Each and every year, the world turns their eyes to the TV to find out what films are being considered the best of the year at the Academy Awards. Due to the surrounding controversy of sexual assault in Hollywood, viewers will have their eyes glued to the ceremony more than ever this year. Amidst the controversy, this year’s top films are filled with many different themes that challenge social norms and injustices, making the categories all the more interesting to watch. From Christopher Nolan’s World War II depictions of Dunkirk to Jordan Peele’s hilarious yet terrifying social commentary in Get Out, the 2018 Oscars will be one of the most diverse ceremonies in history. These are The Fordian’s predictions for the major categories.  

Best Picture

• Nominated: “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”
• Prediction: This year’s best picture nominees are as diverse as they come. Each film presents a unique deeper meaning that drove the academy to nominate them. Leading the pack for best picture, “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”. Despite not being the highest grossing of the category, both these films tell a story of people who have gone through great hardships in their lives. Although three billboards have won many awards this season, I think the academy will award “The Shape of Water” the biggest category of the night. Guillermo del Toro’s beautiful, well-written, unique love story is a shoe-in for his first academy award.
• Honorable Mention: Although I thoroughly enjoyed “The Shape of Water”, two films in this category stand out to me as the best of the year. If it were up to me, “Lady Bird” or “Get Out” would be awarded best picture. “Lady Bird” tells the teenage story almost flawlessly, while “Get Out” proved to be one of the most creative and thrilling horror stories in history.

Actor in a Leading Role

• Nominated: Timothée 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.”
• Prediction: Although many talented actors are nominated in this category, this category is one of the more obvious in terms of who is predicted to win. Gary Oldman, who plays Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour”, is almost guaranteed the win. I have always said that is much harder to depict a historical figure on the big screen than a fictional one. Everyone has an opinion on what such figure should look and act like. Despite this, I think Gary Oldman proved his acting abilities and made his case for the award in this film.
• Honorable Mention: My personal favorite in the Leading Actor category would have to go to Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name”. Chalamet is the youngest actor in over 80 years to be nominated, and deservingly so. He was able to convey such raw emotions that actors who have been practicing their whole lives still cannot. Major props to him!

Actress in a Leading Role

• Nominated: 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”
• Prediction: For me, this category is a no-brainer. Frances McDormand’s role in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” is the biggest standout. Frances conveyed a mother’s grief in a hilarious, raw, and emotional way. When watching the film, you connect and feel for her more than any other character. She is the perfect candidate for this award, and I’m almost positive the academy will recognize that.
• Honorable Mention: Saoirse Ronan for “Lady Bird”. I was so impressed with her performance in this film that it is now perhaps my favorite movie of the year. I have never left a theatre feeling so personally connected to a film. Incredible!

Best Directing

• Nominated: “Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan, “Get Out,” Jordan Peele, “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig, “Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson, “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro
• Prediction: This category makes me feel the most torn. It is likely that the academy will align this category with their best picture award, making Guillermo del Toro the favorite to win. Despite this, Greta Gerwig’s work on “Lady Bird” is not something to be pushed aside. In addition, she is only the fifth woman in history to be nominated in this category (which sounds completely ridiculous to me) and deservingly so. I really hope that “Lady Bird” gets even the slightest recognition during the ceremony.

Best Cinematography

• Nominated: “Blade Runner 2049,” Roger Deakins, “Darkest Hour,” Bruno Delbonnel, “Dunkirk,” Hoyte van Hoytema, “Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison, “The Shape of Water,” Dan Laustsen
• Prediction: In the history of the category, the academy has always favored the more “flashy” or technologically advanced films. This leads me to believe that Roger Deakins will win for his work on “Blade Runner 2049”. This movie is filled with beautiful and futuristic landscapes that were probably the most interesting part of the film. This is most likely their category to take.
• Honorable Mention: Although there are many great films nominated in this category, I think the biggest snub of the night goes to Toby Oliver for his work on “Get Out”. Oliver incorporated some of the most interesting visuals I have seen in a film yet. Total robbery!

Best Animated Feature Film

• Nominated: “The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito, “The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo, “Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson, “Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha, “Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman
• Prediction: Of all the categories, animated feature film takes the cake for the most obvious winner. Not only is “Coco” going to win, but they deserve to win. Filled with beautiful imagery and storytelling, “Coco” stood out this year as one of the only animated feature films to be successful at the box office.

Best Original Score

• Nominated: “Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer, “Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood,“The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” John Williams, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Carter Burwell
• Prediction: Yet another category “The Shape of Water” will most likely take. The film used their score as a way to communicate emotion when their protagonist (a mute woman) could not. It made the film much more lively and fun! I even had some of the tunes stuck in my head after leaving the theatre.
• Honorable Mention: Everyone knows the iconic scores behind the original Star Wars movies, and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is no exception to that. It is exciting to see how the scores take original iconic star wars pieces and rework them to fit the context of the newer generation of films.

   No matter who is awarded during the ceremony, the Oscars is always one of the most talked about nights on television. The 2018 Oscars will air on Sunday, March 4th at 8:00 pm (est).