Sunday, February 26, 2017

Down to the Wire

It's best to remember, it's about who or what will win, not what who or what you want to win.

That's the key to this game. To winning the game, that is.

Unfortunately, I let my preferences get in the way - and I pay the price by sending cookies to Boston.

By now, the USPS must think that I'm some kind of mule......and Weight Watchers must think Mike is just M.I.A.

Yes, I'm starting with a weight joke. But in a text two days ago, he basically called me ugly.  We have a very complicated relationship.  Clearly.

Actually, Mike sent a message to remind me of the 6th Annual Academy Award Guessing Game®. In truth, I had not forgotten, but I didn't realize the date had crept up, thinking I still had at least a week, if not two.

As it goes, I'm spit balling here. I have no idea. Part of me thinks I'd be happy if I chose wrong and La La Land went home winless......in every category.  And if I lose, Mike's BMI goes up......so it's kind of a win-win when you think about it. At least for me.

So here are my selections......


BEST PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Lion Manchester by the Sea Moonlight

Crowd pleaser. Though I think there were at least two better choices of the nominees. 

BEST DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge Damien Chazelle, La La Land Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

I though Kenneth Lonergan had a better vision and story. It's not meant to be this year. 

BEST ACTOR Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Ryan Gosling, La La Land Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Denzel Washington, Fences

I'm going out on a limb here. Affleck deserves it. Gosling's performance, while good, is ultimately the lightest of the bunch here. And Denzel already has at least one Oscar. If Mike doesn't vote the same way on this one, it could be the category that loses / wins the entire thing. 

BEST ACTRESS Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

I haven't seen Hubbert's performance, but I might like it if she won. Portman was not that good. Hell, Stone was not that great, but she's the favourite. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea Dev Patel, Lion Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Hollywood might try to over-correct their whiteness last year, which could give Ali the edge. I think it should be Hedges, but it's not about what I think. {sigh}  It never is {/sigh}   (that is an html joke)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Viola Davis, Fences Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Didn't see Moonlight, so Harris (whomever she may be) could take it. I'm guessing it's Davis. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water La La Land The Lobster Manchester by the Sea 20th Century Women

I so want it the Lobster to win something. But I think Lonergan should get it. La La Land might not be adapted, but "original" it isn't. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival Fences Hidden Figures Lion Moonlight

Because it's August Wilson. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Arrival La La Land Lion Moonlight Silence

It has lots of primary colours and lots of people mumble-singing on a freeway. Academy voters are easily distracted and swayed by shit like that. 

BEST FILM EDITING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water La La Land Moonlight

I have no clue When in doubt vote with the masses. 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange The Jungle Book Kubo and the Two Strings Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Arrival Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Hail, Caesar! La La Land Passengers

I'm sure some voters will think making Los Angeles look pretty is good production design. I thought the Cohen brothers did a great job with 50's look of Hollywood. 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Allied Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Florence Foster Jenkins Jackie La La Land

Did you see Meryl's headdress

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING A Man Called Ove Star Trek Beyond Suicide Squad

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Jackie La La Land Lion Moonlight Passengers

Nobody saw Passengers to know if it even had a score. It will be La La Land, because it's "a musical". 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” La La Land “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls “City of Stars,” La La Land “The Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story “How Far I’ll Go,” Moana

This could be the other deciding factor in a Mike or Blobby win (or loss). I'm thinking "City of Stars", but I'm trying not to rule out the Lin Manuel Miranda thing. This could be his EGOT (though he'll get that when they inevitably make Hamilton into a movie). 

BEST SOUND EDITING Arrival Deepwater Horizon Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Sully

I don't know. Why not Arrival

BEST SOUND MIXING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

The opening number for La La Land was so badly mixed, I thought it was the theater sound-system. But I've heard from a number of people they thought the same thing. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Kubo and the Two Strings Moana My Life as a Zucchini The Red Turtle Zootopia

Kubo was still the best movie I saw in 2016. 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FEATURE “Blind Vaysha” “Borrowed Time” “Pear Cider and Cigarettes” “Pearl” “Piper”

It's Pixar.....and it's cute. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Fire at Sea  I Am Not Your Negro  Life Animated  O.J.: Made in America 13th

It's 1995 again. So it's all about O.J. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Extremis 4.1 Miles  Joe’s Violin  Watani: My Homeland  The White Helmets

Because it was the first one on the list. 

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM  Ennemis Interieurs La femme et Le TGV  Silent Nights  Sing Timecode

See right above. 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM  Land of Mine  A Man Called Ove  The Salesman Tanna  Toni Erdmann

Because the only clips I saw were Elle (not even nominated) and Toni Erdmann, which got decent reviews, but looked atrocious


Maybe I'll be sending baked goods to a friend.....maybe he'll be sending them to me.  You'll get the final word on Tuesday.


Song by: Crash Vegas

3 comments:

Raybeard said...

Though I'd still like 'La La' to win a modest handful of Os tonight (which it surely will, at least), I can't imagine that there are many who HAVE seen 'Moonlight' would deem it not deserving enough to achieve a couple of the major awards. We'll see - in just a few more hours.

Fearsome Beard said...

Moonlight is a really good little flick. I haven't yet posted about my viewing of it.
La La Land all the way baby!

Anonymous said...

For the record, I did not call Blobby ugly. He set himself up, opened a door, I went through it. I find it hurtful that he's reporting fake news and at the same time taking jabs at my sugar habit. Oh well...

I will have to trust the accuracy of Blobby's Oscar accounting firm, Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe, as I won't be home tonight until around 9:30 pm or so. So I hope he's not going to try and pull a fast one. Like he has already done above, by picking TWO winners for best Production Design. Oh, what some people will do to ensure a win. Sad, isn't it?

In any case, looks like we differ on a good handful of categories here, so tonight should be interesting. So as I always say, Let The Best Man Win. Thanks in advance.

Best Picture: La La Land.
Haven’t seen it, but it’s about Hollywood, and Hollywood loves Hollywood. Friends who have seen it either loved it or thought “meh”. I will wait for the Netflix release.

Director: Damien Chazelle
Would love to see Barry Jenkins win for “Moonlight” — and I guess it could happen. But my feeling is that the “La La Land” locomotive will be screaming into the station and deliver the gold man to Chazelle.

Best Actor: Denzel Washington
My instinct is to vote for Casey Affleck, who I thought was terrific in “Manchester by the Sea”. But it seems momentum is swinging over to Washington’s side. Would still love to see Affleck take this one home.

Best Actress: Emma Stone
Seems to be a sure bet.

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali
Loved everything about this movie. Beautifully written, acted, and paced.

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis
All signs point to a non-contested win.

Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea
Sad, funny, beautifully told story.

Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight

Cinematography: La La Land
So I hear….

Film Editing: La La Land

Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

Production Design: La La Land

Costume Design: Jackie
Gonna go out on a limb here and hope that “La La Land” doesn’t just sweep up everything.

Make-up and Hairstyling: Star Trek Beyond
The pointy ears, folks. The pointy ears.

Original Score: La La Land

Original Song: City of Stars

Sound Editing: Hacksaw Ridge
The Academy throws a bone to Gibson.

Sound Mixing: La La Land

Animated Feature: Zootopia
Blobby went on (and on) about “Kubo and the Two Strings” (which I believe was the very well-received follow-up to “Kubo Has Only One String”. And since I have to vote against Blobby now and again, I’ll go with “Zootopia” for the win.

Animated short feature: Piper
Put that in your pipe(r) and smoke it, Blobby.

Documentary Feature: OJ: Made in America
There’s no way OJ is making any money off of this film, is there?

Documentary short: Joe’s Violin
Part of me wants to select White Helmets, but I’ll go with Joe.

Live action short film: Ennemis Interieurs
Anyone brave enough to make a movie about enemas deserves the Oscar.

Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
The writer/director is boycotting the ceremony — but it shouldn’t make a difference — he’ll take the statue anyway.