Safe to say it’s been a while since I wrote anything. But the Academy of Motion Pictures released their award nomination list and I am so excited! It was a big enough external force to shake me out of my inertia of rest.
Physics analogies aside, in my house we act like we’ve been nominated, every year. The excitement is palpable and we all get hyped weeks ahead (this is exhibit A).
Like with most things, you grow older and the sheen wears a little. That happened to me with the big O. After I started watching movies seriously, I would get disappointed with some of the Oscar snubs.
I have only made volatile peace with how royally The Grand Budapest Hotel and Ex Machina were ignored (HOW COULD THEY?!).
That disappointment was quite temporary; I think the Oscars aren’t the pinnacle of cinema, more like a spotlight for it. I love the whole thing, despite the discrepancies that I observed over time.
Normally, I run around doing a victory lap when the nomination list is released and I make my own predictions as to who will win.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have not watched all the movies on the nomination list, but actually I do not think you have to, in order to predict. I have gone wrong (quite ‘bigly’ even) sometimes, even though the Academy seems to have a type (probably since I predict on a hunch). So when I know what a movie is about, I can gauge whether they’ll be fond of it or not.
So here goes!
89th Academy Award winner predictions
Best Picture: Manchester by the Sea or Moonlight
Best Director: Barry Jenkins for Moonlight
Best Actor Male: Casey Affleck for Manchester by the Sea
Best Supporting Actor Male: Mahershala Ali for Moonlight
Best Actor Female: Natalie Portman for Jackie
Best Supporting Actor Female: Michelle Williams for Manchester by the Sea
Best Cinematography: Silence
Best Editing: Joe Walker for Arrival
Best Production Design: Hail, Caesar!
Best Original Score: La La Land
Best Original Song: The Empty Chair from Jim: The James Foley Story
Best Original Screenplay: Efthymis Fillipou and Yorgos Lanthimos for The Lobster
Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins for Moonlight
Best Animated Feature Film: Zootopia
Best Sound Editing: La La Land
Best Sound Mixing: Arrival
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Suicide Squad
Best Visual Effects: Doctor Strange
Categories I have not predicted
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Live Action Short Film
Best Documentary Short Feature
Alrighty, that’s my list. I will update with winners – hits and misses after D-day.
As mentioned earlier I made the list based on both Academy’s previous patterns and my own hunches. La La Land looks like a favourite but I think it will not win as big as its nominations. Best makeup and Hairstyling looks like an after-thought (line this sentence).
Moonlight might get more awards because the Academy wants to appear more diverse (well deserving).
The 89th Oscars will be live telecast on 26th February 2017 on Star Movies 06:30am IST normally, it’s nearly here!
Brewing Preoccupations 
Best animated feature is most definitely going to go to Kimi no Na wa and not Zootopia.
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Why do you think so?
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Never mind me. It didn’t even get nominated. ._.
It’s just that it was so much more radical and extraordinary than a regular Disney movie ever can get.
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I agree, its really something
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I don’t really go crazy over the Oscars, but I maintain a healthy interest. Hmm, I did guess Natalie Portman and Doctor Strange. Let’s see how it turns out. 🙂
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Yeah? I get hyped weeks ahead!
This year again, the winning speeches will be a highlight I think, because of the political climate in USA
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Oh yes, that’s there. Huh, even I’m a little excited now. 😂
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