Could 'The Favourite' scoop Best Picture? Will Bradley Cooper take Best Actor?
With the nominations announced for this year's Oscars, it's certainly a mixed bag of results for some previously-thought favourites.
'A Star Is Born', which was considered a shoo-in for Best Picture, only came away with six nominations whilst 'The Favourite' scooped up ten and tied with 'Roma'. On top of that, 'Roma' picked up a Best Picture nomination making it the first Netflix original movie in that Oscar category.
Further down the list, the Actor / Actress categories were largely as expected, with a few exceptions including Ethan Hawke's incredible performance in 'First Reformed' sadly going unrecognised. So, how will all it play out?
Here's a few predictions of how we think things will shake out on Oscar night.
Best Motion Picture
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Roma
A Star is Born
Vice
'Green Book' did win at the Producers Guild Award last week, which has been a solid precursor to whoever wins Best Picture. That being said, the largest voting branch in the Academy is for actors - and they're probably more likely to side with something like 'The Favourite' than 'A Star Is Born'. Really, that's where this category will split people - between 'The Favourite' and 'A Star Is Born'.
Will win? 'A Star Is Born'
Should win? 'The Favourite'
Best Director
Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite
Alfonso Cuaron - Roma
Pawel Pawilkowski - Cold War
Spike Lee - BlackKklansman
Adam MacKay - Vice
Best Director's always a tough one to call, primarily because there's so much going on with the category this year. Bradley Cooper was left out and that's raised the hackles of a lot of people - deservedly so. They're all really strong choices here, and it's a difficult one to call. The least likely to win is either Pawel Pawilkowski or Adam MacKay. Yorgos Lanthimos could absolutely win here, as 'The Favourite' was a big hit with US audiences and critics, but was it more so than 'Roma'? Hard to say.
Will win? Yorgos Lanthimos, 'The Favourite'
Should win? Yorgos Lanthimos, 'The Favourite'
Best Actor
Christian Bale - Vice
Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born
Willem Dafoe - At Eternity's Gate
Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen - Green Book
Christian Bale did a cracking job in 'Vice' and, any other year, he'd be walking away with this category. Rami Malek's performance in 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was great and far and away the best thing about the movie. That said, the movie in general is so problematic that there's very little to suggest it could win here. The safest and most likely winner here is Bradley Cooper for 'A Star Is Born', without a doubt.
Will win? Bradley Cooper, 'A Star Is Born'
Should win? The same, but if there was justice in this world, Ethan Hawke would have been nominated and won for 'First Reformed'
Best Actress
Yalitza Aparicio - Roma
Olivia Colman - The Favourite
Glenn Close - The Wife
Lady Gaga - A Star is Born
Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Glenn Close winning for 'The Wife' at the Golden Globes was a shock to everyone, most of all to Glenn Close herself. She's definitely a firm favourite to win here, but really, this is Olivia Colman's to lose. Getting a nomination in her first feature role for Lady Gaga is great, but she shouldn't expect to win here. If you're looking for a fairytale Oscar story, Yalitza Aparicio had acted in exactly ZERO movies or TV shows before 'Roma', and she made it to the Oscars on her first attempt. How's that for talent?
Will win? Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite'
Should win? Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite'
Best Animated Feature
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The power of Disney demands that they have not, one but two horses in this race. 'Incredibles 2' and 'Ralph Breaks The Internet' were both really enjoyable movies, but they're not on the same level as either 'Isle of Dogs' or 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse'. Given how warmly received 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' was by just about everyone, it's rightful winner here.
Will win? 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse'
Should win? 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse'
Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali - Green Book
Adam Driver - BlacKkKlansman
Richard E. Grant - Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Sam Elliott - A Star is Born
Sam Rockwell - Vice
Mahershala Ali did a fantastic job in 'Green Book', but he's facing stiff competition here from the likes of Sam Elliott in 'A Star Is Born' and Adam Driver for 'BlacKkKlansman'. Supporting categories, with a few exceptions in recen tyears, are generally difficult to call primarily because it's hard to know what's the flavour for that year. Some years, really big showy performances win out like Allison Janney in 'I, Tonya' and JK Simmons in 'Whiplash'. Other years, it's more subtle stuff. That said, Mahershala Ali looks like the most likely option to win here.
Will win? Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book'
Should win? Sam Elliott, 'A Star Is Born'
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Vice
Marina de Tavira - Roma
Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone - The Favourite
Rachel Weisz - The Favourite
Yet again, Amy Adams is probably going to be overlooked by awards season and it breaks a bit of our heart every year to see her go empty-handed. She really was the driving force of 'Vice', but sadly, she's up against a towering performance by Regina King in 'If Beale Street Could Talk' and the double-header choices from Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz in 'The Favourite'. They both deserve their nominations, but it's likely going to mean that the votes are split between them. In the end, Regina King is probably going to win here and that's totally deserved.
Will win? Regina King, 'If Beale Street Could Talk'
Should win? Regina King, 'If Beale Street Could Talk' / Amy Adams, 'Vice'