The 90th Academy Awards Ballot, Berardinelli Edition
February 26, 2018
Every year I present my guesses as to what will win at the Oscars. This is all done in fun, of course and (even though I run a contest), I do not consider myself an expert. I have only once run the table with a perfect ballot and, most years, I miss between three and five categories. This year, I fully expect to miss four: two of the three genuine “toss-up” (those are Picture, Original Screenplay, and Visual Effects) and two that come out of left field. When it comes to most of the technical categories, I play the odds. Sometimes, for the majors, if something isn’t a “lock”, I play a hunch.
For those who are curious or want to laugh at me when I miss something
obvious, here are my fearless predictions. (Because of the contest, I can’t
wait until the day before to post them.)
Picture
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Lead Actress
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)
Lead Actor
Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
Supporting Actress
Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Supporting Actor
Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)
Director
Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
Animated Feature Film
Coco
Documentary Feature
Faces Places
Foreign Language Film
A Fantastic Woman
Adapted Screenplay
Call Me by Your Name
Original Screenplay
Get Out
Cinematography
Blade Runner 2049
Film Editing
Dunkirk
Costume Design
Phantom Thread
Production Design
The Shape of Water
Makeup and Hair
Darkest Hour
Sound Editing
Dunkirk
Sound Mixing
Dunkirk
Visual Effects
War for the Planet of the Apes
Original Song
Coco (“Remember Me”)
Original Score
The Shape of Water
-
A Void in September
For all the benefits fatherhood brings, there are sacrifices as well. This September, for the first time in fourteen years, I will not be traveling north of the border the week after Labor Day. Since 1997, my summers have ended with a ritual that ...
-
The F-Word
Profanity alert... The following contains language that some readers may deem inappropriate. A couple of weeks ago, I used the word "motherfucker" as a joke in association with the film Snakes on a Plane. A few prudish readers took exception to my ...
-
Marketing Recursion
In the days leading up to Black Friday, a huge marketing campaign swung into motion. What was being promoted? The latest gadget? A new toy? The "big thing" on sale for Christmas 2014? No… In fact, the subject of the promotional frenzy was an 88-...
Comments