

1917, Marriage Story

7 Nominations

Little Women

5 Nominations

Bombshell

4 Nominations

Parasite, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Two Popes

3 Nominations

Ford v Ferrari, Jojo Rabbit, Joker

2 Nominations

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Ad Astra, Avengers: Endgame, Dolemite Is My Name, Frozen II, A Hidden Life, Judy, The Lighthouse, The Lion King, Rocketman

1 Nomination

Alita: Battle Angel, American Factory, Apollo 11, Cats, The Cave, Clemency, Downton Abbey, The Farewell, Harriet, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Hustlers, I Lost My Body, Les Miserables, Maiden, Monos, One Child Nation, Pain and Glory, The Report, Those Who Remained, Toy Story 4, Weathering with You

2019 Oscar Predictions: October 17th Edition

My weekly Oscar predictions this Thursday brings a whole lot of changes in that I’m including every category covering feature films! Additionally, there’s now only 15 listed possibilities in Best Picture and ten in all other races.

For this format, my projections show The Irishman garnering the most nominations with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 1917, and Marriage Story not far behind. Besides the cosmetic changes, here’s what else has transpired in the past seven days:

Bombshell, the true life of Fox News and the downfall of Roger Ailes, had its first industry screenings. The film immediately vaulted itself into contention in Picture, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, and Original Screenplay (as well as Makeup & Hairstyling).
My inclusion of Bombshell in Best Picture means The Farewell has been taken out with The Two Popes and Joker as other on the bubble entries.
Not only does Charlize Theron’s work in Bombshell enter my Best Actress projections, but she comes in at #2. That drops Cynthia Erivo in Harriet out of the top five for the first time.
Margot Robbie’s performance in the picture puts her in and she bumps… Margot Robbie in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
In non Bombshell news, South Korean import Parasite had the best per screen average of 2019 in limited release. It’s the best reviewed movie of the year and its numbers game improves in Picture and Director this week.

BEST PICTURE

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

3. Parasite (PR: 6)

4. Marriage Story (PR: 3)

5. 1917 (PR: 4)

6. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)

7. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)

8. The Two Popes (PR: 9)

9. Bombshell (PR: 18)

10. Joker (PR: 10)

Other Possibilities:

11. The Farewell (PR: 8)

12. Little Women (PR: 12)

13. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 11)

14. Waves (PR: 13)

15. Richard Jewell (PR: 15)

Dropped Out:

Pain and Glory

Judy

Just Mercy

A Hidden Life

Rocketman

The Report

Booksmart

The Good Liar

Dark Waters

Ad Astra

BEST DIRECTOR

Predicted Nominees:

1. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Bong Joon-Ho, Parasite (PR: 4)

3. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

4. Sam Mendes, 1917 (PR: 3)

5. Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)

7. James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 8)

8. Lulu Wang, The Farewell (PR: 7)

9. Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory (PR: 13)

10. Jay Roach, Bombshell (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes

Greta Gerwig, Little Women

Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life

Todd Phillips, Joker

Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell

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. Robert De Niro, The Irishman (PR: 5)

5. Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (PR: 6)

7. Taron Egerton, Rocketman (PR: 8)

8. Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 7)

9. Paul Walter Hauser, Richard Jewell (PR: 9)

10. Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems (PR: 11)

Dropped Out:

Michael B. Jordan, Just Mercy

Ian McKellen, The Good Liar

Mark Ruffalo, Dark Waters

Brad Pitt, Ad Astra

Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse

BEST ACTRESS

Predicted Nominees:

1. Renee Zellweger, Judy (PR: 1)

2. Charlize Theron, Bombshell (PR: 7)

3. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story (PR: 2)

4. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women (PR: 4)

5. Awkwafina, The Farewell (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Alfre Woodard, Clemency (PR: 6)

7. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet (PR: 3)

8. Lupita Nyong’o, Us (PR: 8)

9. Helen Mirren, The Good Liar (PR: 9)

10. Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen and Slim (PR: 11)

Dropped Out:

Isabelle Huppert, Frankie

Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart

Felicity Jones, The Aeronauts

Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell

Julianne Moore, Gloria Bell

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)

2. Al Pacino, The Irishman (PR: 2)

3. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)

4. Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes (PR: 3)

5. Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (PR: 6)

7. Joe Pesci, The Irishman (PR: 7)

8. Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy (PR: 9)

9. John Lithgow, Bombshell (PR: 13)

10. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 8)

Dropped Out:

Sterling K. Brown, Waves

Alan Alda, Marriage Story

Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy

Sam Rockwell, Jojo Rabbit

Zack Gottsagen, The Peanut Butter Falcon

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Predicted Nominees:

1. Laura Dern, Marriage Story (PR: 1)

2. Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers (PR: 2)

3. Margot Robbie, Bombshell (PR: 12)

4. Annette Bening, The Report (PR: 3)

5. Shuzhen Zhou, The Farewell (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PR: 6)

7. Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)

8. Florence Pugh, Little Women (PR: 9)

9. Meryl Streep, Little Women (PR: 8)

10. Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)

Dropped Out:

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Jennifer Hudson, Cats

Nicole Kidman, Bombshell

Penelope Cruz, Pain and Glory

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman (PR: 1)

2. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 2)

3. The Two Popes (PR: 3)

4. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)

5. Joker (PR: 5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Little Women (PR: 6)

7. Just Mercy (PR: 8)

8. Judy (PR: 7)

9. Downton Abbey (PR: 9)

10. Richard Jewell (PR: 10)

Dropped Out:

The Good Liar

Dark Waters

Hustlers

Toy Story 4

Luce

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Predicted Nominees:

1. Marriage Story (PR: 1)

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)

3. Parasite (PR: 3)

4. The Farewell (PR: 4)

5. Bombshell (PR: 10)

Other Possibilities:

6. Waves (PR: 6)

7. 1917 (PR: 8)

8. Pain and Glory (PR: 5)

9. Booksmart (PR: 9)

10. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)

Dropped Out:

The Report

Honey Boy

Dolemite Is My Name

Knives Out

Rocketman

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Predicted Nominees:

1. Parasite

2. Pain and Glory

3. Atlantics

4. Les Miserables

5. Monos

Other Possibilities:

6. Those Who Remained

7. Beanpole

8. And Then We Danced

9. Papicha

10. The Traitor

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Predicted Nominees:

1. Toy Story 4

2. Frozen II

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. Missing Link

5. Weathering with You

Other Possibilities:

6. I Lost My Body

7. Abominable

8. Klaus

9. Funan

10. Okko’s Inn

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Predicted Nominees:

1. Apollo 11

2. American Factory

3. Maiden

4. One Child Nation

5. The Cave

Other Possibilities:

6. The Biggest Little Farm

7. The Edge of Democracy

8. Aquarela

9. Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story By Martin Scorsese

10. Knock Down the House

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Predicted Nominees:

1. 1917

2. The Irishman

3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

4. Parasite

5. The Lighthouse

Other Possibilities:

6. Ad Astra

7. Ford v Ferrari

8. Marriage Story

9. Joker

10. Jojo Rabbit

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Predicted Nominees:

1. Downton Abbey

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

3. Little Women

4. Dolemite Is My Name

5. Rocketman

Other Possibilities:

6. Judy

7. The Irishman

8. Aladdin

9. 1917

10. Jojo Rabbit

BEST EDITING

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

3. 1917

4. Ford v Ferrari

5. Marriage Story

Other Possibilities:

6. Parasite

7. Jojo Rabbit

8. Joker

9. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

10. Ad Astra

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman

2. Bombshell

3. Judy

4. Dolemite Is My Name

5. Little Women

Other Possibilities:

6. Joker

7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

8. The Aeronauts

9. Rocketman

10. Cats

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Predicted Nominees:

1. 1917

2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

3. Little Women

4. Marriage Story

5. Jojo Rabbit

Other Possibilities:

6. The Aeronauts

7. Ford v Ferrari

8. A Hidden Life

9. Joker

10. Waves

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II

2. “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from Rocketman

3. “Stand Up” from Harriet

4. “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4

5. “Speechless” from Aladdin

Other Possibilities:

6. “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4

7. “Spirit” from The Lion King

8. “One Little Soldier” from Bombshell

9. “Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn

10. “Together From Afar” from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Predicted Nominees:

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

2. 1917

3. Jojo Rabbit

4. The Irishman

5. Little Women

Other Possibilities:

6. Cats

7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

8. Ford v Ferrari

9. Aladdin

10. Downton Abbey

BEST SOUND EDITING

Predicted Nominees:

1. 1917

2. Ford v Ferrari

3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

4. Rocketman

5. Avengers: Endgame

Other Possibilities:

6. Ad Astra

7. The Irishman

8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

9. Cats

10. The Lion King

BEST SOUND MIXING

Predicted Nominees:

1. Ford v Ferrari

2. 1917

3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

4. Rocketman

5. Ad Astra

Other Possibilities:

6. Avengers: Endgame

7. Cats

8. The Irishman

9. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

10. The Lion King

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Irishman

2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

3. Avengers: Endgame

4. The Lion King

5. Alita: Battle Angel

Other Possibilities:

6. The Aeronauts

7. Gemini Man

8. Ad Astra

9. 1917

10. Godzilla: King of the Monsters

So here’s I have the nominations playing out as far as numbers with each film:

10 Nominations

The Irishman

9 Nominations

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

8 Nominations

1917, Marriage Story

5 Nominations

Bombshell, Ford v Ferrari, Little Women, Parasite

4 Nominations

Jojo Rabbit, Rocketman, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Two Popes

3 Nominations

The Farewell, Joker

2 Nominations

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Avengers: Endgame, Dolemite Is My Name, Frozen II, Judy, Toy Story 4

1 Nomination

Ad Astra, Aladdin, Alita: Battle Angel, American Factory, Apollo 11, Atlantics, The Cave, Downton Abbey, Harriet, Hustlers, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Les Miserables, The Lighthouse, The Lion King, Maiden, Missing Link, Monos, One Child Nation, Pain and Glory, The Report, Weathering with You

Oscar Watch: Abominable

Among a whole bunch of live action contenders vying for Oscar attention in Toronto, Dreamworks Animation’s Abominable made its debut today ahead of its September 27th release. The computer drawn adventure comes from director Jill Culton, who’s been involved in numerous genre pics including making 2006’s hit Open Season. Eddie Izzard and Sarah Paulson are some recognizable faces providing voice work

Early word is that this is fair to decent. That’s probably not enough to earn this a slot in the Best Animated Feature race. For starters, Dreamworks is likely to focus its attention on How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. It received far better critical ink and its two predecessors were nominated. There will also be Disney’s flicks like Toy Story 4 (the front runner) and the as yet unseen Frozen 2. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

2019 Midyear Oscar Report

We are officially at the midpoint of this thing called 2019 and that means a midyear Oscar report is before you today on the blog. First things first: as awards watchers already know, the bulk of the eventual nominees will come your way in the second half of the year. It will likely be festivals such as Toronto and Venice that produce their initial screenings.

We have, however, already had Cannes and Sundance producing first looks at some contenders. The most high profile is Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is out July 26 but debuted in the French Riviera. The celebrated auteur’s ninth feature immediately became a player in Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Leonardo DiCaprio (Actor), Brad Pitt (probably Supporting Actor), and Margot Robbie (Supporting Actress), as well as down the line tech races.

Cannes also served as the launching point for two contenders in the newly termed Best International Feature Film. They are Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which won the Palme d’Or. With Glory, expect lots of chatter for its star Antonio Banderas to receive his first nod in Actor.

As for other possibilities in the lead Actor derby, we have Taron Egerton’s portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman. If Rami Malek could take home the gold last year for Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s certainly feasible that Egerton will have his supporters. Cannes also debuted the horror pic The Lighthouse with raves for Willem Dafoe. And though it’s a reach, there could be a push for Robert Downey Jr. to garner recognition for his decade plus embodiment of Tony Stark/Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame.

When it comes to Endgame, I would anticipate talk for a Picture nod, especially after Black Panther became the first comic book pic to get one last year. At this juncture, I’ll say it gets plenty of chatter and no nomination. Yet that paradigm could shift.

Sundance gave us the true life political drama The Report. That pic features both Adam Driver and Annette Bening in roles that drew acclaim. It’s out stateside in late September and is one to keep an eye on.

2019 has produced numerous female lead performances that could all be classified as dark horse contenders. The list includes Lupita Nyong’o (Us), Julianne Moore (Gloria Bell), Awkwafina (The Farewell), Elisabeth Moss (Her Smell), Elle Fanning (Teen Spirit), Florence Pugh (Midsommar), and Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose).

Despite its disappointing box office grosses, Olivia Wilde’s coming of age comedy Booksmart might be considered in Original Screenplay. Same goes for The Farewell ahead of its release in a couple weeks.

For Best Animated Feature, Toy Story 4 looks to be a slam dunk for a nomination and that also holds true for How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Already released titles such as Missing Link and The Secret Life of Pets 2 are likely on the outside looking in.

As for documentaries, keep an eye on Apollo 11, The Biggest Little Farm, and Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story By Martin Scorsese. I would say Apollo is a strong contender for inclusion.

And that’s your report, ladies and gentlemen! Get ready for a whole bunch of Oscar speculation in the second half of the year…

Oscar Watch: The Secret Life of Pets 2

2019 is shaping up to be a year where the Best Animated Feature at the Oscars could be dominated by sequels. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World already opened to raves and seems destined for a nod just like its two predecessors. Disney has Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2 on deck.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is Universal’s shot at Academy recognition. It’s out on June 7, following up on the 2016 animal tale smash hit. Early reviews indicate part deux is an overall improvement in quality. The first Pets achieved a 73% Rotten Tomatoes rating while this currently sits at 91%.

This puts the likely mega blockbuster in contention, but it’ll need to stick around in a competition where the three previously mentioned sequels may well garner more votes. Only time will tell if that’s feasible. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

Oscar Watch: Missing Link

The stop-motion animated adventure Missing Link hits theaters next weekend and it’s the latest effort from the studio Laika. Reviews have been sturdy for the Bigfoot tale featuring the voices of Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, and Zach Galifianakis. Its Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 91%.

When it comes to Oscar nominations for their material, Laika has quite the batting average… as in 100%. For their four previous efforts, they’ve also all lost to Disney titles. In 2009, Coraline lost to Up. ParaNorman came up short to Brave in 2012. In 2014, it was Big Hero 6 over The Boxtrolls. Two years later, Kubo and the Two Strings couldn’t emerge over Zootopia.

Could history repeat itself? Absolutely. While critical reaction is solid, Link has little chance at winning the Best Animated Feature award. And, yes, Mouse Factory competition is legit with sequels Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2. There’s another sequel already released from DreamWorks – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – that also looks to nab a nod.

With five slots, there’s a chance Link could be the first Laika flick to miss a nomination. However, their track record is considerable and I wouldn’t count it out. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

March 29-31 Box Office Predictions

Blogger’s Note (03/27): My Dumbo prediction has dropped from $65.6 million to $55.6 million.

After Us rocked the box office this past weekend, a quartet of newcomers open nationwide on Friday: Tim Burton’s live action rendering of Disney’s 1941 animated classic Dumbo, true life action thriller Hotel Mumbai, Pure Flix pro-life drama Unplanned, and Matthew McConaughey stoner comedy The Beach Bum. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on each of them here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/20/dumbo-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/24/hotel-mumbai-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/24/unplanned-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/24/the-beach-bum-box-office-prediction/

Dumbo should have little trouble flying into the winners circle. I have it slated for a mid 60s opening. That’s far from what the Mouse Factory achieved with the non drawn versions of Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book and more in line with 2015’s Cinderella.

The remainder of the premieres may all have trouble reaching the top five. Mumbai could fare the best after a decent limited release start, even though it’s on less screens than Unplanned or The Beach Bum. I have those titles hitting just $2.6 million and $1.6 million, respectively. I’m a bit more optimistic with Mumbai, putting it at $3.4 million.

A big question this weekend is how far Us will drop after its fantastic performance out of the gate (more on that below). It stands to reason that this will be more front loaded than Jordan Peele’s Get Out, which rode a wave of water cooler chatter. I foresee a dip in the mid to possibly high 40s range.

Captain Marvel, Five Feet Apart, and Wonder Park could populate the rest of the high-five, assuming none of the new trio not named Dumbo manages to exceed expectations.

Here’s my take on the weekend ahead:

1. Dumbo

Predicted Gross: $55.6 million

2. Us

Predicted Gross: $38.4 million

3. Captain Marvel

Predicted Gross: $20.2 million

4. Five Feet Apart

Predicted Gross: $5.9 million

5. Wonder Park

Predicted Gross: $4.9 million

Box Office Results (March 22–24)

As mentioned, acclaimed horror flick Us dominated the charts and proved that its maker Jordan Peele is a valuable commodity at the moment. Taking in $71.1 million (well past my $58.8 million projection), Us is the largest live action feature based on original material since 2009’s Avatar. It doubled the $33 million brought in by Peele’s breakout Get Out. With a meager $20 million budget, it’s safe to assume the champagne bottles are popping over at Universal.

Captain Marvel dropped to second after two weeks on top with $34.2 million, just under my $36.4 million estimate. The MCU effort has amassed $320 million thus far.

Wonder Park was third with $8.7 million. I was a little higher at $10.4 million. The two-week tally is $29 million.

Five Feet Apart was close behind in fourth with $8.5 million (I said $7.7 million) and $26 million overall. I expect Park and Feet to flip positions this weekend.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World rounded out the top five with $6.5 million compared to my $6.1 million prediction. Its total is $145 million.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

March 22-24 Box Office Predictions

This weekend at the box office, it’s all about Us – as in Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed and eagerly awaited follow-up to his breakthrough hit Get Out. It’s the only new wide release before us and you can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/12/us-box-office-prediction/

I have the horror pic slated for a mid to high 50s debut and that should easily nab it the top spot, knocking Captain Marvel off after two weeks in first. The rest of the top five should be populated by holdovers Wonder Park and Five Feet Apart, which both exceeded expectations in their premieres, as well as How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.

And with that, my take on the weekend ahead:

1. Us

Predicted Gross: $56.8 million

2. Captain Marvel

Predicted Gross: $36.4 million

3. Wonder Park

Predicted Gross: $10.4 million

4. Five Feet Apart

Predicted Gross: $7.7 million

5. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Predicted Gross: $6.1 million

Box Office Results (March 15–17)

Captain Marvel easily held onto first in its sophomore frame with $67.9 million, a touch below my $71.3 million projection. The Marvel blockbuster has amassed $264 million in its first ten days of release.

Animated Wonder Park placed second with $15.8 million, well beyond my $10.3 million prediction. Considering its reported $100 million budget, that’s still nothing spectacular, but it is definitely on the highest end of estimates.

Romantic drama Five Feet Apart was third with $13.1 million, ahead of my $10.7 million forecast. Unlike Wonder Park, the price tag here was a measly $7 million and it nearly doubled that out of the gate.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World was fourth with $9.2 million (I said $9.4 million) for $135 million overall.

I didn’t give Mr. Perry enough credit as A Madea Family Funeral rounded out the top five with $7.8 million compared to my $5.6 million take. The three-week tally is $58 million.

Spanish comedy sequel No Manches Frida 2 was sixth, opening with $3.8 million on under 500 screens. I was close at $3.4 million.

In seventh, the barely publicized alien invasion thriller Captive State took in just $3.1 million (I said $2.8 million).

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

March 15-17 Box Office Predictions

Captain Marvel looks to make another giant pot of box office gold in its sophomore frame while a quartet of newcomers could struggle to get noticed. There’s the animated Wonder Park, youthful romantic drama Five Feet Apart, and alien invasion flick Captive State debuting and you can peruse my detailed prediction posts on each of them here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/09/wonder-park-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/09/five-feet-apart-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/03/10/captive-state-box-office-prediction/

I’m not expecting much from the newbies. I didn’t do an individual post for Mexican comedy sequel No Manches Frida 2, which hits the smallest number of screens at around 450. It will likely post the highest per screen average of the premieres and I’ll forecast a $3.4 million debut for sixth place. That’s better than my take on Captive State. It opens in almost five times as many venues, but I’m projecting a measly $2.8 million.

Park and Feet could find themselves in a close battle for second. I’m giving the latter a slight edge. It’s also feasible that How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World could stay in the runner-up spot behind the latest MCU juggernaut.

Here’s how I have the top 5 playing out:

1. Captain Marvel

Predicted Gross: $71.3 million

2. Five Feet Apart

Predicted Gross: $10.7 million

3. Wonder Park

Predicted Gross: $10.3 million

4. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Predicted Gross: $9.4 million

5. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral

Predicted Gross: $5.6 million

Box Office Results (March 15–17)

I’ll give myself a little pat on the back with my Captain Marvel prediction as it made $153.4 million and I was just a million off at $154.4 million. That’s a sterling start for Brie Larson’s heroine and I look for this to fall around 53% in its second frame.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World fell to second with $14.6 million. I was a touch higher at $16.6 million. Total is $119 million.

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral was third with $12.4 million (I said $11 million) for $46 million overall in two weeks.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part made $3.8 million for fourth place. My $3.9 million forecast was right there. It’s nearly at the century mark with $97 million.

Alita: Battle Angel rounded out the top five with $3.2 million (I said $4 million) for $78 million to date.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

March 8-10 Box Office Predictions

The MCU will undeniably be the captain this weekend at the box office as Captain Marvel blasts into multiplexes. The pic comes off a banner 2017 for the studio that saw Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War dominate the year. You can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/02/27/captain-marvel-box-office-prediction/

My forecast north of $150 million gives it the seventh largest opening of the franchise. I believe it will help tremendously that it’s seen as a bridge between Infinity War and next month’s Avengers: Endgame.

No other studio bothered to open anything against the MCU juggernaut. That means two-time champ How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World will dip to second position. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral opened well, but it should experience a rather hefty decline as other Madea titles have. Holdovers Alita: Battle Angel and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part might be close vying for fourth place.

And with that, my top 5 take on the Marvel-ous weekend:

1. Captain Marvel

Predicted Gross: $154.4 million

2. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Predicted Gross: $16.6 million

3. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral

Predicted Gross: $11 million

4. Alita: Battle Angel

Predicted Gross: $4 million

5. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Predicted Gross: $3.9 million

Box Office Results (March 1–3)

As mentioned, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World stayed atop the charts for a second time despite Madea. The Dreamworks Animation pic took in $30 million, a bit under my $32.2 million projection. It’s staring at the century mark with $97 million.

Tyler Perry has claimed A Madea Family Funeral is the character’s swan song. If so, she went out on a high note with $27 million compared to my $22.8 million estimate. That’s the franchise’s third best starting haul.

Alita: Battle Angel was third with $7.2 million (I said $6.3 million) for $72 million overall.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part was fourth with $6.6 million. I was lower at $5.3 million. It’s built its earnings up to $91 million.

Fighting with My Family was fifth at $4.6 million. I incorrectly had it outside the top five. It’s made $14 million in two weeks.

Greta was the weekend’s non-Madea newbie and it debuted in eighth place with a ho-hum $4.4 million. I had it at $5.6 million.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

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