Academy Awards 2019: Predictions

In a year where the general quality of movies left much to be desired, the Oscars may not have any movie which wins more than 4 of the coveted gongs. Here are my predictions for the winners of 2019.

You can also have a look at my predictions in the years from 2014 to 2018 here: https://couldhavebeenacontender.wordpress.com/2018/03/

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Who Will Win: ‘Roma’ but I would not be surprised if ‘Green Book’ steals it.

Who Should Win:’Roma’

Honourable Mention: ‘Green Book’. Why some movies like ‘Black Panther’, ‘BlacKkKlansman’ and ‘Vice’ have been nominated is beyond me.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Who Will Win: Rami Malek

Who Should Win: Rami Malek

Honourable Mention: Viggo Mortensen deserves some acclaim for his acting in ‘Green Book’

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Who Will Win: Glenn Close. Give that lady an Oscar please.

Who Should Win: Glenn Close

Honourable Mention: Olivia Coleman and Melissa McCarthy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali for ‘Green Book’. You can bet your money on this.

Who Should Win: Mahershala Ali

Honourable Mention: Richard Grant for ‘Can you ever forgive me?’

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Who Will Win: Regina King for ‘If Beale Street could Talk’

Who Should Win: Regina King for ‘If Beale Street could Talk’

Honourable Mention: Dames Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone for ‘The Favourite’. I have much sympathy for Amy Adams who is on course to be the next Glenn Close: lots of nominations but no wins.

Best Achievement in Directing

Who Will Win: Who else? Alfonso Cuaron for ‘Roma’

Who Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Honourable Mention: Pawel Pawlikowski for ‘Cold War’.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Who Will Win: ‘Green Book’

Who Should Win: ‘First Reformed’

Honourable Mention: Why was ‘Eighth Grade’ not nominated?

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Who Will Win: ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’

Who Should Win: ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’

Honourable Mention: ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Who Will Win: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’

Who Should Win: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’

Honourable Mention: ‘Mirai’

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Who Will Win: ‘Roma’

Who Should Win: ‘Cold War’

Honourable Mention: ‘Shoplifters’

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron for ‘Roma’

Who Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron for ‘Roma’

Honourable Mention: Lukasz Sal for ‘Cold War’

Best Achievement in Editing

Who Will Win: ‘Vice’ in a very open category

Who Should Win: No clear favourites in this category. ‘First Man’ was not even nominated.

Honourable Mention: ‘Green Book’

Best Achievement in Production Design

Who Will Win: ‘Black Panther’

Who Should Win: ‘The Favourite’

Honourable Mention: ‘First Man’

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Who Will Win: ‘Black Panther’

Who Should Win: ‘The Favourite’

Honourable Mention: Mary Poppins Returns

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

Who Will Win: ‘Vice’

Who Should Win: ‘The Favourite’

Honourable Mention: ‘Black Panther’

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Who Will Win: I really have no clue here because ‘First Man’ and ‘A Star is Born’ are not nominated. If having a lot of music is the criteria, then ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ should win but the award may go to ‘Black Panther’

Who Should Win: None of the nominated movie have an Oscar worthy score.

Honourable Mention: ‘Black Panther’

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Who Will Win: ‘First Man’

Who Should Win: ‘First Man’

Honourable Mention: ‘Black Panther’

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Who Will Win: ‘A Quiet Place’

Who Should Win: ‘First Man’

Honourable Mention: ‘Black Panther’

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

Who Will Win: Lady Gaga for ‘A Star is Born’

Who Should Win: Lady Gaga for ‘A Star is Born’

Honourable Mention: Diane Warren for ‘RBG’

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Who Will Win: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

Who Should Win: ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’

Honourable Mention: ‘First Man’

Best Documentary, Feature

Who Will Win: ‘Free Solo’

Who Should Win: ‘RBG’

Honourable Mention: ‘Hale County This Morning, This Evening’

Edition 92

The Non-English Movie of The Week

Roma (Mexico, 2018) [IMDB: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 96%, My Rating: 8.5]

Trailer

Poles apart from his previous venture ‘Gravity’ in scope and temperament, Alfanso Cuaron’s ‘Roma’ is a study of the unraveling of a family told through the eyes of the housemaid who herself is in the midst of a personal turmoil. Rumoured to be based on the director’s childhood, ‘Roma’ is undoubtedly the pinnacle of the director’s vision. It is a love letter to the housemaid and his childhood told with evocative images and a deep empathy for the characters at the centre of the story. The movie is also remarkable for its attention to detail. ‘Roma’ is a universal movie that would not be out of place in any time or geography. Must see.

Movies I Saw This Week 

Cold War (Poland, 2018) [IMDB: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 93%, My Rating: 9.0]

Trailer

Deviating from the norm, I have included this Polish movie in this section of the blog because I loved this movie. I believe that it is one of the best movies of the year and would easily walk into the top three of the year. It is a searing love story set against the Cold War. With remarkable lead performances and memorable cinematography, ‘Cold War’ is an instant classic which is on a higher pedestal than the director’s previous work ‘Ida’. The political shenanigans and the intrigue of ‘Cold War’ are heightened by the drama and passion that the director brings into the movie. Two star crossed lovers go through hell as they cling on to the last shreds of hope when villains in the form of circumstances and people envelop them. For all my experience of watching thousands of movies, I never saw the ending coming. The climax of the movie is something that will etch this movie in your mind for a long time. Must see.

Green Book (2018) [IMDB: 8.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%, My Rating: 8.0]

Trailer

‘Green Book’ has been at the receiving end of a concerted campaign to discredit it ahead of the Oscars. Truth be told, this is the most topical film of the year with an excellent screenplay and commendable performances. Mahershala Ali is a shoo-in for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ at the Oscars. ‘Green Book’ is a classic road movie which tells the true tale of an African American musician chauffeured by a Italian American in the racially volatile deep South during the 60s. ‘Green Book’ deals with important themes of racism, friendship and culture and emerges unscathed. The endearing movie is boosted by its charming sense of comedy. Overall, a very good movie which is worth your time.

Vice (2018) [IMDB: 7.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 66%, My Rating: 7.5]

Trailer

Adam Mckay holds back no punches is an all out assault on Dick Cheney in ‘Vice’. The director sticks to his signature style of film making which is a curious superimposition of the documentary style on a drama. Backed by first rate research, the movie reveals more about the events that catapulted Cheney into the driver’s seat in American politics and his links with the stakeholders. For the uninitiated, the movie also traces the depth of the relationship between the principal actors of the Bush-Cheney era. As a cinematic venture ‘Vice’ does fall flat on many occasions but it is a movie that needs appreciation for the mere fact that it was made.

The Favourite (2018) [IMDB: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%, My Rating: 8.0]

Trailer

In a movie where all three female protagonists are evidently relishing the experience of acting to a fine script, ‘The Favourite’ tells the scheming that defined the reign of Queen Anne. Severely weighed down by her infirmities and declining health, Queen Anne is no more than a figurehead controlled by people with a plan. Her feeble attempts to assert herself only reveal the extent of her helplessness. Into the scene walks in another devious character played by Emma Stone and then all hell breaks loose. The director who rightfully receives an Oscar nomination does not paint the times in the class and elegance movies have tried to portray the times. There are frequent encounters with ‘other sections’ of the society. Ultimately, ‘The Favourite’ is a universal story of a seemingly powerful person in decline who is controlled by more nefarious elements. Realization comes late to the monarch and by then all possibilities of a course correction are exhausted. Highly recommended.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) [IMDB: 7.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 98%, My Rating: 7.5]

Trailer

Based on a true story and a bestselling book, this movie is a subversive take on the market for memorabilia. A down on her luck author, played memorably by Melissa McCarthy, conjures up a scheme to make some easy money. The movie is more of a social commentary on characters at the fringe of the society. Their small joys and a life which lurches from one crisis to another is shown with care in the movie. Watch it for Melissa McCarthy.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) [IMDB: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 88%, My Rating: 7.5]

Trailer

Bohemian Rhapsody ticks all the boxes of a biopic but what elevates the movie are the sensational soundtrack and an award winning performance from Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. Malek becomes Mercury and carries the movie on his shoulders from the first frame till the last one. The movie does not have any great surprises but is easy to watch and engaging. Recommended.

Widows (2018) [IMDB: 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%, My Rating: 7.0]

Trailer

‘Widows’ from director Steve McQeen is a heist movie with several undertones. Four women find themselves at life’s crossroads when their partners are killed in a botched up heist. Some of them team up to finish the mission which took their partners’ lives without realizing that they are only foot soldiers in a larger plot. Deftly weaving politics, corruption and other criminal elements, ‘Widows’ proceeds with a rapidly mounting body count culminating in a implausible yet satisfying finale. A special mention for the performance of Viola Davis is warranted.

The Front Runner (2018) [IMDB: 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 59%, My Rating: 6.5]

Trailer

Hugh Jackman plays a front-runner for the Democratic party’s ticket to challenge Ronald Reagan. The movie is based on the true story of Gary Hart who was consigned to the dustbin of history after the scandal that engulfed his campaign saw the wheels come off his juggernaut. The movie tries to play up the events in the story as a turning point in American politics but that argument does not hold up to scrutiny. The major problem with the movie is that Gary Hart is shown as a smooth talking politician with a vacuous personality lacking in any courage of conviction. His duplicity does not help the case of the movie.

Documentary of the Week

The Panama Papers (2018) [IMDB: 7.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 100%, My Rating: 7.0]

Trailer

The inside story of the courageous journalism that drove the leak of the Panama papers. Could have been better but still worth a watch.

Eagerly waiting for: The Oscars

Did you know: The Golden Globes are decided by the 93 voting members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association whereas the Academy Awards have more than 6,000 voters.