The 90th Academy Awards are now a part of
history. the lights are now dark at the Dolby
Theater in Los Angeles, California and Jimmy Kimmel (who did a spectacular job
as the master of ceremonies) has left the building. All the nominee’s seats are now deserted and
a percentage of them took home Oscar gold. As movie fans the Academy Awards are as big as
it gets. Say what you will about elitism
in Hollywood and excess – the fact remains that the Academy Awards is the big
show when it comes to the film industry and people get passionate about their
favorites. Las Vegas odds makers even
get involved and, of course, people who love movies.
So, now that the dust has settled, we can sit back and
compare our picks against those who actually won – to compare the before and
the after, so to speak. I prepared such
a list in the blog post just before this one (see: Picks for the 90th Academy Awards). There are 24 different paths to striking
Oscar gold during the broadcast. In my
meager list of picks I only chose 11 – some of the most popular categories, by
my humble reckoning. Emphasis on the “humble”. The difference between my list and other film
fans’ is that I have not seen ANY of the big nominated films. I choose my picks by checking out reviews (this time on The
American Film Buff: American Film Buff, 2018 Oscar Reviews) and by trying to think the way the Academy voters do. So, how did I do? Well, let’s find out together. I’ll put the category, the winner, and my
pick in column form – maybe jot down a note or two along the way…
Best Picture – The Shape of Water / Three Billboards
Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor – Gary Oldman / Gary Oldman
Best Actress – Francis McDormand / Francis McDormand
Best Supporting Actor – Sam Rockwell / Sam Rockwell
Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer / Allison
Janney
Best Writing Adapted Screenplay – The Disaster Artist / Call
Me by Your Name (NOTE: There was a last-minute change to my pick for this category.
Someone reminded me of what happened with James Franco and the #MeToo movement
and (on Facebook) I changed my pick to “Call Me by Your Name”. “LOGAN” was great; however. Exceptionally
great.
Best Director – Christopher Nolan / Guillermo del Toro. I grinned from ear to ear when del Toro won
the Oscar. He is a magical storyteller
with a unique eye and a passion for monsters. His monsters are chock full of symbolism and
he wields them like the true master he is.
Best Original Music Score – Alexandre Desplat for “The
Shape of Water” / Hans Zimmer for “Dunkirk”. I didn’t see this one coming. I
assumed that it would have been Zimmer or Williams. ...Man, I should probably watch these movies.
Best Original Screenplay – Jordan Peele for “Get Out” /
Jordan Peele for “Get Out”.
Best Cinemaphotography – Roger Deakins for “Blade Runner
2049” / Hoyt van Hoytema for “Dunkirk”.
I was very pleased hear Deakins’ name read for this one. Blade Runner 2049 is a beautifully framed
film with a unique vision. As I said in
the blog below, “I would LOVE to see Roger Deakins get the nod for “Blade
Runner 2049.” What do you know, he did!
Best Visual Effects – Blade Runner 2049 / Blade Runner
2049. Out of all of the films nominated
this year – THIS is the only one that I went to a theater to see. (Note to self: you need to get out more.)
So, with help from The American Film Buff and thinking
the way the Academy thinks I was able to beat Oscar 6 to 5. Even without the benefit of seeing any of the
films one could tell it was a very close field this year and that is a good
thing. It means that the film industry
is doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing – pushing the narrative;
the story, further. Who wins the Oscar? We do, film fans. We do.
I’m looking forward to seeing Mr. Kimmel host the 91st
Academy Awards ceremonies. He is a
touchstone to what is real in the land of make believe. The Academy needs to keep him – even Matt
Damon would agree. As a movie fan, I am
also looking forward to all the films between now and then. …Perhaps, I’ll see one or two of them this go
‘round.
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