The 2017 Academy Awards will broadcast live at 8pm EST this Sunday, the 26th of February, from the Dolby Theatre in LA. There are plenty of places to stream the show online, but for the Irish film fans who have better things to be doing at 2am, it might be handier to simply tune in to RTÉ2 on Monday night for the highlights.
The line-up for the award show is extraordinary this year with funnyman Jimmy Kimmel on host duties for the first time. It is likely to be a serious competition but who has the best chances, and who is an equally strong contender that may not get the consideration they deserve?
Favourite: La La Land has tied with Titanic and All About Eve for the most Oscar nominations – fourteen – in the show’s history. It dominated the Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards, so this seems like a sure win for Best Picture.
Who Should Win: Barry Jenkins’s critically acclaimed Moonlight has nabbed its own clutch of nominations at this year’s Oscars, but will the heart-wrenching drama be given the spotlight ahead of open love letter to Hollywood, La La Land?
Favourite: Damien Chazelle, who helmed the highly-stylised La La Land, is likely to get the package deal with his film.
Who Should Win: Denis Villeneuve orchestrated the visual spectacle and philosophical maelstrom that was Arrival, but probably won’t receive a look-in here.
Favourite: Emma Stone, who has already been awarded a BAFTA and Golden Globe for La La Land, will almost certainly walk away with the trophy on the night.
Who Should Win: Natalie Portman stunned in her rendition of Jacqueline Kennedy in the maudlin Jackie, but her subdued performance is likely to fly under the radar.
Favourite: Denzel Washington received the Screen Actors Guild Award for his turn in Fences this year, although the race isn’t a sure thing with Casey Affleck in the running.
Who Should Win: Denzel Washington has had a long career in the movie industry, and his third Oscar would be just as well-deserved.
Favourite: Viola Davis has tough competition this year, but with this being her third Academy Award nomination and having won the Golden Globe already, it will be hers without a doubt.
Who Should Win: Naomie Harris made an extraordinary transformation in Moonlight, but Viola Davis is the ultimate pick for this award.
Favourite: Mahershala Ali is another Screen Actors Guild Award winner this year, and if Moonlight cleans up on the night it could turn into a certainty for the actor.
Who Should Win: Mahershala Ali has had a great year with Moonlight, Luke Cage and Hidden Figures, so this would be a well-deserved win.
Favourite: La La Land will almost certainly sweep this up on the night with its colourful palette.
Who Should Win: Jackie returned audiences to the 60s with its retro fashion, and landed the British Academy Film Award – but unless it struck a chord with the Academy it will probably bow to La La Land.
Favourite: Could this go to anyone but the composer for La La Land, a.k.a the most celebrated musical of the year?
Who Should Win: The score was perhaps the best aspect of Passengers, but it won’t quite measure up against the powerhouse La La Land will be on the night.
Favourite: La La Land swept up the BAFTA already, and it is likely to be on a roll by now.
Who Should Win: La La Land was visually arresting with some fabulous effects, and will probably pick up the prize, though Arrival and Lion are up there as well.
Favourite: Hacksaw Ridge won the BAFTA, but La La Land nabbed the Critics Choice, and the latter is likely to continue its jackpot.
Who Should Win: La La Land, Arrival and Hell or High Water are all well-deserved contenders for this one.
Favourite: You guessed it: Golden Globe winner La La Land will most likely nab this one too.
Who Should Win: The Lobster and Hell or High Water will be overlooked this year without a doubt, but both proved profoundly original and fresh last year.
Favourite: Moonlight got the Writers Guild of America win, so it’s almost certainly going to come home with the award.
Who Should Win: Moonlight and Hidden Figures were standouts this year, and hopefully one or the other will get this win.
Favourite: La La Land, Hacksaw Ridge and Arrival are equal contenders here for once, with La La Land having the edge as an upfront musical.
Who Should Win: It would be nice to see Star Wars with a win, but Arrival, with a BAFTA to back it up, should get something here.
Favourite: La La Land’s ode to the world of Hollywood musicals will probably be honoured here.
Who Should Win: We all want Lin-Manuel Miranda to get his EGOT with Moana, but the race will be tight.
Favourite: La La Land will be going for the whole set, so it’s likely to pick this one up.
Who Should Win: Deepwater Horizon and Hacksaw Ridge, with their harrowing content, might come out of this category empty-handed; a shame, considering the excellent work.
Favourite: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them got the BAFTA, so its supporters might rally on the night of the Oscars too.
Who Should Win: Arrival’s haunting environment and the gaudy sets of Hail Caesar! Are contenders, but might not stack up against Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Favourite: Ava DuVernay’s brave exposé about the American criminal justice system, 13th, will likely get the award in this instance.
Who Should Win: 13th definitely deserves the win here, though the feature length OJ: Made In America and Italian-made Fire At Sea were standouts this year too.
Favourite: Joe’s Violin spins a heart-warming yarn about friendship and music, and will probably secure the support it needs to win.
Who Should Win: The White Helmets, which focuses on rescue workers in the war-torn Syria, should rein in the award here, though the competition is stiff.
Favourite: The Iranian-French film The Salesman will be in the spotlight on account of its director’s boycott of the Oscars, a decision which arose due to Trump’s unlawful Muslim ban.
Who Should Win: Swedish comedy A Man Called Ove could easily get a look-in here, but The Salesman is just more topical. After all, nothing’s happened in Sweden lately…
Favourite: Ennemis Interieurs is topical and provocative, but really this could go to anyone.
Who Should Win: Silent Nights, Sing and Ennemis Interieurs are all charmingly foreign and emotional. It won’t be a nail-biter.
Favourite: Zootopia is basically the animated La La Land, having won nearly every award it’s been up for so far. The trend will likely continue for the anthropomorphic, socially aware animals.
Who Should Win: Zootopia has definitely earned its right to tote that golden trophy around, though Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings made a valiant effort.
Favourite: Piper, Pixar’s tale of a nervous baby sandpiper bird, should awaken the ‘awww’ gene in everyone and bring home the award.
Who Should Win: Virtual Reality project Pearl, which came from Google Spotlight Stories, is interesting and original enough to warrant some recognition.
Favourite: The Jungle Book was a beautiful endeavour and remarkably difficult to make, and may get the award here, though Doctor Strange has emerged as a surprising critics’ pet recently.
Who Should Win: Rogue One was last year’s spectacle, and deserves some love for those starship battles and planet-killing behemoths.
Favourite: A Man Called Ove may win for being the only unknown, though Star Trek could get the award like its previous instalment.
Who Should Win: Star Trek Beyond’s many extraordinary alien characters give this film an edge, as well it should. Nobody wants Suicide Squad to win for writing ‘damaged’ across Jared Leto’s forehead.
Those are our predictions and opinions at The Sharpe on the 89th Academy Award nominees. Tune in to see if we were right!
Lifestyle and entertainment writer with an interest in politics, despite the groans it incites at the dinner table. Sci-fi obsessive.
Comments are closed.
The 2017 Academy Awards will broadcast live at 8pm EST this Sunday, the 26th of February, from the Dolby Theatre in LA. There are plenty of places to stream the show online, but for the Irish film fans who have better things to be doing at 2am, it might be handier to simply tune in to RTÉ2 on Monday night for the highlights.
The line-up for the award show is extraordinary this year with funnyman Jimmy Kimmel on host duties for the first time. It is likely to be a serious competition but who has the best chances, and who is an equally strong contender that may not get the consideration they deserve?
Favourite: La La Land has tied with Titanic and All About Eve for the most Oscar nominations – fourteen – in the show’s history. It dominated the Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards, so this seems like a sure win for Best Picture.
Who Should Win: Barry Jenkins’s critically acclaimed Moonlight has nabbed its own clutch of nominations at this year’s Oscars, but will the heart-wrenching drama be given the spotlight ahead of open love letter to Hollywood, La La Land?
Favourite: Damien Chazelle, who helmed the highly-stylised La La Land, is likely to get the package deal with his film.
Who Should Win: Denis Villeneuve orchestrated the visual spectacle and philosophical maelstrom that was Arrival, but probably won’t receive a look-in here.
Favourite: Emma Stone, who has already been awarded a BAFTA and Golden Globe for La La Land, will almost certainly walk away with the trophy on the night.
Who Should Win: Natalie Portman stunned in her rendition of Jacqueline Kennedy in the maudlin Jackie, but her subdued performance is likely to fly under the radar.
Favourite: Denzel Washington received the Screen Actors Guild Award for his turn in Fences this year, although the race isn’t a sure thing with Casey Affleck in the running.
Who Should Win: Denzel Washington has had a long career in the movie industry, and his third Oscar would be just as well-deserved.
Favourite: Viola Davis has tough competition this year, but with this being her third Academy Award nomination and having won the Golden Globe already, it will be hers without a doubt.
Who Should Win: Naomie Harris made an extraordinary transformation in Moonlight, but Viola Davis is the ultimate pick for this award.
Favourite: Mahershala Ali is another Screen Actors Guild Award winner this year, and if Moonlight cleans up on the night it could turn into a certainty for the actor.
Who Should Win: Mahershala Ali has had a great year with Moonlight, Luke Cage and Hidden Figures, so this would be a well-deserved win.
Favourite: La La Land will almost certainly sweep this up on the night with its colourful palette.
Who Should Win: Jackie returned audiences to the 60s with its retro fashion, and landed the British Academy Film Award – but unless it struck a chord with the Academy it will probably bow to La La Land.
Favourite: Could this go to anyone but the composer for La La Land, a.k.a the most celebrated musical of the year?
Who Should Win: The score was perhaps the best aspect of Passengers, but it won’t quite measure up against the powerhouse La La Land will be on the night.
Favourite: La La Land swept up the BAFTA already, and it is likely to be on a roll by now.
Who Should Win: La La Land was visually arresting with some fabulous effects, and will probably pick up the prize, though Arrival and Lion are up there as well.
Favourite: Hacksaw Ridge won the BAFTA, but La La Land nabbed the Critics Choice, and the latter is likely to continue its jackpot.
Who Should Win: La La Land, Arrival and Hell or High Water are all well-deserved contenders for this one.
Favourite: You guessed it: Golden Globe winner La La Land will most likely nab this one too.
Who Should Win: The Lobster and Hell or High Water will be overlooked this year without a doubt, but both proved profoundly original and fresh last year.
Favourite: Moonlight got the Writers Guild of America win, so it’s almost certainly going to come home with the award.
Who Should Win: Moonlight and Hidden Figures were standouts this year, and hopefully one or the other will get this win.
Favourite: La La Land, Hacksaw Ridge and Arrival are equal contenders here for once, with La La Land having the edge as an upfront musical.
Who Should Win: It would be nice to see Star Wars with a win, but Arrival, with a BAFTA to back it up, should get something here.
Favourite: La La Land’s ode to the world of Hollywood musicals will probably be honoured here.
Who Should Win: We all want Lin-Manuel Miranda to get his EGOT with Moana, but the race will be tight.
Favourite: La La Land will be going for the whole set, so it’s likely to pick this one up.
Who Should Win: Deepwater Horizon and Hacksaw Ridge, with their harrowing content, might come out of this category empty-handed; a shame, considering the excellent work.
Favourite: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them got the BAFTA, so its supporters might rally on the night of the Oscars too.
Who Should Win: Arrival’s haunting environment and the gaudy sets of Hail Caesar! Are contenders, but might not stack up against Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Favourite: Ava DuVernay’s brave exposé about the American criminal justice system, 13th, will likely get the award in this instance.
Who Should Win: 13th definitely deserves the win here, though the feature length OJ: Made In America and Italian-made Fire At Sea were standouts this year too.
Favourite: Joe’s Violin spins a heart-warming yarn about friendship and music, and will probably secure the support it needs to win.
Who Should Win: The White Helmets, which focuses on rescue workers in the war-torn Syria, should rein in the award here, though the competition is stiff.
Favourite: The Iranian-French film The Salesman will be in the spotlight on account of its director’s boycott of the Oscars, a decision which arose due to Trump’s unlawful Muslim ban.
Who Should Win: Swedish comedy A Man Called Ove could easily get a look-in here, but The Salesman is just more topical. After all, nothing’s happened in Sweden lately…
Favourite: Ennemis Interieurs is topical and provocative, but really this could go to anyone.
Who Should Win: Silent Nights, Sing and Ennemis Interieurs are all charmingly foreign and emotional. It won’t be a nail-biter.
Favourite: Zootopia is basically the animated La La Land, having won nearly every award it’s been up for so far. The trend will likely continue for the anthropomorphic, socially aware animals.
Who Should Win: Zootopia has definitely earned its right to tote that golden trophy around, though Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings made a valiant effort.
Favourite: Piper, Pixar’s tale of a nervous baby sandpiper bird, should awaken the ‘awww’ gene in everyone and bring home the award.
Who Should Win: Virtual Reality project Pearl, which came from Google Spotlight Stories, is interesting and original enough to warrant some recognition.
Favourite: The Jungle Book was a beautiful endeavour and remarkably difficult to make, and may get the award here, though Doctor Strange has emerged as a surprising critics’ pet recently.
Who Should Win: Rogue One was last year’s spectacle, and deserves some love for those starship battles and planet-killing behemoths.
Favourite: A Man Called Ove may win for being the only unknown, though Star Trek could get the award like its previous instalment.
Who Should Win: Star Trek Beyond’s many extraordinary alien characters give this film an edge, as well it should. Nobody wants Suicide Squad to win for writing ‘damaged’ across Jared Leto’s forehead.
Those are our predictions and opinions at The Sharpe on the 89th Academy Award nominees. Tune in to see if we were right!
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Lifestyle and entertainment writer with an interest in politics, despite the groans it incites at the dinner table. Sci-fi obsessive.
Comments are closed.