By John H. Foote
Before the Golden Globes weighed in with their annual hardware fest later on January 6, I decided to jump the gun and list my predictions for this year’s Oscar nominations early, two and a half weeks early. Sure, I could have waited for the results of the Globe ceremony, the SAG winners and the DGA nominees, but why not be gutsy and make my calls now, before those other awards could have any influence over the nominees.
I went out on a limb in a few categories, but otherwise I think I am pretty much spot on.
We will see January 22 at dawn when the Academy Award Nominations are announced, beginning the countdown to the movie worlds’ biggest night of the year.
Likely snubs include Mary Poppins Returns and the years best film First Man for Best Picture, while Nicole Kidman will be left out for career best work in Destroyer. Ryan Gosling portrayed Neil Armstrong beautifully, but will not likely be nominated for career best work. And there will be more snubs that will provide much to write about. Expect one jaw dropping exclusion, Bradley Cooper for Best Actor or Director, or even sure thing Lady Gaga, because nothing is a sure thing we have learned.
So, way out on a limb, here are the films and people I believe will be nominated for Academy Awards. Not who I think SHOULD be nominated but who I believe, for better or worse, will.
BEST SONG
Shallow (A Star is Born)
All the Stars (Black Panther)
Tripping the Light Fantastic (Mary Poppins Returns)
The Place Where Lost Things Go (Mary Poppins Returns)
We Won’t Move (The Hate U Give)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Favourite
First Man
Mary Poppins Returns
Black Panther
Mary, Queen of Scots
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
First Man
Black Panther
Mary Poppins Returns
Isle of Dogs
A Quiet Place
BEST MAKE-UP/ HAIRSTYLING
Vice
Stan and Ollie
Mary, Queen of Scots
BEST SOUND
A Star is Born
First Man
Black Panther
A Quiet Place
Mary Poppins Returns
BEST SOUND EDITING
First Man
A Star is Born
A Quiet Place
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
First Man
Mary Poppins Returns
Black Panther
Ready Player One
Avengers: Infinity War
BEST FOREING LANGUAGE FILM
Cold War (Poland)
Roma (Mexico)
Burning (South Korea)
Shoplifters (Japan)
Capernaum (Lebanon)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
RBG
Won’t You Be My Neighbour?
Free Solo
Three Identical Strangers
Minding the Gap
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Spider-Man: Into The Spide-Vverse
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Favourite
Mary Poppins Returns
Mary, Queen of Scots
Crazy Rich Asians
Black Panther
BEST FILM EDITING
Black Panther
First Man
Green Book
A Star is Born
The Favourite
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roma
Black Panther
First Man
A Star is Born
Cold War
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Green Book
The Favourite
Roma
Vice
First Reformed
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BlacKkKlansman
A Star is Born
First Man
If Beale Street Could Talk
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk
Amy Adams in Vice
Emma Stone in The Favourite
Rachel Weisz in The Favourite
Claire Foy in First Man
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mahershala Ali in Green Book
Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Sam Elliott in A Star is Born
Adam Driver in BlacKkKlansman
Sam Rockwell in Vice
BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close in The Wife
Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins Returns
BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale in Vice
Viggo Mortensen in Green Book
Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born
Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
BEST DIRECTOR
Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born
Adam McKay for Vice
Pakel Pawlikowski for Cold War
Alfonso Cuaron for Roma
BEST PICTURE
A Star is Born
Green Book
Vice
Mary Poppins Returns
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
The Favourite
Cold War
Bohemian Rhapsody
A Quiet Place
John H. Foote is a well-recognized Canadian film critic/historian who has been an active critic for 30 years. His deep love for the movies began at a very young age. He began his career as co-host of the popular TV show Reel to Real where he remained for nine years. While on TV he began dabbling in education, eventually ascending to Director of the Toronto Film School, where he also taught film history. After leaving the college to care for his wife, he returned to teaching at Humber College where he taught both Film History and Method Acting Theory. John has written two books: “Clint Eastwood – Evolution of a Filmmaker” and the upcoming “Spielberg – American Film Visionary”. He is currently working on two books, one about the films of the seventies and another on the films of Martin Scorsese. Through his career he has worked in TV, radio, print and the web. John has interviewed everyone in the industry (more than 300 interviews) except Jack Nicholson, he says sadly. Highlights include Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep Robert Duvall, Jane Fonda, Francis Ford Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow.
