Oscar cometh, and with him the possibility of drawing attention to some of the best films a lot of people didn’t see last year. By all means, check out Hell or High Water and Moonlight. Watch Natalie Portman’s brilliant turn in Jackie, or Viola Davis’s blistering performance in Fences. And for the love of God, watch Manchester by the Sea already. It won’t kill you.
And while you’re at it, pull out your Oscar score card and compare it with ours.
Best Picture
There are a lot of solid contenders and one possible winner. Such is the case ever year, but the best thing about the real race this year is that it’s the movie you enjoyed most versus clearly the best film you saw this year. That is to say, it’s La La Land versus Moonlight, and however it turns out, we all win. But this is how it will turn out:
Should: Moonlight
Will: La La Land
Best Director
We would love to say David Mackenzie, beautiful visionary behind Hell or High Water, should win but will lose to someone else. But, Mel Gibson got that nomination. So Mackenzie can’t lose, at least he has that. The winner, then?
Should: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Will: Chazelle
Best Actress
This is a stacked category – one of the strongest pack of contenders for best female lead we’ve seen in years. Congratulations to us that it will be so tough to choose. But here’s the way it’ll likely go:
Should: Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Will: Emma Stone, La La Land
Best Actor
Tightest race this year, and only getting tighter. Even Denzel Washington was surprised to see the Screen Actors Guild award come his way for Fences, and with all the overlap in the voting pool between that organization and the Academy, Denzel’s chances have only gotten better. But we still give Casey Affleck just the slightest lead.
Should: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Will: Affleck
Best Supporting Actress
Michelle Williams has every right to this award for her earth-scorching minutes onscreen in Manchester by the Sea – but only because the great Viola Davis should be nominated in the best actress category. Since she’s not…
Should: Viola Davis, Fences
Will: Davis
Best Supporting Actor
This is another group of impressive performances. Nice to see Lucas Hedges included for his great work in Manchester by the Sea. Still, this is the second strongest lock on the ballot (after Viola’s certain win).
Should: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Will: Ali
Best Original Screenplay
Wow, the brilliance off all this work could blind you. Some of the most original, most provocative and most moving original work we’ve seen in film in years. There are no losers here.
Should: Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water
Will: Kenneth Longerman, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay
Matching the original in style and substance is this group of adapted screenplays. Breathtaking.
Should: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Will: Moonlight
Best Animated Film
Oscar liked some obscure cartoons this year – and good for all of us that they drew attention to such gems as The Red Turtle and My Life as a Zucchini. Still, it’s the big boys who delivered. No, not Pixar. For once, the ultimate behemoth in ‘toon-tainment, Disney, put out the most relevant and gorgeous piece of animation, and will be rewarded for it.
Should: Zootopia
Will: Zootopia
Best Documentary
Three films here are just about equally deserving of this award, each of them speaking to the nation’s racial tensions in a way that illustrates both the history and currency of the topic. We’ll be happy however it turns out, but if it were up to us…
Should: I Am Not Your Negro
Will: OJ: Made In America
Catch the show Sunday night on ABC. Coverage begins at 7 p.m.
Read more from Hope at MADDWOLF and listen to her bi-weekly horror movie podcast, FRIGHT CLUB.
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