Back at it once again with my weekly Oscar predictions in the eight major categories as we move to October. Over the past week, I would say there’s been two significant developments. First, Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying debuted at the New York Film Festival to somewhat mixed results. I’ve had it in my predicted nine films to be nominated for Best Picture and that changes for now.
The other story is the critical reaction for Blade Runner 2049, which opens tomorrow. Many of the reviews have been raves and I believe it’s increased it chances greatly at nods for Picture and its director Denis Villeneuve, who was nominated just last year for Arrival.
One further story line is the falling prospects of Battle of the Sexes, which is not performing up to expectations at the box office. Much of the reasoning for it receiving nominations was that it could turn into a hit audience pleaser. That hasn’t occurred and its chances are in doubt. Goodbye Christopher Robin has reviews out as well and its prospects are looking dim.
Per usual, just because I rank something at #1 doesn’t mean I think it wins. This is based on chances for a nomination. Let’s get to it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Post (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
5. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
7. Mudbound (PR: 7)
8. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 13)
9. Wonder Wheel (PR: 11)
Other Possibilities:
10. Phantom Thread (PR: 10)
11. Battle of the Sexes (PR: 9)
12. Last Flag Flying (PR: 8)
13. Detroit (PR: 18)
14. The Greatest Showman (PR: 12)
15. The 15:17 to Paris (PR: 15)
16. Get Out (PR: 16)
17. I, Tonya (PR: 22)
18. Downsizing (PR: 19)
19. The Florida Project (PR: 23)
20. Lady Bird (PR: 21)
21. All the Money in the World (PR: 17)
22. The Big Sick (PR: 20)
23. Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 14)
24. Wonderstruck (PR: 25)
25. Molly’s Game (PR: 24)
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 2)
3. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Joe Wright, Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
5. Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
6. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 5)
7. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
8. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 7)
9. Woody Allen, Wonder Wheel (PR: 11)
10. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (PR: 10)
11. Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit (PR: Not Ranked)
12. Richard Linklater, Last Flag Flying (PR: 8)
13. Jordan Peele, Get Out (PR: 13)
14. Clint Eastwood, The 15:17 to Paris (PR: 15)
15. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 12)
Dropped Out:
Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 3)
4. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
5. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 5)
7. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel Esq. (PR: 8)
8. Steve Carell, Last Flag Flying (PR: 6)
9. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: 12)
10. Donald Sutherland, The Leisure Seeker (PR: 11)
11. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (PR: 10)
12. Christian Bale, Hostiles (PR: 15)
13. Jeremy Renner, Wind River (PR: 13)
14. Domhnall Gleeson, Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 9)
15. Jason Clarke, Chappaquiddick (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 1)
2. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 5)
4. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 4)
5. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 6)
7. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 7)
8. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 9)
9. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 8)
10. Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman (PR: 10)
11. Annette Bening, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (PR: 12)
12. Diane Kruger, In the Fade (PR: 11)
13. Brooklyn Prince, The Florida Project (PR: 13)
14. Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World (PR: 15)
15. Jennifer Lawrence, mother! (PR: 14)
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
5. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 7)
7. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (PR: 6)
8. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 11)
9. Kevin Spacey, All the Money in the World (PR: 10)
10. Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying (PR: 8)
11. Will Poulter, Detroit (PR: 12)
12. Patrick Stewart, Logan (PR: 13)
13. Christoph Waltz, Downsizing (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Laurence Fishburne, Last Flag Flying (PR: 9)
15. Jim Belushi, Wonder Wheel (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
Dustin Hoffman, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 1)
2. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 2)
3. Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
4. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 3)
5. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 8)
7. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 7)
8. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 6)
9. Kirsten Dunst, The Beguiled (PR: 11)
10. Claire Foy, Breathe (PR: 9)
11. Julianne Moore, Wonderstruck (PR: 12)
12. Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck (PR: 13)
13. Juno Temple, Wonder Wheel (PR: 14)
14. Margot Robbie, Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 10)
15. Cicely Tyson, Last Flag Flying (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Tatiana Maslany, Stronger
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Post (PR: 1)
2. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 2)
3. Mudbound (PR: 3)
4. Last Flag Flying (PR: 4)
5. Molly’s Game (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 12)
7. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
8. Wonderstruck (PR: 7)
9. All the Money in the World (PR: 6)
10. The Beguiled (PR: 9)
11. The Disaster Artist (PR: 11)
12. The 15:17 to Paris (PR: 10)
13. Stronger (PR: 13)
14. Wonder (PR: 14)
15. Thank You for Your Service (PR: 15)
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
4. Wonder Wheel (PR: 4)
5. The Big Sick (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Get Out (PR: 6)
7. Dunkirk (PR: 8)
8. I, Tonya (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Lady Bird (PR: 10)
10. Battle of the Sexes (PR: 7)
11. The Florida Project (PR: 12)
12. Downsizing (PR: 11)
13. Phantom Thread (PR: 9)
14. Wind River (PR: 13)
15. The Greatest Showman (PR: 15)
Dropped Out:
Goodbye Christopher Robin
And there you have it! I’ll be back at it next Thursday with brand new Oscar updates…