This is my absolute favorite time of year. I’ve loved the Academy Awards since I was a child, and it’s one of my bucket list dreams to just be nominated, or even get to attend. Today, for me, is like the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, when Santa Claus arrives to end the festivities and officially ring in the Christmas Season (never mind that Macy’s and every other retailer thinks Christmas Season starts in mid-August now…). The announcement of the nominees is the same thing for me. I’ve been watching movies all year in anticipation of the nods, and now that they’re out, there are just 41 more viewing days left until Oscar Night!
When I lived on the east coast, it was considered an accomplishment just to see all of the Best Picture nominees before the ceremony, as most wouldn’t even be released until mid-to-late-January (that whole “select cities” vs. “wide release” bullshit). Over the years I was able to strategize enough to get all of them in, plus several in other categories, so that when I made my predictions and picks each year, I had seen at least something from every category.
Two years ago I accomplished the longtime goal of seeing every nominee in every category (it helps to live in Los Angeles, one of those “select cities”), and I repeated that feat last year. This was no small task, as I had about 30-45 films to see in those scant few weeks. This year, however, I’m ahead of the curve. Apart from the Short Subject categories, which are block screenings, I only have 12 films left to see. In previous years I was lucky if I had one category complete by the time nominations came out. This year I have already completed seven, with several to be wrapped up with no more than two viewings.
In past years I had compiled my thoughts on Facebook, usually into one massive Note on the day of the ceremony. Now I have this blog, so I don’t have to do that anymore, especially since last year’s Note – as pasted on a Word document – was 38 pages long. I don’t want to tax you all at once. So what I’m going to do is write an individual blog for each category as we get closer to Oscar Night. I’ll offer what insights and opinions I have for those nominees, and end with what my vote would be (and Slenderman willing I’ll have a vote someday). On Oscar night, I’ll write one overarching review where I will predict the actual outcomes, regardless of my opinions. I hope very much that you’ll enjoy it and offer your own thoughts in the comments.
As for the obligatory “surprises,” I’ll just rattle them off quickly. I’m surprised that Denzel Washington got nominated for Roman J. Israel, Esq. as reviews for his performance have been mixed at best. I get the feeling he was slotted in to a) apologize for his loss to Casey Affleck last year, and b) keep James Franco out, given the allegations of sexual misconduct against both men. I’m surprised The Big Sick got relegated to just a Screenplay nod. I’m surprised (somewhat pleasantly) for all the love Mudbound got, given that it was a Netflix film and only released in theatres for Academy eligibility. I’m surprised Golden Globe winner In The Fade was not even nominated for Foreign Language. I’m surprised that for once the Sound Editing and Sound Mixing categories are identical; there’s usually one unique nominee in each. I’m very pleasantly surprised that Get Out is getting the recognition it deserves. And I’m absolutely stunned that Jane wasn’t nominated for Documentary Feature.
The full list of nominees is posted below. Anything I’ve yet to see will be marked with an asterisk, whether that’s an individual nominee within a certain category, or an entire category by itself, like the Shorts:
Best Picture:
Call Me By Your Name*
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor:
Timothee Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name*
Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
Gary Oldman – Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington – Roman J. Israel, Esq.*
Best Actress:
Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie – I, Tonya*
Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird
Meryl Streep – The Post
Best Supporting Actor:
Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer – All the Money in the World
Sam Rockewll – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige – Mudbound
Alison Janney – I, Tonya*
Lesley Manville – Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer – The Shape of Water
Animated Feature:
Boss Baby*
The Breadwinner
Coco
Ferdinand*
Loving Vincent
Cinematography:
Blade Runner 2049*
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Mudbound
The Shape of Water
Costume Design:
Beauty and the Beast
Darkest Hour
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water
Victoria & Abdul
Directing:
Christopher Nolan – Dunkirk
Jordan Peele – Get Out
Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson – Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro – The Shape of Water
Documentary Feature:
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
Faces Places (Visages Villages)
Icarus
Last Men in Aleppo
Strong Island
Documentary Short Subject:*
Edith + Eddie
Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405
Heroin(e)
Knife Skills
Traffic Stop
Film Editing:
Baby Driver
Dunkirk
I, Tonya*
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Foreign Language Film:
A Fantastic Woman (Chile)*
The Insult (Lebanon)
Loveless (Russia)*
On Body and Soul (Hungary)*
The Square (Sweden)
Makeup & Hairstyling:
Darkest Hour
Victoria & Abdul
Wonder
Original Score:
Dunkirk
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Original Song:
“Mighty River” – Mudbound
“Mystery of Love” – Call Me By Your Name*
“Remember Me” – Coco
“Stand Up for Something” – Marshall
“This is Me” – The Greatest Showman*
Production Design:
Beauty and the Beast
Blade Runner 2049*
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Animated Short:*
Dear Basketball
Garden Party
Lou
Negative Space
Revolting Rhymes
Live Action Short:*
DeKalb Elementary
The Eleven O’Clock
My Nephew Emmett
The Silent Child
A Watu Wote (All of Us)
Sound Editing:
Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049*
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Sound Mixing:
Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049*
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Visual Effects:
Blade Runner 2049*
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Kong: Skull Island*
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
War for the Planet of the Apes*
Adapted Screenplay:
Call Me By Your Name*
The Disaster Artist
Logan
Molly’s Game
Mudbound
Original Screenplay:
The Big Sick
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Santa Claus has arrived! Enjoy Oscar Season, everyone!
I Actually Paid To See This 