Author: Billy Madden
This Sunday, February 24, 2019, the 91st Academy Awards will air at 5 pm Pacific Standard Time on ABC. This year’s award show is arriving with changes as it will take place without a host. The last time the show went hostless was in 1989.
The Academy is trying to stay in the public’s good graces after back-to-back controversies, which means the show must go on hostless. I do not recall how the Oscars went without a host, so I am curious to see how everything will play out.
Below are my predictions (what I think will win) and my picks (what I think should win) for this year’s award show:
Best Picture:
My Prediction: Green Book
My Pick: Green Book
With all the recent steam Roma has been gathering from Netflix’s aggressive advertising, Green Book could be considered an underdog. If you have an Italian background, as I do, you will easily relate to this story, flooding you with memories of your uncles.
Best Director
My Prediction: Roma
My Pick: BlackKkKlansman
I may be largely in the minority here, but I truly do not understand why a good majority of people think that Roma is a good movie. It was such an amateur production and two hours of my life I’ll never get back. That being said, the Academy loves Alfonso Cuarón and will give him the award. This is pretty much a lock. BlacKkKlansman should win because Spike Lee did a fantastic job telling a true story that kept me engaged.
Best Actor in a Leading Role
My Prediction: Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody
My Pick: Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody
Here is another lock. All the actors nominated in this category are worthy, but Malek perfectly pulled off the great Freddie Mercury.
Best Actress in a Leading Role
My Prediction: Glenn Close For The Wife
My Pick: Olivia Colman for The Favourite
This one is a toss, but I think Glenn will take home the Oscar for playing a crazy wife! Both roles required the women to portray an unforgiving side of insanity, and both played it quite well. In a perfect world, this should be a tie. Still, I preferred Colman’s performance, but not by much.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
My Prediction: Mahershala Ali for Green Book
My Pick: Mahershala Ali for Green Book
Ali is one of the finest actors of our time. His chemistry with Mortensen could not have been better. His performance was flawless.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
My Prediction: Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk
My Pick: Amy Adams for Vice
Here is another category that can go either way. Both women were great in their respective roles and deserved the award. I just preferred Adams’ performance slightly more.
Best Writing for an Adapted Screenplay
My Prediction: BlacKkKlansman
My Pick: A Star is Born
Both movies are well-written with tight scripts. I think BlacKkKlansman has a stronger message within its writing, which is why I believe it will take home the award. For me, A Star is Born is more moving.
Best Writing for an Original Screenplay
My Prediction: Green Book
My Pick: Green Book
It is often said that the movie that takes home this award takes home the much-coveted Best Picture at the end of the night. If Green Book takes this home, “fuggedaboutit!” it will be a strong lock for Best Picture.
Best Cinematography
My Prediction: Roma
My Pick: Anything BUT Roma and The Favourite, let’s say A Star Is Born
Netflix must have paid people off for this category. Sorry, but Roma looks like it was shot on a CCTV camera slowly panning in a department store. The Favourite was nauseatingly shot with a fisheye lens from the looks of a GoPro. I don’t understand why Roma is considered such a technological marvel. I’m picking a Star Is Born because why not.
Best Costume Design
My Prediction: The Favourite
My Pick: Black Panther
It would be easy for the Academy to go with a period picture like The Favourite, but I want to see Black Panther win this one. The costumes were just downright beautiful. The colors, patterns, and shapes are a true treat for the eyes.
Best Film Editing
My Prediction: Vice
My Pick: Bohemian Rhapsody
Vice was a harder movie to edit, possibly as it appears they used real footage from Dick Cheney’s time. Truth be told, I am not an editing expert, and this is merely a guess for me. I would prefer Bohemian Rhapsody for the end performance portraying the Live Aid concert, which matches the live performance to a T.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
My Prediction: Vice
My Pick: Vice
Just glance at Dick Cheney; I mean Christian Bale, or is it Dick Cheney? You get the picture. Insane makeup job here. I will be shocked if this does not go to give to Vice.
Best Music (Original Score)
My Prediction: Black Panther
My Pick: Black Panther
The score for Black Panther was so good you could imagine taking a trip to Wakanda by just listening to it!
Best Music (Original Song)
My Prediction: “Shallow” from A Star Is Born
My Pick: “Shallow” from A Star Is Born
Lady Gaga has this one in the bag. A haunting and rocking song worthy of an Oscar.
Best Production Design
My Prediction: The Favourite
My Pick: Black Panther
The Favourite will win because the Academy loves period piece movies. Like Best Costume Design, I preferred Black Panther for this category.
Best Sound Editing
My Prediction: Bohemian Rhapsody
My Pick: Bohemian Rhapsody
I still do not know the difference between Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, but I do know that seeing Bohemian Rhapsody in a big and loud IMAX theater made for a rocking good time!
Best Sound Mixing
My Prediction: Bohemian Rhapsody
My Pick: Bohemian Rhapsody
For an explanation, look above to Best Sound Editing.
Best Visual Effects
My Prediction: Avengers: Infinity War
My Pick: Ready Player One
The reality of this category is that everyone deserves it. All the films had stunning effects that blew me away. As epic as the Marvel franchise, Ready Player One was slightly better.
Best Animated Feature Film
My Prediction: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse
My Pick: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse was so good I would have considered it for the Best Picture category. It was among my Top 5 movies of 2018. Read that again, Top. 5. Movies. Not animated but movie in general. It’s that good.
Best Foreign Language Film
My Prediction: Roma
My Pick: Cold War
Unfortunately, in this category, all I have seen is Roma. I disliked Roma so much that I will pick Cold War, a movie I haven’t seen but heard good things about, to win.
Best Documentary (Feature)
My Prediction: Free Solo
My Pick: Free Solo
Free Solo was breathtaking. If you haven’t seen it, you need to. Won’t You Be My Neighbor, the Mr. Rogers documentary, got snubbed here, which was also excellent.
Best Documentary (Short Subject)
My Prediction: Black Sheep
My Pick: Black Sheep
This category is simply a guess. I have not seen any of the nominees.
Best Animated Short Film
My Prediction: Bao
My Pick: Bao
I saw Bao because I believe it was snuck before The Incredibles 2. It was really cute, and I enjoyed it!
Best Live Action Short Film
My Prediction: Skin
My Pick: Skin
Again, simply a guess. I do not know who sees these short films.
That is all of them! Enjoy the show! Hopefully, your favorite movies do well!