Russelling Reviews Oscar predictions for 2017... The Oscar goes to...

Ah, the Academy Awards... 

Please, oh please, leave the political commentary at home... Let's merely celebrate the films of 2016

Every year the actors come out in their best outfits, the studios play their games to get a golden statuette for their films and everyone unfairly judges the host (Except Seth McFarlane... he was awful.) Yet, millions of fans from around the world will watch with anticipation for the winners of the annual awards. 

The 89th Academy Awards will evaluate the films of 2016. This has been another record breaking year for the film industry. Yet, it is not always the blockbusters that deliver the best performances. Who should get the accolades this year?

Here are Russelling Reviews annual Oscar predictions. The crack team at Russelling Reviews will only evaluate the key categories of interest for most fans. (Sorry, Best Editing and Animated Short) We will give our preferences for the awards and the predictions for who the Academy will choose to win the golden statues.

Actor

• Casey Affleck (Manchester By the Sea)
• Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
• Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
• Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
• Denzel Washington (Fences)

RRs preference: 

Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)

Oscar prediction: Casey Affleck (Manchester By the Sea)

Supporting Actor

• Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
• Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
• Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea)
• Dev Patel (Lion)
• Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

RRs preference: Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Oscar prediction: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Actress

• Isabelle Huppert (Elle)
• Ruth Negga (Loving)
• Emma Stone (La La Land)
• Natalie Portman (Jackie)
• Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

RRs preference: Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Oscar prediction : Emma Stone (La La Land)

Supporting Actress

• Viola Davis (Fences)
• Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
• Nicole Kidman (Lion)
• Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
• Michelle Williams (Manchester By the Sea)

RRs preference: Viola Davis (Fences)

Oscar prediction: Viola Davis (Fences)

Animated Feature

• Kubo and the Two Strings
• Moana
• My Life As a Zucchini
• The Red Turtle
• Zootopia

RRs preference:  Zootopia

Oscar prediction: Zootopia

Best Original Song

• Audition (La La Land)
• Can’t Stop the Feeling! (Trolls)
• City of Stars (La La Land)
• The Empty Chair (Jim: The James Foley Story)
• How Far I’ll Go (Moana)

RRs preference: Audition (La La Land)

Oscar prediction: City of Stars (La La Land)

Director

• Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
• Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
• Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
• Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea)
• Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

RRs preference: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Oscar prediction: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Best Picture

• Fences
• Arrival
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Hell or High Water
• Hidden Figures
• La La Land
• Lion
• Manchester By the Sea
• Moonlight 

RRs preference: Hacksaw Ridge

Oscar prediction: La La Land 

REEL DIALOGUE: What are the bigger questions to consider from these films and predictions? 

1. What are your thoughts? 

2. What films would you have chosen? 
3. Why would you choose those films? 

Preferences and Predictions by Russell Matthews @ Russelling Reviews