92nd Academy Awards: Nominee Predictions
Despite no host for another year, the 92nd Annual Academy Award ceremony is sure to be a magical moment for many with their little gold statues, and hopefully, unique acceptance speeches. In a year of little diversity among the nominees, there’s still plenty of range in the titles including a record-breaking South Korean feature, a 52nd nomination for composer John Williams and Kiwi auteur applauded for his controversial Hitler youth satire. Solitary Australian nominee, the irrepressible Margot Robbie, is up for Supporting Actress in Bombshell, not Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in which she also impressed. Iron that tuxedo or ball gown, chill the champagne – my favourite day of the year is here.
**ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE IRISHMAN
LITTLE WOMEN
JO JO RABBIT
LITTLE WOMEN
TWO POPES
With too many to count Little Women adaptations, what makes this different is acute modern changes by writer Greta Gerwig. Its only competitor: sprawling epic The Irishman, or beloved long shot JoJo Rabbit. My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN.
**ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
MARRIAGE STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
PARASITE
KNIVES OUT
1917
Marriage Story simply flawless. Knives Out is a personal favourite, as is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But it seems Parasite has got this won. My Pick: MARRIAGE STORY.
**SCORE
1917
JOKER
LITTLE WOMEN
MARRIAGE STORY
RISE OF SKYWALKER
Joker score won the Golden Globe, should win again. Star Wars maestro John Williams is on his 52nd nomination for five wins, his Rise of Skywalker effort again worthy. 1917 is often elevated by its compounding music. My Pick: JOKER.
**SONG
I’M STANDING WITH YOU from BREAKTHROUGH
I CAN’T LET YOU THROW YOURSELF AWAY from TOY STORY 4
I’M GOING TO LOVE MYSELF AGAIN from ROCKETMAN
INTO THE UNKNOWN from FROZEN 2
STAND UP from HARRIET
No Beyonce for Lion King, No Taylor Swift for Cats – no worries as Elton John for Rocketman has probably got this with Frozen 2 closest. Not quite an upset would be Harriet tune Stand Up, truly magnificent song. My Pick: I’m Going to Love Myself Again – ROCKETMAN.
**ANIMATED FEATURE
TOY STORY 4
I LOST MY BODY
KLAUS
MISSING LINK
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON HIDDEN WORLD
Please explain, where is Frozen 2? To the shock of many, including the filmmakers, Missing Link won the Golden Globe. Sadly no quinella here. My Pick: TOY STORY 4.
**COSTUME DESIGN
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
LITTLE WOMEN
THE IRISHMAN
JOJO RABBIT
JOKER
At first glance, Little Women seems obvious choice. Take a closer look at Joker and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood retro creations, delightful. Jo Jo Rabbit wartorn threads and sudden colours also detailed to perfection. My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN.
**VISUAL EFFECTS
AVENGERS ENDGAME
LION KING
1917
THE IRISHMAN
RISE OF SKYWALKER
From time-travelling marvel heroes to a Benjamin Button version of Robert DeNiro… to light sabre battles on a submerged waterlogged Death Star – all extreme. 1917 recreated war atrocities to the hilt. My Pick: AVENGERS ENDGAME (although I’m a Star Wars guy).
**CINEMATOGRAPHY
1917
JOKER
THE IRISHMAN
THE LIGHTHOUSE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
1917 creatively masterful alongside The Lighthouse, an underseen equally formidable eerie achievement. The other three all wonderful cinematic splendour in their own way. My Pick: 1917.
**SUPPORTING ACTRESS
KATHY BATES – RICHARD JEWELL
LAURA DERN – MARRIAGE STORY
SCARLETT JOHANSSON – JO JO RABBIT
FLORENCE PUGH – LITTLE WOMEN
MARGOT ROBBIE – BOMBSHELL
As much as I want Australians to conquer the world of movies, Margot is a long-shot amongst an array of scintillating performances. Laura Dern is a lock, only realistic upset are in form ScarJo or evergreen Kathy Bates. My Pick: LAURA DERN – MARRIAGE STORY.
**SUPPORTING ACTOR
ANTHONY HOPKINS – TWO POPES
AL PACINO – THE IRISHMAN
JOE PESCI – THE IRISHMAN
BRAD PITT – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
TOM HANKS – BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Surrounded by legendary screen icons, there is no chance in Hollywood purgatory that Brad Pitt will lose, he’s rightfully won everything else so far with fellow nominees gleefully applauding along. My Pick: BRAD PITT – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.
**BEST ACTRESS
CYNTHIA ERIVO – HARRIET
SCARLETT JOHANSSON – MARRIAGE STORY
SAOIRSE RONAN – LITTLE WOMEN
RENEE ZELLWEGER – JUDY
CHARLIZE THERON – BOMBSHELL
Recreating the tragic dark life of Judy Garland was a masterclass from Renee Zellweger. An unbeatable favourite, or is she? Scarlett Johansson takes her ability next level, while Irish lass Saoirse is on fire. Astonishing Charlize Theron only likely upset of Judy’s roll. Cynthia, not tonight. My Pick: RENEE ZELLWEGER – JUDY.
**BEST ACTOR
ANTONIO BANDERAS – PAIN & GLORY
ADAM DRIVER – MARRIAGE STORY
JOAQUIN PHOENIX – JOKER
JONATHAN PRYCE – TWO POPES
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Although he deserves a career thank you award, Spanish lothario Antonio Banderas sadly will not triumph. Adam Driver is brilliant as is Leo in emotional character portrayals. Brit Pryce just smile, it’s a Phoenix win. My Pick: JOAQUIN PHOENIX – JOKER.
**BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
PARASITE – SOUTH KOREA
PAIN & GLORY – SPAIN
HONEYLAND – NORTH MACEDONIA
CORPUS CHRISTIE – POLAND
LES MISERABLES – FRANCE
All good, pretty impressive although foreign film was a wealth of amazement this past year with glaring omissions. Parasite has got this. My Pick: PARASITE of South Korea.
**DIRECTING
THE IRISHMAN – MARTIN SCORSESE
JOKER – TODD PHILLIPS
1917 – SAM MENDES
PARASITE – BONG JOON HO
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – QUENTIN TARANTINO
1917 has everything from a director put into a large scale epic production and should win. Tarantino is a personal favourite but probably not in the voting here. Parasite would have been tricky to direct. See it, you’ll agree. My Pick: SAM MENDES – 1917.
**BEST FILM
FORD V. FERRARI
THE IRISHMAN
JO JO RABBIT
JOKER
LITTLE WOMEN
MARRIAGE STORY
1917
PARASITE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: I saw six times but at peace knowing it may not win. Marriage Story brilliant all round and Ford V Ferrari quite underrated so great to see it in the mix. The Irishman just so overrated, I cannot fathom its enduring praise. Joker hectic magnificence. Little Women with Jo Jo Rabbit longshots. A two horse race: Parasite, 1917. My Pick: 1917 (seriously want Once upon a Time or Parasite to shock).
The 92nd Academy Awards of Arts and Sciences at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood will be live from 12 midday on Monday 10th February on Channel 7. The red carpet will be live from 10am (FOXTEL Channel E Entertainment) and Sunrise (Channel 7) will also report from the red carpet from 6am.
Enjoy my further movie ramblings via social media @Movie_Analyst
Shane A. Bassett
