2017 Oscars Predictions

As always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what movie I wish would win.


Best Picture: La La Land

Best Actor: Casey Affleck - Manchester By The Sea

Best Actress: Emma Stone - La La Land

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis - Fences

Best Director: Damien Chazelle - La La Land

Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester By The Sea

Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney - Moonlight

Best Animated Film: Zootopia

Best Foreign Film: The Salesman

Best Documentary Film: O.J.: Made in America

Best Documentary (Short Subject): The White Helmets

Best Animated Short Film: Borrowed Time

Best Live Action Short Film: Enemies Within

Best Original Score: Justin Hurwitz - La La Land

Best Original Song: "City of Stars" - La La Land

Best Cinematography: Linus Sandgren - La La Land

Best Film Editing: Tom Cross - La La Land

Best Production Design: Jess Gonchor and Nancy Haigh - Hail, Caesar!

Best Costume Design: Madeline Fontaine - Jackie

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo - Star Trek Beyond

Best Sound Editing: Sylvain Bellemare - Arrival

Best Sound Mixing: David Parker, Christopher Scarabosio, and Stuart Wilson - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book


I am so unhyped about this year's Oscars. Everyone already knows La La Land is going to win so there's no suspense to be had, nor is there a sliver of a chance of Moonlight coming out of the shadows to steal Best Picture. Plus, the ceremony will be filled with a lot of political speeches and sick burns against Trump, so the viewing audience will be even more smaller than the previous year. Then you have the extended "in memoriam" segment that's is sure to depress the hell out of you. And finally, Jimmy Kimmel as the host. Ugh!

So I have La La Land winning seven of their 14 nominations. It almost was eight because their is a pretty high chance that Ryan Gosling could win. The prominence of Casey Affleck during the awards season led to previous allegations against the actor to spring up "unexpectedly" and the SAGs responded in kind by spurning him for Best Actor.

It would be pretty cool if Taylor Sheridan nabbed Best Screenplay but it will be Kenneth Lonergan's only chance at getting a golden man.

The lack of Elle means it's open season for Best Foreign Language Film. Unfortunately for Toni Erdmann, not only will it be snubbed for the Palme d'Or but for this one as well, as The Salesman is the likely winner. But hey, maybe the American remake with the returning Jack Nicholson will have a better chance.

Best Documentary is a tricky one, as three of the five nominees involve harsh examinations of the African American experience. They could cancel each other out but O.J.: Made In America is too ambitious to fail.

Similar to the feature length award, the Best Short Documentary has two films that focus on Syrian crisis. I'm crossing my fingers that Joe's Violin doesn't win because it is yet another Holocaust movie, and the Academy just can't get enough of Holocaust movies (see last year's win of Son of Saul).

Piper is Pixar's only chance this year but I think the anti-Pixar animated short Borrowed Time will snuff it out. Pearl is the dark horse however due to its musical story of a father and daughter on a road trip.

Man, it would be hilarious if Suicide Squad won an Oscar. Honestly though, Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini, and Christopher Nelson did a great job on that film.

I really, really wish that Kubo and the Two Strings or Doctor Strange would win Best Visual Effects. The work put into those movies still blow my mind. Sadly, that stupid Sin City wannabe will easily nab it.


See you on Monday with my reactions to the awards and the ceremony itself.