Academy Awards: Our picks for who will, should win
The 92nd Academy Awards will air on Sunday night, exactly one week following the Super Bowl. Feb. 9 will be the earliest air date in Academy Awards' history, beating the previous record by 13 days. Historically, the Oscars frequently took place in March or April, which never really made much sense considering the awards are for films released in the previous year.
We asked our two movie critics (Out and About reviewer Demetri Ravanos and High School OT and movie buff Joel Bryant) to submit their picks for who will win on Sunday night.
Best Visual Effects
- 1917
- Avengers: Endgame
- The Irishman
- The Lion King
- Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Demetri and Joel are in agreement about what will win - The Lion King and what should win - Avengers: Endgame.
Demetri: The Lion King took home the Visual Effects Society’s top award at the union’s awards ceremony last week. That is a pretty good indicator that it will win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. But is The Lion King made of visual effects or pure animation? To me, it seems like this would be an ideal place to give the Marvel Cinematic Universe a lifetime achievement Oscar. Also, given that Avengers: Endgame was mostly human beings filmed in front of a green screen, it is almost entirely visual effects.
Best Original Song
- “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” (Toy Story 4)
- “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” (Rocketman)
- “I’m Standing With You” (Breakthrough)
- “Into the Unknown” (Frozen II)
- “Stand Up” (Harriett)
Our reviewers agree again that “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” will and should win.
Best Animated Feature
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
- I Lost My Body
- Klaus
- Missing Link
- Toy Story 4
Demetri: Klaus was excellent. Not only was it a really creative and sweet the on the Santa Claus story, but it brought traditional, hand-drawn animation back in a creative way with a unique look. The Annie Awards, which is the Academy Awards of animation splits its best picture category between studio and independent features. Klaus won the studio award. I Lost My Body won the Indy award. Both are on Netflix. Check them out and pick for yourself which is best.
What will win: Either I Lost My Body Or Klaus
What should win: Klaus
Joel: Missing Link seems like a kind of film that the Academy might fall for in light of Pixar going with another unnecessary sequel. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World was a great end to a great animated trilogy.
What will win: Missing Link
What should win: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Best Original Screenplay
- 1917
- Knives Out
- Marriage Story
- Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
- Parasite
Demetri: I am only really in love with one of these screenplays. I will acknowledge that Parasite is good. 1917 is a good movie, but it is not because of the script. Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is a great script with an awful ending. The strength of Marriage Story is in the acting. Knives Out is the most original and fun story that showed up on screen in 2019.
What will win: Parasite
What should win: Knives Out
Joel: Anytime Quentin Tarantino is involved in a screenplay race, the award seems like it’s his to lose. The screenplay is the standout of Tarantino’s latest film. However, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out screenplay is impossibly twisty and original.
Who will win: Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Who should win: Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Irishman
- Jojo Rabbit
- Joker
- Little Women
- The Two Popes
Joel: Gerwig will take this award after the backlash the Academy received for failing to nominate her (or any woman, for that matter) for best director. I have a feeling that the disgruntled members of the Academy will be sure to vote for her.
Who will win: Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Who should win: Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Demetri:
What will win: Joker
What should win: Jojo Rabbit
Best Supporting Actor
- Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
- Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
- Al Pacino (The Irishman)
- Joe Pesci (The Irishman)
- Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood)
Joel: Will win and should win: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Brad Pitt was the standout of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He has swept every major award leading up to this and strengthened his case with outstanding acceptance speeches. This is the biggest lock of the 2020 awards.
Demetri:
Who will win: Brad PItt
Who should win: Joe Pesci
Best Supporting Actress
- Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)
- Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
- Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)
- Florence Pugh (Little Women)
- Margot Robbie (Bombshell)
Joel: Laura Dern has received a lot of buzz from her small-but-effective part in the acting clinic that was Netflix’s Marriage Story. Between receiving two Oscar noms and starring in the highest earning movie of all time, no one has had a bigger year than Johansson. Unfortunately for her, the dual nominations may split willing voters.
Who will win: Laura Dern
Who Should Win: Scarlett Johansson
Demetri:
Who will win: Laura Dern
Who should win: Laura Dern, but I’d be okay with Scarlett Johansson too
Best Actor
- Antonio Banderas (Pain & Glory)
- Leonardo Di Caprio (Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood)
- Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
- Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
- Jonathyn Price (The Two Popes)
Joel: I have very little doubt that Phoenix won’t take this award for his performance as the comic book villain. Phoenix has been the front-runner for awhile and has taken home many awards. Driver was able to show off more range in Marriage Story, while Phoenix’s Joker was more of a one-note descent into madness.
Who will win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Who should win: Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Demetri: So again, my favorite performance didn’t even get a nomination in the lead acting category for men. Eddie Murphy has never been more deserving of recognition than he is for his role in Dolemite is My Name, but I digress. Since that is not nominated, I gotta go with another Netflix original movie. Adam Driver is really good at what he does, and some of the snotty self-righteousness that turned people off from him as Kylo Ren is what carries Marriage Story and makes his performance so powerful.
Who will win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Who should win: Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Best Actress
- Cynthia Erivo (Harriett)
- Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
- Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)
- Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
- Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Demetri: I don’t really love any of these nominees. I really thought Ana de Amras’s performance in Knives Out was the best of the year, and the fact that it didn’t even get a nomination is shocking and disappointing. I am going to go with Saoirse Ronan here. Little Women deserved more nominations and recognition than it got.
Who will win: Renée Zellweger
Who should win: Saoirse Ronan
Joel: Zellweger is the major favorite to win here, as she plays the famous performer Judy Garland in a film about her life. Hollywood loves itself some movies about Hollywood. If there is a potential upset of the night, it could be for Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Harriet Tubman in Harriet.
Who will win: Renée Zellweger
Who should win: Scarlett Johansson
Best Director
- Sam Mendes (1917)
- Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
- Todd Phillips (Joker)
- Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood)
- Bong Joon Ho (Parasite)
Demetri: It’s tough to pick this category this year. Sam Mendes has won a lot of the smaller awards leading up to the Academy Awards, so he is the safe bet, and look, he’s deserving. 1917 is a really great movie that is technical perfection. I think Bong Joon Ho might be my pick here. He keeps finding new ways to tell the haves vs. have nots story. Plus he got the most out of every performance in Parasite.
Who will win: Sam Mendes for 1917
Who should win: Bong Joon Ho for Parasite
Joel: The thought here is that the Academy will give this award to the director of the breakthrough international feature as a well-deserved “second place” prize. Six months ago, Martin Scorsese was the favorite. Today, he doesn’t really have a shot.
Who will win: Bong Joon Ho for Parasite
Who should win: Sam Mendes for 1917
Best Picture
- 1917
- Ford v. Ferarri
- The Irishman
- Jojo Rabbit
- Joker
- Little Women
- Marriage Story
- Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
- Parasite
Joel: Sam Mendes’ groundbreaking World War I picture 1917 has nearly swept all of the lead-up best picture awards with good reason – it might just be the most impressive technical achievement of the 21st Century. Somehow, Mendes and famed cinematographer Roger Deakins managed to construct the movie to look like it was shot entirely in one take. Beyond the immaculate visuals, there is a simple but effective story at the heart, which was based on those Mendes’ grandfather used to tell. Watch out for South Korean hit Parasite and Joker, which led the field with 11 nominations.
Who will win and should win: 1917
Demetri: In the last three years, the Academy has been a little unpredictable with its top award. Let’s do this. Here are the nominees that have no chance of winning: Ford v. Ferarri (sorry, dads everywhere), Jojo Rabbit, Little Women, Marriage Story. That gives us a five horse race. Joker has the most nominations, but I don’t think that will mean much. I can’t think of another movie that I have liked less each time I see it. So let’s drop Joker. Next we have Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. This one is tough, because Hollywood loves to reward anyone that celebrates its history. I just don’t think this movie is Quentin Tarantino’s strongest. I also don’t know that I believe I should have left it off of the list of movies that have no shot. The Irishman will win if all of the old white men in the Academy vote in a block. Honestly though, that is the only way I see The Irishman taking home the top prize. I liked it, but its long run time and distribution through Netflix are two large stumbling blocks. Also, this isn’t even Scorsese’s best mafia movie.
So the means we have a two horse race - 1917 vs. Parasite. Parasite is bold and inventive. It is a strong script bolstered by strong performances. 1917 is technically perfect. It looks beautiful. It sounds great. It perfectly evokes every emotion it is trying to. Either one would be an understandable choice for best picture.
Who will win: 1917
