This is the fourth and final part of this series in the build up to the 89th Academy Awards. By now I’ve been over what I thought about each of the nine Best Picture nominees and now I’m going to predict the winner in each and every category. I’m also going to say who would get my vote in each of the major categories where I’ve seen most if not all of the nominees. At the very end I’ll put a cap on 2016 by listing my personal top ten favorite movies of the year. Part one can be found here, part two can be found here, and part three can be found here.

(Please feel free to discuss your favorite movies of 2016 and post your predictions for the Oscars on the BSL Board here.)

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

Will Win: La La Land

Should Win: Manchester By the Sea – Also would be happy with a Moonlight win

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

Will Win: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Should Win: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

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

Will Win: Denzel Washington, Fences – Its a coin flip between him and Casey Affleck but he’s my official prediction

Should Win: Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea

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

Will Win: Emma Stone, La La Land

Should Win: Natalie Portman, Jackie

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

Will Win: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Should Win: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

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

Will Win: Viola Davis, Fences

Should Win: Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea

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

Will Win: Manchester By the Sea – If La La Land wins this category (and its another coin flip) they might win everything.

Should Win: Manchester By the Sea

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight

Will Win: Moonlight

Should Win: Moonlight

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

Will Win: Zootopia

Should Win: Zootopia

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

Will Win: O.J.: Made in America

Should Win: 13th

 

Predictions for the Other Categories

Best Foreign Language Film: Toni Erdmann

Best Film Editing: La La Land

Best Original Score: La La Land

Best Original Song: “City of Stars”, La La Land

Best Cinematography: La La Land

Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

Best Costume Design: La La Land

Best Production Design: La La Land

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Star Trek Beyond

Best Sound Mixing: La La Land

Best Sound Editing: Hacksaw Ridge

Best Live Action Short Film: Timecode

Best Documentary Short Film: The White Helmets

Best Animated Short Film: Piper

 

My Top 10 Movies of 2016

1. Manchester By the Sea

2. Moonlight

3. Everybody Wants Some!!

4. The Handmaiden

5. Arrival

6. American Honey

7. The Nice Guys

8. The Lobster

9. La La Land

10. Paterson

 

Bob Phelan
Bob Phelan

BSL Analyst

Bob is a co-host of ‘On the Verge’ an Orioles podcast focused on the O’s farm system here on BSL. He used to run the baseball blog ‘The Oriole Report’ before transitioning to podcasting about movies, TV, Video Games, and MMA. ‘The Redbox Report’ movie podcast was started in 2013 followed by ‘The Redbelt Report’ MMA podcast in 2016. Bob has also written for Konsume.com and BaltimoreSportsReport.com and delivers mail for a living in Baltimore County. Follow him on Twitter @TheOrioleReport.

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