RRs Oscar nominations and predictions - Are the Academy Awards relevant anymore?

'There's a lot of great movies that have won the Academy Award, and a lot of great movies that haven't. You just do the best you can.' - Clint Eastwood

The question the Academy Awards need to ask is how relevant they are to our modern society. In the evaluation of the best film list, only two of the films were box office successes. Which means that the Academy disregard the opinion of audiences and choose films that represent a certain portion of the market, but not the popular films. 

This trend is not abnormal, merely look at last year's winner. What film was it again? La La Land or Moonlight? 

This consideration is the prerogative of this organisation, but in an era where ratings determine the value of the show to the general populace and advertisers, it is something to evaluate. What is the motivation for people to watch if they are not aware of any of the films on the list?

Unfortunately, the trend has been to push a political agenda opposed to merely celebrating the creation of film. Which is unlikely to change in the near future, but it is something for the Academy to consider. Are they relevant anymore?

Despite all of this, we are going to still play along. For those with a vested interest in the craft, here are the predictions from Russelling Reviews. They include the predictions of what the Academy will choose and the preferences of our team.

What are your thoughts?

Best Picture:
“Call Me by Your Name”
“Darkest Hour”
“Dunkirk”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“Phantom Thread”
“The Post”
“The Shape of Water”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Oscar prediction: The Shape of Water 
RR's preference: Phantom Thread or Dunkirk
Lead Actor:
Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”
Oscar prediction: 
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
RR's preference: 
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Lead Actress:
Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Meryl Streep, “The Post”
Oscar prediction: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
RR's preference: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Supporting Actor:
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Oscar prediction: Richard Jenkins
The Shape of Water
RR's preference: Sam Rockwell
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”
Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”
Oscar prediction: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
RR's preference: Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”

Director:
“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan
“Get Out,” Jordan Peele
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro
Oscar prediction: “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
RR's preference: “Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson

Animated Feature:
“The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito
“The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo
“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson
“Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha
“Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman
Oscar prediction: Coco
RR's preference: Loving Vincent 

Adapted Screenplay:
“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory
“The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
“Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green
“Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin
“Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees
Oscar prediction: Call Me by Your Name
RR's preference: Logan

Original Screenplay:
“The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
“Get Out,” Jordan Peele
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh
Oscar prediction: “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor
RR's preference: “The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani

Original Song:
“Mighty River” from “Mudbound,” Mary J. Blige
“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens
“Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez
“Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall,” Diane Warren, Common
“This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
Oscar prediction: “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
RR's preference: “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

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 


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