Oscars 2020: Predictions, Wishes and Snubs
For the first time in roughly half a decade, I actually have sincere opinions about the movies nominated for the Academy Awards. Thanks to a Regal subscription (and Nashville’s local art house theater), I’ve been able to see almost everything on the list with only two notable exceptions (and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to see the majority of the foreign films, documentaries or shorts) and this is where I should probably warn whoever is reading this that I have no desire to watch Joker sweep this event. However, based on the previous awards, I’m aware I won’t get my wish.
So I’ve mocked up a few ballots - the italics are what I think will win and the bolded lines are what I wish would win. Happy Oscar Day, movie lovers!
Best Picture:
“Ford v Ferrari”
“The Irishman”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Joker”
“Little Women”
“Marriage Story”
“1917”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
“Parasite”
1917 seems to be the one to beat when it comes to this. I’m not mad about it, really, but man, Pop Culture Happy Hour (one of my absolute favorite podcasts - pop culture obsessives really need to check it out) said it right. If roughly any of half of these get chosen, we won’t remember who won 90 days from now. But if Parasite wins, we’ll be talking about it for decades.
Lead Actor:
Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”
You’ll notice there isn’t one bolded here. And that’s because the hill I’m going to die on when it comes to this year’s ceremony: Taron Egerton got robbed. If Rami Malek was not only nominated, but won this award for his role in Bohemian Rhapsody, there is no reason why Egerton didn’t get the same attention. This is what I will adamantly go down with, and will bring up obnoxiously any time someone mentions anything tangentially related to the awards or Rocketman.
Lead Actress:
Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”
Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”
Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”
Renee Zellweger, “Judy”
Zellweger’s going to win. There’s no doubt in my mind. And I know prosthetics and make up were some of the true stars of Bombshell but after seeing it twice, I was still impressed with how Theron portrayed Kelly and how she managed to bring me around to agreeing with someone I truly believed I never could. But the fact of the matter is, all of these movies were really solid and none of these women did a bad job. Not by a long shot. Ronan was another one that stood out to me, and if she won, I’d probably be thrilled as well.
Supporting Actor:
Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”
Al Pacino, “The Irishman”
Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
This is one of the few I agree with all the award shows on. I didn’t like Once Upon a Time In Hollywood but I did enjoy Pitt’s performance. In fact, I’d say that’s the strongest thing about it. I’m all for him getting an award for this, even though it sometimes felt like he was just….being Brad Pitt. However, I did just watch The Two Popes and was impressed by both Hopkins and Pryce in that film.
Supporting Actress:
Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Scarlett Johansson, “Jojo Rabbit”
Florence Pugh, “Little Women”
Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”
This was another one in which I was torn between whether I wanted Bombshell or Little Women as those are two of my favorite films I’ve seen in the last year. However, Pugh’s performance made a character I know to often be considered one of the least likable in literature to be endearing, so I think that has to count for something. Dern’s performance was fine, but I feel like young actresses are getting overlooked for the good work they’ve been doing.
Director:
Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”
Todd Phillips, “Joker”
Sam Mendes, “1917”
Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”
So I’ll be honest, I went back and forth as to whether or not I thought Tarantino or Mendes would win, but I’m going with Tarantino since Hollywood does love a movie about itself. But in a perfect world, Parasite would walk away with prizes in every category it’s nominated for.
Animated Feature:
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” Dean DeBlois
“I Lost My Body,” Jeremy Clapin
“Klaus,” Sergio Pablos
“Missing Link,” Chris Butler
“Toy Story 4,” Josh Cooley
I’m a How To Train Your Dragon fan and have been for years so I’m not-so-secretly wishing that I could watch it win an award for the final film in the series. But oddly enough Missing Link (a movie I barely heard about and only saw a trailer or two for) won a prize for animated feature earlier in the award circuit and Klaus has taken away the prize. After seeing them all, I suspect Klaus will get this one as well.
Adapted Screenplay:
“The Irishman,” Steven Zaillian
“Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi
“Joker,” Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
“Little Women,” Greta Gerwig
“The Two Popes,” Anthony McCarten
I feel terrible for skipping over Jojo Rabbit in all these categories, but I loved Little Women so much that I can’t help it. Unfortunately, this is one I suspect Joker will get. Just going to stop there so I don’t vent for eons about it.
Original Screenplay:
“Knives Out,” Rian Johnson
“Marriage Story,” Noah Baumbach
“1917,” Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino
“Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han
Parasite, I love you, but I have to pick Knives Out since it got looked over for all the other categories it should have been nominated for. But alas, it’s fine, I’m fine. (No, I’m not; justice for Knives Out.) This is another one that I think could go to Tarantino or Mendes, and I could see me being exactly wrong and Tarantino getting this one while Mendes wins director.
Cinematography:
“The Irishman,” Rodrigo Prieto
“Joker,” Lawrence Sher
“The Lighthouse,” Jarin Blaschke
“1917,” Roger Deakins
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robert Richardson
This has to be 1917. The whole schtick of it was that it was made to look like a one-shot. So if it doesn’t win the award it was basically crafted to win, something has gone wrong.
Original Song:
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” “Toy Story 4”
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” “Rocketman”
“I’m Standing With You,” “Breakthrough”
“Into the Unknown,” “Frozen 2”
“Stand Up,” “Harriet”
You know what, I’m going to dream big and imagine that somehow, someway the Academy will hand Rocketman the one award it’s nominated for. I have to believe. It deserves this much.
So, I know I didn’t cover a lot of the technical categories, but I don’t know I have the authority or expertise just yet to have some opinions on those (other than makeup/hair which definitely needs to go to Bombshell). But it’s so exciting to be invested in the awards.
If you didn’t get to see a lot of these, a handful are on streaming as of Oscar night (Feb 9, 2020). Some may come and go, but as of now, here’s what you can watch where. (Also make sure to check your local theaters as some of them are still out.)
Netflix: The Irishman, Marriage Story, The Two Popes, I Lost My Body and Klaus
Hulu: Missing Link
Disney+: Toy Story 4
Others may be available to purchase or rent on digital now as well. Enjoy!