As of Wednesday afternoon I thought I had my Oscar predictions locked in. Thursday I went to the Regal Metropolitan 14 theater to see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. It had been many years since I've been back to this theater.
I was impressed so much with this film. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I wanted to see all of the Oscar nominated films so I could make my selections. Everyone in this film gives a great performance. It starts off slow and picks up speed. The ending leaves us to make a decision of our own, but it works. I woud have liked to have seen what they decided. I like the film because the characters are very believable and we see why they are that way. Woody Harrelson, Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell all deserved their nominations.
Today I went to the Alamo Drafthouse on Slaughter Lane to see The Shape of Water. This is the first time I've gone to this location, in fact the only Alamo I've been to is on S. Lamar. This theater is newer, but it has a similar layout. Lots of vintage movie posters and a wall of film canisters. There are tables instead of a bar in front of the seats so its more spacious. Before the film there were some clips from Creature from the Black Lagoon. There was also the history of the gilman and all of the movies or television shows that the monster has appeared on. From the sequels to The Munsters and Johnny Quest.
After seeing a story on the film and how they water was created in some scenes, I had to see it. I'm surprised that the film was not nominated for Visual effects. Making light look like water is definitely an effect. This was part mystery, espionage, love story and sci fi. I was impressed. I'm surprised Michael Shannon was not nominated for an Oscar. He has a nice body of work, but this is the first time I've seen him really have a bigger part. Usually he is on screen for a few minutes and then gone. At first I didn't think Octavia Spencer should win an Oscar, although when she first appears on the screen its typical of the role from The Help, but as the film goes on she has a meatier role this time. She really gets to sink her teeth into this character. I hope she'll get a lead more along the lines of this character and we can see if she can carry a film.
I will list my selection for the 90th Academy Awards and what films may actually go home with the 24 Oscars. The Shape of Water has 13 nominations.
Best Actor- Originally Timothee Chalamet was my pick for best actor, but after seeing Darkest Hour I think the award should go to Gary Oldman.
Best Actress- Frances McDormand is my pick for this one. She's plays one of those characters that we feel for her, but at the same time she is a little annoying. She just does an excellent job with bringing the character to life.
Best Supporting Actor- In the best supporting role I was going for Willem Dafoe because I like his performances although there is only two scenes where I really felt there was some acting involved. After I saw Three Billboards I changed my mind and I'm going with Sam Rockwell. He definitely deserves an Oscar. The last time I saw him in anything this good was The Confessions of a Dangerous Mind which was based on the experiences of Gong Show Host Chuck Barris.
Best Supporting Actress- Everyone in the supporting actress category is good, but I think Allison Janey will walk away with the Oscar.
Animated Feature- The only animated feature I had seen was Coco so I'm going with that one. Loving Vincent had an interesting concept, there's something about family that is more relatable.
Cinematography- Initially I had selected Dunkirk for Cinematography and it'll probably take home the Oscar, but The Shape of Water and Darkest Hour definitely deserved their nominations.
Costume Design- My pick for is Darkest Hour, but it could go to Phantom Thread. Period films are always a difficult one to judge. Both films had some spectacular costumes.
Directing- I'm going with Paul Thomas Anderson for Phantom Thread in this category. He has never won an Oscar and I don't think Get Out was that great. It had an original idea, but that was about it for me.
Documentary feature- I did not see any of the documentary features, but Faces Places is my selection, but it could also go to Last Men In Aleppo.
Documentary short- I did not see any of the documentaries, but Heroin(E) is a subject that has been in the news a lot the last couple of years.
Film Editing- Film editing will probably go to Dunkirk, but I really enjoyed Baby Driver. Editing is sort of a hard category to judge because its all about the flow of the film or movie. The editing in Three Billboards was also very good. War movies just always have these big scenes and so they tend to get the award.
Foreign Language Film- I've selected A Fantastic Woman in this category because its another subject that many people have been talking about for the last several years. It's sort of like the Crying Game, that was a film made back in the 90's I believe. I don't want to spoil anything...
Makeup and Hair Styling- For this category I am going with the Darkest Hour. Gary Oldman's transformation into Winston Churchill made me forget that Gary Oldman was on the screen. He really is a great actor and has a body of work to prove that point.
Music score- I am hoping Jonny Greenwood walks away with this one for Phantom Thread. Hans Zimmer and John Williams have both won so many Oscars, they are like the Meryl Streep of film scores. Let's give someone else a chance.
Original song- Original Song I was going with Remember Me, but I feel just so Mary J. Blige doesn't go home empty handed they will give her an Oscar for the song Mighty River. I have not heard the song, but I just feel the politics of it all will be this end result.
Best Picture- Call Me By Your Name was my pick for Best Picture, but now I'm going with Three Billboards. If Get Out gets it then its another polical move on the academy to make up for Oscars being so white. I really just feel we have to accept how we ourselves look at films and movies. Just because we like something we can't judge it without seeing all of the other works next to it. My issue with Get Out was more that it didn't seem Jordan knew what he wanted the film to be. Was it supposed to be a dark comedy? A horror comedy? or A film making a statement and who was the statement for?
Production Design- The Shape of Water is my selection for this category. Initially I had selected Blade Runner 2049, but Darkest Hour was also interesting.
Short film animated- I don't have a selection for this category. I will make my selection based on the snipets I see right before the Oscar is read.
Short film live action- The same with this category I will make my selection right before the Oscar is read.
Sound Editing- This has always been a difficult category to judge. It depends on the theater in which you see the film. Just because there is a lot going on in Dunkirk I'm going to go with that one. The Shape of Water I think the spectacular visuals over shadowed any nuances of particular sounds. I don't recall the sound of water or the rain. I was so ingulfed in what was actually going on.
Sound Mixing- Again with the mixing of sound, do things sound the way we would perceive them? Again I'm going to go with Dunkirk.
Visual Effects- I am surprised that The Shape of Water was not nominated for this category. You don't get a better visual effect than creating water out of light. The bathroom scene alone should have made this film be nominated. I'm just going to go out on a limb and select Blade Runner 2049.
Writing adapted screenplay- Call Me By Your Name gets my vote here. I really did like this movie after at first not sure I even wanted to see it. It reminded me of other films I had issues with.
Original screenplay- The Oscar has to go to Jordan Peele for this one. It was the most original thing out there.
In the film The Shape of Water, there are three billboards, but in Three Billboards there is no water, but there is some fire.
Films Versus Movies will have another series of podcasts discussing the Oscars. Stay tuned.
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