The Oscars have become less about what the best movies of the year are and more about what are the best movies in theaters now. These "Oscar" movies come pre-packaged with "buzz", get their nominations and then get released to theaters. It seems backwards. Movies should have a chance to play for audiences before the critics. Movies nowadays play at festivals all year long and then come out in theaters. Almost like they are trying to get the nominations before general audiences see the film. Why would they do that? It's not like an Oscar nomination can add another 30 million dollars to your box office haul. Oh wait, that's exactly why they do this. If Lady Bird, Call Me By Your Name, The Post and Phantom Thread were released in April there is no way they would be in the Best Picture lineup.
You can see my GABBY winners and nominees HERE
Best Picture
9. Call Me By Your Name - I may be missing something but I have no idea why this was critically acclaimed. Here’s the story, a young kid in Italy is attracted to an older man. He tells the older man who says that they can not act on their sexual desires, then they do, they have sex a lot, the older man leaves, the young boy is sad and the boy’s dad is cool with all of it. There are no complications from their love except the fact that it ends in heartbreak. One of the big news stories this year was Kevin Spacey (which we’ll get to later) and how he had inappropriate relationships with young boys. Now, granted, his situation was a little different but why did he get condemned immediately while this movie gets a Best Picture nomination? I’m not trying to defend Spacey, I just don’t understand why nobody had a problem with the man/boy love movie. That aside, the movie is slow and plodding and was a real hard sit.
8. Darkest Hour - There’s no real reason this movie needs to be included in the Best Picture lineup. This is an acting triumph for Gary Oldman who is unrecognizable and incredible as Winston Churchill. He’s great, the movie is just so-so. It’s a standard biopic about Churchill becoming prime minister just as World War II is breaking out. This happens a lot nowadays with the expanded Best Picture race, a movie with a great central performance is confused with one of the best movies of the year.
7. Phantom Thread - The P.T. Anderson train has left the station for me and I forgot to buy my ticket. A lot of people loved this film, I was kind of bored. It's not as grueling a sit as The Master or There Will Be Blood but I still nodded off a few times. It's slow moving and could have definitely been an hour shorter. Once it was over I thought, okay, that was better than I thought it would be, I won't ever watch it again but it was fine.
6. The Post - The great thing about political movies is that they always seem relevant. Politics never really change so there's always something from the past that we can find that shares similarities with today. You could probably watch a Millard Fillmore documentary and go, man, the jerks of today can learn a thing or two from the mistakes of these guys. This is about the decision to publish the Pentagon Papers and the freedom of the press precedent that followed. On paper this sounds like an Oscar slam dunk. Steven Spielberg directing Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep in a historical drama that can also be seen as an allegory for Trump? Bring on the statues. Strangely it only managed a Best Actress nomination and a Best Picture nod.
5. Dunkirk - This is kind of a companion piece to Darkest Hour. While Churchill was doing his thing, pretty much the entire British army was under attack. This is a movie sparse on dialogue and character development and heavy on visuals and explosions. If you want to feel for the soldiers then this movie doesn’t work so well but if you want to be dazzled by Christopher Nolan’s movie magic then this will give your eyes and ears a treat.
4. Lady Bird - Sometimes I wonder if you can turn any movie into an “Oscar movie”. I thought this coming of age drama starring Saoirse Ronan as a free spirited high school senior going off to college and dealing with her difficult relationship with her mother was just fine. If it came out in March I would have enjoyed it but forgot about it by the time awards season came around. It got released at the end of the year though just as critics were putting together their best of lists and one of the last movies they saw was Lady Bird. It delighted them and was fresh in their minds. Conversely, a lot of great movies came out at the beginning of the year and didn’t get any Oscar love. The Oscars, especially this year, have become less about the best movies of the year and more about the best movies out in theaters at the time.
3. The Shape Of Water - Guillermo Del Toro reminds us that movies are supposed to be magical and he does so by giving us a love story between a mute woman and a fish man. Obviously inspired by movies like King Kong and The Creature From The Black Lagoon, this is a sci-fi, fantasy, romance, drama, comedy that is also the most beautiful film of the year. The biggest magic trick Del Toro pulls is making this pure delight of a film on such a small budget. This movie has production design that rivals any huge budget epic. It's just a pure delight.
2. Get Out - I love when a movie that gets released early in the year can stay in the race long enough to survive come Oscar time. This thriller came out in February but remained the movie that people were talking about all year and then became the movie that may be the surprise winner come Oscar night. Jordan Peele, best known for a Comedy Central sketch show, wrote and directed this film about a black man meeting his girlfriend’s white parents for the first time only to find that a nefarious plot is afoot. It’s not a perfect film, I think it got a little over-hyped at the time of its release, but it is a really good film. My only problem with the movie is the third act where it becomes less about the intriguing plot and more about the body count.
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - In 2008, Martin McDonagh made what might be my favorite film of the decade, In Bruges. 10 years later he makes a movie that is almost as good. That may sound like faint praise but that’s like me saying The Maltese Falcon is almost as good as Casablanca, I really like In Bruges. McDonagh’s dialogue cracks like Quentin Tarantino mixed with Raymond Chandler with a little bit of Billy Wilder thrown in. This movie is about a woman played by Frances McDormand whose daughter was raped and murdered and the killer has yet to be caught. Tired, angry and upset she decides to buy three abandoned billboards and use them to taunt the police. What follows is a movie with twists and turns where everything gets payed off wonderfully but not in the way you expect, even the things you didn’t think would get payed off get payed off in some ways. I’ve read some negative reviews of this film where people complain that it feels over written but that is exactly why I love it. It’s storytelling at its best and there’s not a single scene of filler in the film.
The Shape Of Water is a fine winner. It's imaginative, it's beautiful, it's magical. I don't know how well it will hold up. It is a timeless fairy tale but Three Billboards Outside Of Ebbing, Missouri is an amazing film that I am sure will stand the test of time. Add that to the fact that In Bruges only managed a screenplay nomination in 2008 and I want to vote for this even more. I feel like The Shape Of Water is going to be looked upon as a nice but dull choice. The movie is good but it never really seemed to capture the nation's attention. I don't think anyone who doesn't pay attention to the Oscar race really knew about it or cared to see it. If anything was going to beat Three Billboards I would have preferred it to be Get Out. This movie did get noticed by critics and audiences alike. It also had a social relevant aspect that liberal Hollywood absolutely loves. It would also honor film making by black artists that caters to all audiences which is something they have been criticized for not doing. Now that I think about it, why the hell didn't they give Get Out the win?
Oscar Winner: The Shape Of Water
My Vote: Three Billboards Outisde Ebbing, Missouri
GABBY Winner: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor
4. Timothee Chalamet - Call Me By Your Name - Here he is ladies, everyone’s favorite piece of jailbait. 2017 was a breakout year for the young actor who not only starred as a gay teenager discovering himself in this film but also featured in Lady Bird and Hostiles. He’s perfectly fine in a movie I hated. I would never vote for him because I very rarely consider actors in their breakout role. He’s young and if he’s really good he should get other chances.
3. Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out - Here’s another actor in his breakout movie. He’s an untested talent so he’s either really good which means he should have other chances or he’s not that great which means it’s good he’s not an Oscar winner. In Get Out he plays a young black man meeting his girlfriend’s white liberal parents. Things look fine at first, if a bit uncomfortable, but he quickly discovers that he’s there for different, far more nefarious, reasons. Kaluuya is perfectly fine in the role but he mostly just reacts throughout the film. It’s a nice nomination but not something I would vote for.
2. Denzel Washington - Roman J. Israel, Esq. - I think they may have stacked the deck a bit in order to get Gary Oldman an Oscar. My number 2 is someone I would never vote for and would probably be my number 5 in most years. Denzel ranks so high this year because Daniel Day-Lewis has 3 already and the other two guys are too young. Washington plays the titular Roman J. Israel, Esq., a lawyer who may or may not have Asperger syndrome who has to rise to the challenge when he gets in over his head. Washington gives his character the proper ticks to communicate his isolation and does a good job of toning down his natural charisma to play a normal guy but the movie is nowhere near as good as his performance.
1. Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour - They don’t get more Oscar-bait than this. Oldman sat in the makeup chair for hours every day in order to play British prime minister Winston Churchill. He’s unrecognizable and brilliant plus he’s been so good for so long with only one previous Oscar nomination to show for it. There was absolutely no beating him this year.
Not only was Gary Oldman pretty much guaranteed the Oscar when they released the poster for Darkest Hour but they didn't put anyone against him. Two newbies, a 3-time winner and a 2-time winner. I wouldn't be surprised if he got 100% of the vote.
Oscar Winner: Gary Oldman
Best Actor
5. Daniel Day-Lewis - The Phantom Thread - This is reportedly his last movie as he is now retired from acting. So this might be the last chance to give Daniel Day-Lewis an Oscar. The dude's got 3 on his mantle already so I think he'll be fine. I always found him a bit over the top in his performances. He is much more subdued here as renowned fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock and does give a very good performance. It's just not 4th Oscar good.
4. Timothee Chalamet - Call Me By Your Name - Here he is ladies, everyone’s favorite piece of jailbait. 2017 was a breakout year for the young actor who not only starred as a gay teenager discovering himself in this film but also featured in Lady Bird and Hostiles. He’s perfectly fine in a movie I hated. I would never vote for him because I very rarely consider actors in their breakout role. He’s young and if he’s really good he should get other chances.
3. Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out - Here’s another actor in his breakout movie. He’s an untested talent so he’s either really good which means he should have other chances or he’s not that great which means it’s good he’s not an Oscar winner. In Get Out he plays a young black man meeting his girlfriend’s white liberal parents. Things look fine at first, if a bit uncomfortable, but he quickly discovers that he’s there for different, far more nefarious, reasons. Kaluuya is perfectly fine in the role but he mostly just reacts throughout the film. It’s a nice nomination but not something I would vote for.
2. Denzel Washington - Roman J. Israel, Esq. - I think they may have stacked the deck a bit in order to get Gary Oldman an Oscar. My number 2 is someone I would never vote for and would probably be my number 5 in most years. Denzel ranks so high this year because Daniel Day-Lewis has 3 already and the other two guys are too young. Washington plays the titular Roman J. Israel, Esq., a lawyer who may or may not have Asperger syndrome who has to rise to the challenge when he gets in over his head. Washington gives his character the proper ticks to communicate his isolation and does a good job of toning down his natural charisma to play a normal guy but the movie is nowhere near as good as his performance.
1. Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour - They don’t get more Oscar-bait than this. Oldman sat in the makeup chair for hours every day in order to play British prime minister Winston Churchill. He’s unrecognizable and brilliant plus he’s been so good for so long with only one previous Oscar nomination to show for it. There was absolutely no beating him this year.
Not only was Gary Oldman pretty much guaranteed the Oscar when they released the poster for Darkest Hour but they didn't put anyone against him. Two newbies, a 3-time winner and a 2-time winner. I wouldn't be surprised if he got 100% of the vote.
Oscar Winner: Gary Oldman
My Vote: Gary Oldman
GABBY Winner: Harry Dean Stanton for Lucky
Best Actress
5. Meryl Streep - The Post - Meryl runs a newspaper.
4. Saorise Ronan - Lady Bird - You wouldn’t know it by her flawless American accent but Ronan is indeed from Ireland. This is the third nomination of her young career which means at the young age of 23 she has one more nod than Gary Oldman. I feel like she’ll get hers one day but she needs to get to 30 before I’ll vote for her. She is very good in the film though.
3. Sally Hawkins - The Shape Of Water - Hawkins plays a mute woman who communicates only in sign language who falls in love with a fish man. Hawkins has always been an actress I loved and she does communicate so much with her face which makes her perfect for this role. She also was great in the film Maudie this year, a biopic of an arthritic painter. She navigates us through the film without saying a word, it's a marvelous performance.
2. Margot Robbie - I, Tonya - Australian actress Margot Robbie plays the very American former figure skater Tonya Harding. Her accent is good and consistent and the movie is very fun. It was advertised as the Goodfellas of figure skating and that's basically what it is. It's a crime comedy that is edited in a frenetic pace with fourth wall breaks and mockumentary aspects. Robbie is really terrific in the role, creating a character based on a real human capturing the real person while not relying on an impression.
1. Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - A lot of people compared this movie to Fargo when it came out and I did as well. The comparison comes from the fact that it is a uniquely American film about small town life. Murder doesn't just happen in the big city. It also got Fargo comparisons because both films star Frances McDormand and she won Oscars for both of them. This is a complete 180° turn from Marge Gunderson. She is foul mouthed and quick to action rather than reasoning. She is terrific at finding the dark humor to every line. The script is dramatic but also very funny and it takes an actor who can convey just the right tone to make that work.
Best Actress
5. Meryl Streep - The Post - Meryl runs a newspaper.
4. Saorise Ronan - Lady Bird - You wouldn’t know it by her flawless American accent but Ronan is indeed from Ireland. This is the third nomination of her young career which means at the young age of 23 she has one more nod than Gary Oldman. I feel like she’ll get hers one day but she needs to get to 30 before I’ll vote for her. She is very good in the film though.
3. Sally Hawkins - The Shape Of Water - Hawkins plays a mute woman who communicates only in sign language who falls in love with a fish man. Hawkins has always been an actress I loved and she does communicate so much with her face which makes her perfect for this role. She also was great in the film Maudie this year, a biopic of an arthritic painter. She navigates us through the film without saying a word, it's a marvelous performance.
2. Margot Robbie - I, Tonya - Australian actress Margot Robbie plays the very American former figure skater Tonya Harding. Her accent is good and consistent and the movie is very fun. It was advertised as the Goodfellas of figure skating and that's basically what it is. It's a crime comedy that is edited in a frenetic pace with fourth wall breaks and mockumentary aspects. Robbie is really terrific in the role, creating a character based on a real human capturing the real person while not relying on an impression.
1. Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - A lot of people compared this movie to Fargo when it came out and I did as well. The comparison comes from the fact that it is a uniquely American film about small town life. Murder doesn't just happen in the big city. It also got Fargo comparisons because both films star Frances McDormand and she won Oscars for both of them. This is a complete 180° turn from Marge Gunderson. She is foul mouthed and quick to action rather than reasoning. She is terrific at finding the dark humor to every line. The script is dramatic but also very funny and it takes an actor who can convey just the right tone to make that work.
Usually I like to spread the wealth before I give someone a 2nd win but it has been over 20 years since Frances McDormand won for Fargo. Honestly, anyone but Streep would be a good winner. My top choices are McDormand, Hawkins and Robbie. If this were a case where I liked them all equally I would vote either Robbie or Hawkins but Frances is far and away my favorite. She is so great in Three Billboards and seeing as how the movie didn't win Best Picture and wasn't even nominated for Best Director, I'm gonna vote for it wherever I can.
Oscar Winner: Frances McDormand
My Vote: Frances McDormand
GABBY Winner: Anne Hathaway for Colossal
Best Supporting Actor
5. Christopher Plummer - All The Money In The World - I told you we’d get to Kevin Spacey. After the scandal that got Spacey fired from House Of Cards he was also edited out of this film and replaced with Christopher Plummer with just a month before the movie was set to open. This nomination feels like a middle finger to Spacey more than it does a nod for Plummer’s performance. He’s the best thing about the film as J.J. Getty, the billionaire who refuses to pay ransom money, but he was never gonna win this one.
4. Richard Jenkins - The Shape Of Water - Jenkins plays Sally Hawkins's closeted gay next door neighbor who helps her in rescuing the fish man from the laboratory. This is an incredibly sweet performance from an actor I love. He doesn't overplay the character at all and isn't too flashy in the film either. Michael Shannon has the meatier role and I was expecting him to get the nomination but Jenkins is more fitting in the supporting category as he does just that, he makes the performances around him better.
3. Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Woody has been so good for so long and I'm so glad he's finally completely past his stoner Woody Boyd persona from Cheers and is getting the respect he deserves. In this film he plays a small town sheriff who is dying of cancer. He's a proud man in a situation he can't control. He disappears from the second half of the film and is overshadowed by Sam Rockwell so it's not something I can vote for but I'm glad he got the nod.
2. Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project - This is a movie where nothing really happens but after you watch it you're still left satisfied. Willem Dafoe plays the manager of a motel just outside of Disney World and he's a caring person to even the worst of the worst that occupy his hotel. The movie follows a little girl whose mother is a drug user, hooker and petty criminal and we see the film basically through her eyes. Dafoe has some really nice moments in the film but is missing that one moment that makes him an Oscar winner for me. His best scene is when he quietly removes a pedophile from his property as to not cause a scene and then as soon as nobody's looking tears into him.
1. Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Rockwell is one of those actors that I have been championing for years. I've given him 6 nominations and 1 win since his breakout role in Galaxy Quest but this is his first Oscar nomination. He plays a deputy who doesn't apply himself and is also racist. He is in trouble for violently interrogating a black man. He has an unquestioned loyalty to Woody Harrelson and is given the courage to put his detective skills to good use to solve the murder of Frances McDormand's daughter. Rockwell is always great and in this film he is finally given that character that Oscar voters love. He is a flawed man who gets to earn his redemption.
Christopher Plummer is out because he's won before and his nomination is more a middle finger to Kevin Spacey than a reward for a job well done in a couple of weeks. All the rest of these actors are guys I love and want to have Oscars. Willem Dafoe, Woody Harrelson, Richard Jenkins and Sam Rockwell all give great performances that would win in most years. I'm tempted to blame a vote split and go with Dafoe but this may be Rockwell's best chance at a win. He doesn't get to star in a lot of Best Picture nominees (that may change because of the Oscar win) so I'm gonna vote for him.
Oscar Winner: Sam Rockwell
Best Supporting Actor
5. Christopher Plummer - All The Money In The World - I told you we’d get to Kevin Spacey. After the scandal that got Spacey fired from House Of Cards he was also edited out of this film and replaced with Christopher Plummer with just a month before the movie was set to open. This nomination feels like a middle finger to Spacey more than it does a nod for Plummer’s performance. He’s the best thing about the film as J.J. Getty, the billionaire who refuses to pay ransom money, but he was never gonna win this one.
4. Richard Jenkins - The Shape Of Water - Jenkins plays Sally Hawkins's closeted gay next door neighbor who helps her in rescuing the fish man from the laboratory. This is an incredibly sweet performance from an actor I love. He doesn't overplay the character at all and isn't too flashy in the film either. Michael Shannon has the meatier role and I was expecting him to get the nomination but Jenkins is more fitting in the supporting category as he does just that, he makes the performances around him better.
3. Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Woody has been so good for so long and I'm so glad he's finally completely past his stoner Woody Boyd persona from Cheers and is getting the respect he deserves. In this film he plays a small town sheriff who is dying of cancer. He's a proud man in a situation he can't control. He disappears from the second half of the film and is overshadowed by Sam Rockwell so it's not something I can vote for but I'm glad he got the nod.
2. Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project - This is a movie where nothing really happens but after you watch it you're still left satisfied. Willem Dafoe plays the manager of a motel just outside of Disney World and he's a caring person to even the worst of the worst that occupy his hotel. The movie follows a little girl whose mother is a drug user, hooker and petty criminal and we see the film basically through her eyes. Dafoe has some really nice moments in the film but is missing that one moment that makes him an Oscar winner for me. His best scene is when he quietly removes a pedophile from his property as to not cause a scene and then as soon as nobody's looking tears into him.
1. Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Rockwell is one of those actors that I have been championing for years. I've given him 6 nominations and 1 win since his breakout role in Galaxy Quest but this is his first Oscar nomination. He plays a deputy who doesn't apply himself and is also racist. He is in trouble for violently interrogating a black man. He has an unquestioned loyalty to Woody Harrelson and is given the courage to put his detective skills to good use to solve the murder of Frances McDormand's daughter. Rockwell is always great and in this film he is finally given that character that Oscar voters love. He is a flawed man who gets to earn his redemption.
Christopher Plummer is out because he's won before and his nomination is more a middle finger to Kevin Spacey than a reward for a job well done in a couple of weeks. All the rest of these actors are guys I love and want to have Oscars. Willem Dafoe, Woody Harrelson, Richard Jenkins and Sam Rockwell all give great performances that would win in most years. I'm tempted to blame a vote split and go with Dafoe but this may be Rockwell's best chance at a win. He doesn't get to star in a lot of Best Picture nominees (that may change because of the Oscar win) so I'm gonna vote for him.
Oscar Winner: Sam Rockwell
My Vote: Sam Rockwell
GABBY Winner: John C. Reilly for Kong: Skull Island
Best Supporting Actress
5. Mary J. Blige - Mudbound - This is a Netflix original movie that was released in theaters just long enough to qualify for Oscar consideration. I'm sure in 10 years it probably won't bother me. I don't know why it bothers me now. I watch a lot of movies on Netflix. I feel like this is a cheat. This movie was never intended to be released theatrically, it was intended to be watched on TV. It should be eligible for the Emmys, not the Oscars. The end. Never gonna vote for this.
4. Octavia Spencer - The Shape Of Water - This is a nomination that I think everyone just kind of expected but didn't understand. Spencer is not really Oscar worthy in her performance as the wisecracking janitor who helps Sally Hawkins rescue a fish man but she's an Oscar winner in a Best Picture winner so we all expected she'd get a nomination. There's no way I'm gonna vote for her, she's already won and this is not worth a 2nd Oscar.
3. Lesley Manville - The Phantom Thread - Manville plays Daniel Day-Lewis's sister and manager in the film. She was a bit of a surprise nominee and then when she got the nomination everybody went, oh yeah, she definitely deserved to be here. I'll agree that she definitely has a right to be here but I would have preferred if Holly Hunter took this spot or even Tiffany Haddish. I'll save that alternate history talk for another blog. As for Manville, she's good, I didn't get into the film, she's not as good as my top 2 but she's a solid third choice.
2. Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird - Who doesn't love Laurie Metcalf? She was the only part of Roseanne that I liked and she was amazing on one of my favorite sitcoms The Norm Show starring Norm MacDonald. She plays Lady Bird's mother and while I wish she had more to do in the film, she is completely authentic. I believed her as Saorise Ronan's mother so much that I forgot that they were acting from time to time. She has great chemistry with her on-screen daughter and her performance definitely elevates her co-stars.
1. Allison Janney - I, Tonya - Janney plays Tonya's foul mouthed mother who forced her daughter to figure skate every day in order to make her a champion. While doing so she neglected being there for her daughter as a mother. She's very funny in the film and also touching in her scenes where she almost realizes her faults as a mother and a human being.
Best Supporting Actress
5. Mary J. Blige - Mudbound - This is a Netflix original movie that was released in theaters just long enough to qualify for Oscar consideration. I'm sure in 10 years it probably won't bother me. I don't know why it bothers me now. I watch a lot of movies on Netflix. I feel like this is a cheat. This movie was never intended to be released theatrically, it was intended to be watched on TV. It should be eligible for the Emmys, not the Oscars. The end. Never gonna vote for this.
4. Octavia Spencer - The Shape Of Water - This is a nomination that I think everyone just kind of expected but didn't understand. Spencer is not really Oscar worthy in her performance as the wisecracking janitor who helps Sally Hawkins rescue a fish man but she's an Oscar winner in a Best Picture winner so we all expected she'd get a nomination. There's no way I'm gonna vote for her, she's already won and this is not worth a 2nd Oscar.
3. Lesley Manville - The Phantom Thread - Manville plays Daniel Day-Lewis's sister and manager in the film. She was a bit of a surprise nominee and then when she got the nomination everybody went, oh yeah, she definitely deserved to be here. I'll agree that she definitely has a right to be here but I would have preferred if Holly Hunter took this spot or even Tiffany Haddish. I'll save that alternate history talk for another blog. As for Manville, she's good, I didn't get into the film, she's not as good as my top 2 but she's a solid third choice.
2. Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird - Who doesn't love Laurie Metcalf? She was the only part of Roseanne that I liked and she was amazing on one of my favorite sitcoms The Norm Show starring Norm MacDonald. She plays Lady Bird's mother and while I wish she had more to do in the film, she is completely authentic. I believed her as Saorise Ronan's mother so much that I forgot that they were acting from time to time. She has great chemistry with her on-screen daughter and her performance definitely elevates her co-stars.
1. Allison Janney - I, Tonya - Janney plays Tonya's foul mouthed mother who forced her daughter to figure skate every day in order to make her a champion. While doing so she neglected being there for her daughter as a mother. She's very funny in the film and also touching in her scenes where she almost realizes her faults as a mother and a human being.
This is a two person race between Allison Janney and Laurie Metcalf. Spencer already won, Mary J. Blige shouldn't be here on a technicality and if you're not voting for Daniel Day-Lewis it's hard to vote for Lesley Manville. That leaves Metcalf and Janney, two actresses who are mostly known for TV rather than movies. It's hard to pick between the two based on career, Janney has been in more films so has the edge there, based on performance I gotta pick Janney. She's got the flashier part and is a hoot in her film.
Oscar Winner: Allison Janey
My Vote: Allison Janey
GABBY Winner: Holly Hunter for The Big Sick
Best Director
With the political climate of the time it must have sucked to have been Christopher Nolan or Paul Thomas Anderson. I don't think anyone was hoping a white guy would win. Greta Gerwig is only the 5th woman nominated in this category. Jordan Peele is only the 5th black person nominated in this category. Guillermo Del Toro is Mexican born but so were Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu. Del Toro definitely had the biggest directorial achievement and would have been my vote too.
Best Original Screenplay/Adapted Screenplay
Jordan Peele becomes the first black person to win in the Original Screenplay category for Get Out, 3 movies with black writers have won in the Adapted Screenplay category. It was a tough category too that included The Big Sick and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. James Ivory becomes the creepiest old guy who wants to watch 2 boys kissing to win an Oscar for his script to Call Me By Your Name.
Best Animated Feature Film
Pixar adds another win to their total as Coco wins. You were expecting The Boss Baby?
Best Original Score/Original Song
The Shape Of Water is the rightful winner in the Best Original Score category. I don't know why John Williams keeps getting nominations for the same old Star Wars scores every time. I know there are probably hundreds of Star Wars fans who can point out the subtle differences between the movie but to me they are all the same. Remember Me from Coco wins Best Song over a fairly weak set of nominees. I couldn't get excited for any of the nominees that included tunes from Mudbound, The Greatest Showman, Marshall and Call Me By Your Name.
Best Sound Editing/Sound Mixing/Film Editing
I was so excited when Baby Driver got nominations in all 3 of these categories. I thought the involvement of Kevin Spacey may have sunk its Oscar chances. This is one of the best edited movies I have ever seen and probably the best sound design I have ever experienced in a film. Instead, the Academy chose Dunkirk for all 3 awards. It's a fine winner but nothing compared to Baby Driver.
Best Production Design
Hard to argue against The Shape Of Water winning this one. Damn, this movie looks beautiful.
Best Cinematography
14 was the lucky number for Roger Deakins who finally wins this category for Blade Runner 2049.
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Darkest Hour was no doubt the best choice as I don't think it was that much of a stretch to make Judi Dench look old for Victoria & Abdul and Wonder gave Jacob Tremblay a weird looking face that I found laughably bad.
Best Costume Design
Well obviously the movie about costume design wins the Costume Design award as Phantom Thread takes home the win.
Best Visual Effects
Blade Runner 2049 definitely had the most visual effects of the nominees. I would have gone with Kong: Skull Island or War For The Planet Of The Apes.
Up Next
Best Director
With the political climate of the time it must have sucked to have been Christopher Nolan or Paul Thomas Anderson. I don't think anyone was hoping a white guy would win. Greta Gerwig is only the 5th woman nominated in this category. Jordan Peele is only the 5th black person nominated in this category. Guillermo Del Toro is Mexican born but so were Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu. Del Toro definitely had the biggest directorial achievement and would have been my vote too.
Best Original Screenplay/Adapted Screenplay
Jordan Peele becomes the first black person to win in the Original Screenplay category for Get Out, 3 movies with black writers have won in the Adapted Screenplay category. It was a tough category too that included The Big Sick and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. James Ivory becomes the creepiest old guy who wants to watch 2 boys kissing to win an Oscar for his script to Call Me By Your Name.
Best Animated Feature Film
Pixar adds another win to their total as Coco wins. You were expecting The Boss Baby?
Best Original Score/Original Song
The Shape Of Water is the rightful winner in the Best Original Score category. I don't know why John Williams keeps getting nominations for the same old Star Wars scores every time. I know there are probably hundreds of Star Wars fans who can point out the subtle differences between the movie but to me they are all the same. Remember Me from Coco wins Best Song over a fairly weak set of nominees. I couldn't get excited for any of the nominees that included tunes from Mudbound, The Greatest Showman, Marshall and Call Me By Your Name.
Best Sound Editing/Sound Mixing/Film Editing
I was so excited when Baby Driver got nominations in all 3 of these categories. I thought the involvement of Kevin Spacey may have sunk its Oscar chances. This is one of the best edited movies I have ever seen and probably the best sound design I have ever experienced in a film. Instead, the Academy chose Dunkirk for all 3 awards. It's a fine winner but nothing compared to Baby Driver.
Best Production Design
Hard to argue against The Shape Of Water winning this one. Damn, this movie looks beautiful.
Best Cinematography
14 was the lucky number for Roger Deakins who finally wins this category for Blade Runner 2049.
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Darkest Hour was no doubt the best choice as I don't think it was that much of a stretch to make Judi Dench look old for Victoria & Abdul and Wonder gave Jacob Tremblay a weird looking face that I found laughably bad.
Best Costume Design
Well obviously the movie about costume design wins the Costume Design award as Phantom Thread takes home the win.
Best Visual Effects
Blade Runner 2049 definitely had the most visual effects of the nominees. I would have gone with Kong: Skull Island or War For The Planet Of The Apes.
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2008
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