The 91st Academy Awards is still incredibly open.
Over the last few weeks the likes of Roma, The Favourite, A Star Is Born, Vice, If Beale Street Could Talk, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and BlacKkKlansman have been jockeying for accolades during awards season. That’s understandable, as they’re widely considered to be the finest cinematic offerings of the last 12 months.
Which is why it is so puzzling that Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody have somehow hung around, throwing up numerous shocks and surprises that now mean neither can be ruled out in any of the categories they’re nominated in. Even though most people aren’t really sure how or why they earned these nods.
All of which makes the 2019 Oscars so incredibly intriguing. But who is going to win which award? Only an idiot would try and predict. And right on cue …
What will win at Oscars 2019?
Best Picture
“Black Panther”
“BlacKkKlansman”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“The Favourite”
“Green Book”
“Roma”
“A Star Is Born”
“Vice”
Why? Because, for a change, it really is the best film nominated, and Netflix’s awards season push appears to have worked a treat.
Lead Actor
Christian Bale, “Vice”
Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born”
Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate”
Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”
Why? Having missed out on a Best Director nod the voters will want to give the handsome sod something. Also, it needs to be anyone but Malek.
Lead Actress
Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma”
Glenn Close, “The Wife”
Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”
Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born”
Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Why? Because she’s glorious, always has been glorious and is particularly glorious in the underrated The Wife.
Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali, “Green Book”
Adam Driver, “BlacKkKlansman”
Sam Elliott, “A Star Is Born”
Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Sam Rockwell, “Vice”
Why? Ali is the only man associated with the bizarrely popular Green Book that has any credibility left, which just might make him pip Elliott. It also helps that, as per usual, he puts in a stupendous performance in the crowd-pleasing but predicable 60s road trip film.
Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Vice”
Marina de Tavira, “Roma”
Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Emma Stone, “The Favourite”
Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”
Why? If Beale Street Could Talk’s lack of nominations is criminal, and King has been picking up the right gongs at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, National Board Of Review, Satellite, and New York, National, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington Critics awards.
Director
Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman”
Pawel Pawlikowski, “Cold War”
Yorgos Lanthimos, “The Favourite”
Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma”
Adam McKay, “Vice”
Why? Cuaron is the favorite and is probably more deserving. But the Academy loves to reward directors with storied careers. Especially when that director should have won the gong years before, as is the case with Lee, who should have won it in 1989 with Do The Right Thing.
Animated Feature
“Incredibles 2,” Brad Bird
“Isle of Dogs,” Wes Anderson
“Mirai,” Mamoru Hosoda
“Ralph Breaks the Internet,” Rich Moore, Phil Johnston
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Why? Because it is absolutely incredible. So much so that, for a change, it is a worthier winner than Pixar’s entry.
Adapted Screenplay
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” Joel Coen , Ethan Coen
“BlacKkKlansman,” Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
“If Beale Street Could Talk,” Barry Jenkins
“A Star Is Born,” Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters
Why? Another gem that despite its acting nominations hasn’t received the attention it deserves, the script for this dastardly comedy is littered with witticisms and lines that are just delicious.
Original Screenplay
“The Favourite,” Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara
“First Reformed,” Paul Schrader
“Green Book,” Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly
“Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón
“Vice,” Adam McKay
Why? Schrader should have won for Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, both of which he wasn’t even nominated for. First Reformed is also genuinely one of the best films of 2018, but it cruelly lost momentum during the awards season as it was released back in May.
Cinematography
“Cold War,” Lukasz Zal
“The Favourite,” Robbie Ryan
“Never Look Away,” Caleb Deschanel
“Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón
“A Star Is Born,” Matthew Libatique
Why? Because Roma looks like a painting and a dream.
Original Song
“All The Stars” from “Black Panther” by Kendrick Lamar, SZA
“I’ll Fight” from “RBG” by Diane Warren, Jennifer Hudson
“The Place Where Lost Things Go” from “Mary Poppins Returns” by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman
“Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt and Benjamin Rice
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” from “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” by David Rawlings and Gillian Welch
Why? The Academy will want to pat themselves on the back for making Black Panther the first ever superhero film nominated for Best Picture.
The 91st Academy Awards will take place on February 24, 2019.
Want to bet on the 2019 Academy Awards? Place your wagers at metro.us/oscars20
