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Every year, the best films of the year duke it out for the movies' top honors. At The Post, we made predictions based on who we want to win and who we think will take the statue. Here are our thoughts:
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
Who we want to win:
Georgia Davis: Dunkirk or Get Out. Dunkirk was a beautiful spectacle and Get Out was all-around brilliant.
Alex Darus: I loved Dunkirk and Lady Bird, but it’d be extremely cool if Get Out won because it’s just so different from any other movie.
Jonny Palermo: Anything but The Shape of Water. My personal favorite is Lady Bird, but The Shape of Water was so cringey, I’d be happy with any other film winning.
Marisa Fernandez: Not to favor the summer blockbuster, but Dunkirk would be a good one.
Alexis Eichelberger: Sorry Jonny, I loved The Shape of Water. I’d be happy to see it win, or Lady Bird.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Three Billboards. I don’t think the Academy could not give it to the film that won a Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA.
Alex: I agree with Georgia, I don’t see how anything else will be able to beat out Three Billboards. Also, it seems more likely that Guillermo del Toro would get a nod for directing rather than Shape of Water winning best picture.
Jonny: I think The Shape of Water is more of a challenger than people realize, but Three Billboards will probably win.
Marisa: Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s The Shape of Water. It checked all the boxes: race, class, sexuality.
Alexis: Like Georgia said, I feel like Three Billboards has been dominating too much not to win.
Best Director
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Who we want to win:
Georgia: Greta Gerwig. She would become the second woman in history to win in the category, and I think that’s awesome.
Alex: Honestly I’d be happy with Gerwig, Peele or Nolan taking this one.
Jonny: For once in my life, I agree 100 percent with Alex.
Marisa: Jordan Peele, because I love him and I’m blinded by that love.
Alexis: Guillermo del Toro poured his soul into The Shape of Water. He deserves it.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Guillermo del Toro. Best Director usually doesn’t win Best Picture, and people are loving The Shape of Water.
Alex: Yeah, Shape of Water got the most nominations out of any film, so I think it’s bound to win one of the big categories. It seems most likely del Toro will take this one.
Jonny: Guillermo del Toro. Ugh. I hated that movie.
Marisa: Guillermo del Toro.
Alexis: Guillermo. The Shape of Water forever.
Actor in a Leading Role
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.
Who we want to win:
Georgia: It would be great to see Daniel Kaluuya win, but the odds are stacked against him. (See below)
Alex: Gary Oldman literally transformed into Winston Churchill. It was crazy and also fabulous. I’d take him or Kaluuya.
Jonny: I enjoyed Call Me by Your Name more than my colleagues at The Post, and Timothée Chalamet gave the performance of his life.
Marisa: Gary Oldman. What a guy.
Alexis: I’m with Jonny. Timothee Chalamet crying to Sufjan Stevens hit me hard. And I love that boy dearly.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Gary Oldman has won pretty much every award leading up to this, so he’s definitely going to take this one.
Alex: Again, Gary Oldman has to win. The only curveball would be the Academy giving Daniel Day-Lewis a nod for Phantom Thread being his last film of his career.
Jonny: Gary Oldman gave the most Oscar-baitey performance the world has ever seen. There’s no chance he loses.
Marisa: They’re probs going to give it to Daniel Day-Lewis, the veteran and the guy who’s retiring.
Alexis: Gary Oldman, I guess.
Actress in a Leading Role
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
Who we want to win:
Georgia: Meryl Streep. Just kidding. It would be cool to see Saoirse Ronan win. She is a phenomenal actress and she was great in Lady Bird.
Alex: I’m a huge I, Tonya fan and Margot Robbie was captivating and convincing as Tonya Harding. I’d love to see her win something for her amazing work.
Jonny: Saoirse Ronan gets my vote. Lady Bird was too good.
Marisa: Margot Robbie. She effectively portrayed the flaws in women’s figure skating and how she was discriminated against based on her class.
Alexis: I pick Sally Hawkins. She delivered an amazing performance without a single line of dialogue.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Frances McDormand. Her performance was extremely captivating.
Alex: McDormand. Her character was complex and the film has been winning everything up to this point.
Jonny: It’s Frances McDormand’s award to lose.
Marisa: Frances McDormand. One word. Badass.
Alexis: What they said.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water
Who we want to win:
Georgia: Allison Janney. Legend.
Alex: Allison Janney. Allison Janney. Allison Janney.
Jonny: Allison Janney killed it. She deserves the win.
Marisa: Allison Janney, because Tonya Harding herself said Janney’s performance was uncanny.
Alexis: Allison Janney and that bird should share it.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Janney. C’mon, she had a pet bird. She has to win.
Alex: See above.
Jonny: Janney FTW.
Marisa: Janney because I saw that movie three months ago and I still get chills from her voice as that character. That’s flawless acting.
Alexis: Janney.
Actor in a Supporting Role
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 Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Who we want to win:
Georgia: I really liked Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project. He improvised a lot and showed a ton of emotions.
Alex: Rockwell’s character was the most transformative in Three Billboards so I’d like to see him win.
Jonny: It’s between the two actors from Three Billboards. Woody Harrelson’s character was more complex, had less screen time and left a stronger impact than Rockwell’s. I’ll take Woody.
Marisa: The Shape of Water’s supporting roles made that movie. Richard Jenkins gave me a soft spot in that movie.
Alexis: I’m with Marisa. Jenkins’ character was wonderful.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Sam Rockwell. He was great in Three Billboards. If he doesn’t win, I think a lot of people will be disappointed.
Alex: Rockwell will win no doubt.
Jonny: It’s hard to imagine anyone upsetting Sam Rockwell. He should win.
Marisa: Sam Rockwell. He won the Emmy and he was perf.
Alexis: Sam Rockwell.
Adapted Screenplay
James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist
Scott Frank and James Mangold and Michael Green; Story by James Mangold, Logan
Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound
Who we want to win:
Georgia: Logan. It would just be cool for an X-Men film to win.
Alex: I thought The Disaster Artist was totally hilarious, and I just think it’d be hilarious for it to win an Oscar.
Jonny: Although I agree with Georgia, this might be the only chance for Call Me by Your Name to win something.
Marisa: LOGAN. I forgot how good that movie was until I saw it was nominated.
Alexis: I loved Call Me by Your Name. But I’m also a nerd for superhero films and I think they deserve more credit than they often get. So I’d be happy to see Logan win, too.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Jame Ivory for Call Me By Your Name. It won at a Writers Guild Awards and it was a beautifully told story.
Alex: Call Me By Your Name. It just has the most hype out of this pool and was strikingly beautiful.
Jonny: Call Me by Your Name.
Marisa: Call Me by Your Name.
Alexis: Call Me by Your Name.
Original Screenplay
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Who we want to win:
Georgia: I would faint if Kumail and Emily won this award. I would just love for them to give an acceptance speech. The Big Sick was also my favorite film of 2017.
Alex: The Big Sick was like the best romantic comedy ever but also I’d like to see Get Out win, so I can’t really pick between the two.
Jonny: Horror movies always get shafted at the Oscars, so I’d love to see Jordan Peele win a writing award for Get Out.
Marisa: It would be amazing if Jordan Peele won for Get Out. There was a lot of superficial criticism for the writing, but really it was brilliant if you understood what was going on.
Alexis: The Big Sick was CUTE and I’d be way too excited to see a rom-com win. But all of the nominees are brilliant, so I don’t think I’ll really be disappointed no matter who wins.
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Jordan Peele for Get Out. Peele also won a Writers Guild Award, but more importantly the story is amazing. It is incredible that he came up with the idea for this film.
Alex: I could honestly see Lady Bird getting this if it doesn’t win best picture or Gerwig doesn’t get a directing nod.
Jonny: Vegas says Get Out, but I think McDonagh wins for Three Billboards.
Marisa: My gut says Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. I don’t know. I can see this movie sweeping because the Academy was obsessed or I could see them not as wowed.
Alexis: The Shape of Water. Give it all of the awards.
Animated Feature Film
The Boss Baby
The Breadwinner
Coco
Ferdinand
Loving Vincent
Who we want to win:
Georgia: The Boss Baby, please. I laughed the entire time.
Alex: The Boss Baby was HORRIBLE. My money’s on Coco baby.
Jonny: The Boss Baby. Just because it would piss off so many people.
Marisa: Ferdinand because I didn’t know until AFTER the movie that it was John Cena voicing the bull.
Alexis: Coco! So cute!
Who we think will win:
Georgia: Coco. It’s a good story and a very original idea.
Alex: Coco must win or I will scream.
Jonny: Coco.
Marisa: You have not seen visual beauty unless you’ve seen Coco.
Alexis: Coco.
Cinematography
Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Mudbound
The Shape of Water
Who we want to win:
Georgia: Dunkirk or The Shape of Water. The visuals were so pleasing in these films. And for Dunkirk, they literally put an Imax camera in the plane.
Alex: Dunkirk was one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen.
Jonny: Dunkirk all the way. Still don’t get the Shape of Water hype.
Marisa: Dunkirk because ACTION, GUNS, WAR.
Alexis: Dunkirk stressed me out as much as any movie ever has. But it was a good stress, you know? A visually pleasing state of anxiety.
Who we think will win
Georgia: Dunkirk or Blade Runner 2049. Blade Runner is being hyped up a lot. Could be interesting.
Alex: Dunkirk. The film had a huge budget to make the film so visually immersive and it barely even had any dialogue. It deserves this one.
Jonny: Vegas says Blade Runner 2049. I’ll take the odds.
Marisa: Darkest Hour because darkness and shadows were very obvious and ominous. Almost like the cinematographer was winking at the audience.
Alexis: Blade Runner because it’s THAT action movie.
