Reactions to the Oscar Nominations: 2020

The amount of surprise nominations was lacking this year, but we did get a somewhat clearer picture as to who the main contenders are. All of the Best Picture favorites got exactly what they needed to in order to keep that status. I can’t wait to see how this develops over the next month or so. The Screen Actors Guild this weekend will say a lot. Check out my reactions, biggest snubs, coolest first-time nominees, and predictions results below!

Also, John Cho and Issa Rae should be our Oscar hosts…just saying.

BEST PICTURE
1917

Ford v Ferarri

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Parasite

Predicted: 9 for 9

Reactions: This was probably the easiest group of 10 nominees to predict, but at least one had to get left out. I am surprised it was Bombshell since it is beloved by the actors, but this is a solid group. Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper appear as producers, which is cool. Especially since De Niro (spoiler alert) got snubbed for Best Actor. I had Jojo Rabbit winning here before the nominations were announced, and nothing that happened has changed that feeling.

Preliminary prediction: Jojo Rabbit

BEST DIRECTOR

Joon-ho Bong – Parasite

Martin Scorsese – The Irishman

Sam Mendes – 1917

Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Todd Phillips - Joker

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I faded the Joker hype and picked Baumbach to get in instead. However, the DGA nominating Waititi made me think that he had the inside track, but Phillips and his film overachieved in every way. This had been Bong’s to lose, but Mendes has started to take the televised awards. It always goes to the Most Directing as opposed to Best Directing, so that’s Mendes.

Preliminary prediction: Sam Mendes

BEST ACTOR

Adam Driver – Marriage Story

Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes

Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Egerton in after winning the Golden Globe. I had Bale in as well, which is ridiculous that he got snubbed after his film got a Best Picture nomination. I missed on Pryce and Banderas, but if I had done my article closer to the announcement, I would have definitely included Banderas. He was my winner prediction all year! With Pryce getting nominated, the entire Glengarry Glen Ross cast now has at least one Oscar nom. This is going to Phoenix. Everyone seems to love him, even when he starts acting insane on stage. It is finally his time.

Preliminary prediction: Joaquin Phoenix

 

BEST ACTRESS

Charlize Theron – Bombshell

Cynthia Erivo – Harriet

Soairse Ronan – Little Women

Renee Zellweger – Judy

Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story

Predicted: 5 for 5

Reactions: This was fairly easy to come up with. Awkwafina was always vulnerable (The Farewell was shut out completely), and Lupita Nyong’o was in a horror movie. I couldn’t see these biopics and acting showcases getting passed up. Zellweger is in such a strong position, I can’t help but remember Glenn Close a year ago…

Preliminary prediction: Renee Zellweger

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

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Hopkins missing out in favor of Kang-ho Song from Parasite, which might have just been wishful thinking. Hopkins gets his first nomination since 1997, which is cool to see him back in the game. Pitt has been the frontrunner and will win this.

Preliminary prediction: Brad Pitt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Florence Pugh – Little Women

Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell

Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Laura Dern – Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I can’t believe Johansson got two noms. She has been snubbed so many times, but this nomination is a joke. Kathy Bates getting in is cool; I had thought that movie had been left for dead. I missed those two in favor of Nicole Kidman and my suspected (but still not predicted) snub of J-Lo. This award is going to go to Dern, but it is a really strong group of actresses.

Preliminary prediction: Laura Dern

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1917

Knives Out

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Marriage Story

Parasite

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I missed 1917 and Knives Out in favor of The Farewell and Bombshell. War movies usually miss here, and I really thought Rian Johnson was too cool for the Academy after getting snubbed for Looper. I’m ok with this. I have no idea what is going to win.

Preliminary prediction: Marriage Story

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Jojo Rabbit

The Irishman

Joker

Little Women

The Two Popes

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I missed Joker in favor of my random stab of Dark Waters. Jojo has to win this in order to win Best Picture.

Preliminary prediction: Jojo Rabbit

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1917

The Irishman

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Joker

The Lighthouse

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Parasite and A Hidden Life in for Joker and The Irishman. I’m not sure why The Irishman is nominated here. This is going to Roger Deakins once again, although they do love their black-and-white…

Preliminary prediction: 1917

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1917

Jojo Rabbit

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Parasite

The Irishman

Predicted: 5 for 5

Reactions: This was pretty lucky for me to ace. Everyone had Little Women here, but I knew Jojo Rabbit needed more nominations. I would be ok with any of these winning. They are all astonishing achievements.

Preliminary prediction: Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jojo Rabbit

Little Women

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Joker

The Irishman

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: Yeah… I had Rocketman, Downton Abbey (shut out), and Dolemite Is My Name in for The Irishman, Joker, and Jojo. Wow…this is a strange group. I’m not sure what makes most of these special. I guess I’ll go with the traditional winner…

Preliminary prediction: Little Women

BEST SOUND MIXING

1917

Ad Astra

Ford v Ferarri

Joker

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had The Irishman and Rocketman in for Joker and Ad Astra. I’m really happy that Ad Astra got something. The guilds and everyone had abandoned that movie and has gotten snubbed by everyone. It is well a well-deserved nomination, one of the best uses of sound in the last few years. This seems like an easy one to predict, but there’s always an upset in these somewhere. I’ll go with the favorite for now.

Preliminary prediction: 1917

 

BEST FILM EDITING

Ford v Ferarri

Joker

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Parasite

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: Once again, I missed Joker. And I left off Jojo (which is looking so strong after showing up here) in favor of the odd snub of Hollywood and the atrocious snub of Uncut Gems (completely shut out). Conventional wisdom would be that The Irishman wins here, but they love action movies in this category.

Preliminary prediction: Ford v Ferarri

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING

1917

Ford v Ferarri

Joker

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I missed Joker and Hollywood. I had Endgame and Rocketman getting in. Usually the sound categories line up…I don’t know what I was thinking.

Preliminary prediction: 1917

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

1917

Avengers: Endgame

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The Irishman

The Lion King

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I missed The Lion King in favor of their yearly horrible movie nomination in Gemini Man. I’m glad I was wrong. This should probably be The Irishman, but I really don’t know. The Critics Choice gave it to Endgame…maybe that will be the boost that movie needs.

Preliminary prediction: Avengers: Endgame

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

1917

Bombshell

Joker

Judy

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: There are finally 5 nominees in this category, and I still can’t break 3! I had Hollywood, Dolemite, and Little Women in for everything but Bombshell and Joker. They should go back to just being Best Makeup, since the hairstyling really doesn’t play into the equation.

Preliminary prediction: Bombshell

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“I’m Standing with You” – Breakthrough

“Into the Unknown” – Frozen II

“Stand Up” – Harriet

“I’m Gonna Love Me Again” – Rocketman

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” – Toy Story 4

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had the songs from Aladdin and The Lion King in for Breakthrough and Toy Story 4. I suck at predicting these. They snubbed all of the major stars who were involved in songs, with the exception of Elton John. Cynthia Erivo double nomination! She could get her EGOT if she wins this of Best Actress for Harriet.

Preliminary prediction: Rocketman

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

1917

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: How many times can John Williams get nominated for doing the exact same thing?! I missed that in favor of my heart…Us. This looked to be a done deal for 1917, but the last two big awards have gone to Joker. Thomas Newman was supposed to finally get his Oscar after 13 tries, but maybe he will have to keep waiting.

Preliminary prediction: Joker

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

American Factory

For Sama

Honeyland

The Cave

The Edge of Democracy

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I predicted the frontrunner Apollo 11 instead of The Cave. It’s ridiculous how this branch continuously just operates with different rules than any other branch and any other awards organization. It is a really interesting group of films, though. It is wide open now.

Preliminary prediction: For Sama

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

Corpus Christi

Honeyland

Les Miserables

Pain and Glory

Parasite

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I figured Honeyland would be nominated for one of these categories like Waltz with Bashir, but it gets into both. I missed that and Corpus Christi in favor of Beanpole and Those Who Remained, just because they sounded like Oscar titles. This one is over before it starts.

Preliminary prediction: Parasite

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Toy Story 4

Missing Link

I Lost My Body

Klaus

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: A Netflix Christmas movie gets in over Frozen II. That is a shock. I hope Toy Story 4 wins this, but with the Globes giving the award to Missing Link, there might be something more to think about here. Is there Pixar fatigue? I could see it.

Preliminary prediction: Toy Story 4

Overall predictions: 78/109; 71.56% (73.6% in 2019)

Without the last 5 categories: 60/84; 71.42% (76.5% in 2019)

On the Big 8 categories: 35/44; 79.55% (81.4% in 2019)

10 COOLEST FIRST TIME NOMINEES

1. Scarlett Johansson

2. Joon-ho Bong

3. Antonio Banderas

4. Florence Pugh

5. Jonathan Pryce

6. Taika Waititi

7. Rian Johnson

8. Cynthia Erivo

9. Hildur Guðnadóttir

10. Bernie Taupin

10 WORST SNUBS

1. Uncut Gems in all categories, especially Best Actor and Best Editing

2. Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood for Best Editing

3. The Farewell for Best Original Screenplay

4. Jennifer Lopez for Best Supporting Actress

5. Greta Gerwig for Best Director

6. Apollo 11 for Best Documentary Feature

7. Taron Egerton for Best Actor

8. Robert De Niro for Best Actor

9. Alita: Battle Angel for Best Visual Effects

10. Midsommar for Best Original Score

Stay tuned for our 12^th Annual Oscar Challenge!

Top 10 Movie Predictions for the Upcoming Decade!

As we journey into a brand new decade, we always tend to look back at the decade that was and reflect.  We make our Top Ten Lists - giving you our favorite movies, characters, moments, etc.  They are always challenging, therapeutic, but mostly a blast to put together!  

So, as I was in the process of making one of these type of lists, an idea came to my mind that excited me.  Instead of us looking back at the decade that was, how about we look forward and predict where the next decade will take us!  The possibilities are truly limitless! 

As I put this list together, please keep a few things in mind.  Some of these things I truly do hope will happen in the upcoming years. So, some will come across as me being a fanboy.  Other things on the list, are the direction I see Hollywood would go for stories.  No time frame will be given, as ten years is a very long time and will be hard to point to exactly where things will fall. So without further ado, here are my predictions of the 10 Movie related things we will see things next decade!

Honorable Mentions:

Tom Brady Biopic

Blu-Rays will become this decades DVDs

 

Disney buys back all the Marvel properties

A24 makes a blockbuster horror film

 Almost Sideways get quoted from a review

10.

The MCU will have a Rotten Movie

At the time of writing this, the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is 23 films in and still going strong.  With a full slate of films on the horizon there aren't any signs of slowing down.  With their upcoming slate featuring such films as Black Widow, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther 2, just to name a few.  Being owned by Disney will also add a significant amount of resources at their disposal.  

With each release fans will continue to flock to the theater to watch these epic films.  Being a fan of this universe and the comics, it's hard not to have a great time with each release.  Marvel is showing that they want to take more risk with their films, by introducing the multiverse and more cosmic stories as well.

Being 23 films in, the MCU still has a spotless record based on the tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes!

23 films in, every film but 2 (Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk) are certified fresh by critics on Rotten Tomatoes.  So the prediction is that the good luck that the MCU is having will run out and they will be given their first rotten film!  The film will still cross the billion dollar mark but it won't be a spotless record anymore.  

9.

Music Biopic Shared Universe?

This one, I'll admit this might be a bit of a stretch and mostly something I would love to see.  The Shared Universe is something that is becoming more and more of a common occurrence at this point.  With the MCU leading the way, followed by the likes of DCEU. The Dark Universe, and MonsterVerse. 

For this idea to actually work they would have to get a lot of people on board and come up with a solid game plan.  We don't have to go too far to see that this idea could very well become a reality.  In 2017, the Tupac biopic, All Eyez on Me, released with an actor who had previously played a rapper in a different film.  Jamal Woolard was cast to reprise his role from Notorious (2009) playing The Notorious B.I.G..  As an audience member, it was so awesome to see someone play the same iconic rapper in both films!  

I do have some ideas of bands and rappers I would love to see have this connected universe:

Nirvana vs Pearl Jam, John Lennon w/ The Beatles vs Bob Dylan, Van Halen, Guns and Roses, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath, Flavor Flav/Public Enemy, The Wu-Tang Klan and many more.  Heck, make a biopic about Madonna and have Taron Egerton play Elton John again!

8.

Netflix wins Best Picture

Now this one might happen sooner rather than later! As the 2019 Oscar race heats up - Netflix has two films that are bidding for the Best Picture Oscar (The Irishman, Marriage Story) against the likes of Parasite, 1917, Bombshell and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood!  I can totally see either of the Netflix movies going home happy on Oscar night, however my personal pick is Parasite to win.

Netflix, for a long time was the only streaming service around, but recently many more companies have been craving a piece of that streaming pie! With the rise of Amazon and the new addition of Disney+, streaming has become a more prominent form to digest our entertainment.  Sometimes being the first to the party means that your last for the recognition.  If Netflix doesn't win this year, I think in the next few years they will eventually earn their Oscar.

As of now, Netflix's biggest Oscar wins so far are for - Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Film for Roma (2018) and Best Documentary for Icarus (2018).  

7.

Jon Favreau takes over Star Wars

With the Skywalker saga finally wrapping up, I find it highly unlikely that Kathleen Kennedy renews her contract with Disney to stay on board as overseer of the Star Wars I.P.  Back when Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, fans were overjoyed for the possibility for more journeys to a galaxy far far away!  In the years since that feeling has been a sour taste in many fan's mouths.  The fanbase has become a toxic one that even for myself has felt like an inescapable Sarlac pit.  Kathleen Kennedy, has been at the forefront of a lot of the fan backlash.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, even though being a carbon copy of A New Hope, made critics and fans alike celebrate!  But every release since received more and more backlash from fans.  If it was stories we didn't want to see (Solo: A Star Wars Story), a film that truly divided fans (The Last Jedi), a character that is compared to being a Mary Sue (Rey), and a complete course correction (Rise of Skywalker) - these things broke the fan base.  Also with every film, there have been directors that have been fired or let go (Lord and Miller, Colin Trevorrow) for creative differences by Kathleen Kennedy.  But for me the biggest thing that was wrong with how things were run was that there wasn't a guideline that they stuck to while making these films!  Problems like that come from management and unforgettably that is Kathleen Kennedy!

The one bright spot for Star Wars has been on Disney+, The Mandalorian.  By far the best thing that Disney has done with the Star Wars I.P., created by Jon Favreau.  He would be perfect for the role as the head of Star Wars for Disney.  He has the experience with the property and knows how to tell stories that has a lot of moving parts (Marvel).  He's already familiar with the Disney higher-ups, as well.  If he, and Dave Filoni (head of Lucasfilm Animation) as his number two take over Star Wars, I truly feel it would be in good hands and fans would be happy too!

6.

First Time Oscar Winners! 

There are so many amazing actors and actresses, that I feel will finally win an Oscar sometime this next decade!  Each actor that I will mention has given me some of my favorite performances of the past decade.  So with that complete bias, I truly hope they continue doing amazing work and get rewarded for it as well!  I'll mention the actors and actresses below along with some of the roles I loved from the last decade!

Adam Driver - Marriage Story, Paterson, Star Wars, Blackkklansman, Silence

Amy Adams - Arrival, Nocturnal Animals,

Ben Foster - Leave No Trace, Hell or High Water

Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out, Widows, Black Panther, Queen and Slim

Emily Blunt - A Quiet Place, Sicario, Edge of Tomorrow

Florence Pugh - Fighting with my Family, Little Women, Midsommar 

Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler, Prisoners, Enemy, 

Ryan Gosling - Blade Runner 2049, Drive, Blue Valentine, La La Land

The list is endless!

5.

Daniel Day Lewis returns

While we are on the topic of Oscar winners, let's talk about one of our favorites!  Daniel Day-Lewis has gone on the record saying that he's retiring from acting,  Making his final film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (2017). 

He's a man who's is totally devoted to his craft and perfecting every role he takes!   I can understand why he might want to walk away.  However, I refuse to think that we have seen the last of this great performer!  Just like another one of my favorite actors, Joe Pesci, the right role could bring him out of retirement!  The only question now is what role would he make his comeback with. In my dream world, Quentin Tarantino would write some crazy role that he couldn't refuse!  I can dream, right?

4.

A Great Video Game Movie?!?

The video game medium has been around for a very long time and has brought some amazing characters and stories.  Very recently, I've been getting back into playing games.  There are so many great ones now, I'm truly having a hard time catching up on all the ones I want to play!  

The beautiful thing about games compared to movies, is that you have longer with the characters and story.  Movies average roughly 2 hrs, where as a game could last 10-20 hrs or more depending on the type of game you play.  Also, you get to control the character and have a longer time with them as well.

However, video games haven't translated to films as well as one might think.  We have seen some video game franchises try to make the jump to the big screen (Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros, Mortal Kombat) but were a shell of the greatness they once were.  

This next decade will see a brand new generation of video game consoles (PS5 and XBOX 2) release in 2020!  Also, with some amazing story driven games the time might finally be here for a great video game movie!  We could have an epic war invasion film (Gears of War), battle giant dinosaur robots (Horizon Zero Dawn), reboot horror classics (Resident Evil, Doom, Silent Hill), search for a lost treasure (Uncharted), or battle alongside the Chief (Halo).  But if we are being honest the correct video game to make into a GREAT film is Metal Gear Solid!

3.

Female Best Directors!

One of the hot topics of this last decade was put in place with a simple hashtag: #oscarsowhite. Now, I'm fully aware that while the Oscars are by no means perfect in who gets nominated, at least things are moving in better direction.  More people of color are being nominated each year!  Progress is progress and more is always needed!  One big thing I would like to see happen is more female directors get the recognition they deserve.

The last few years we have seen some amazing films from the likes of Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women), Ava DuVernay (Selma), Debra Granik (Leave No Trace), and Chloe Zhao (The Rider), just to name a few!  Each visionary brings unique perspective that I appreciate. These women weave together their narratives with such ease.  I hope that these women inspire more women to become future directors!  I believe that more women in this decade will be nominated and we will at least see two women take home the Best Director Oscar!  I can't wait to experience their films!

2.

Films surrounding the 2016 Presidential Election

One of the biggest and arguably most divisive things of the last decade was the Presidential Election.  Regardless of your views of the man in the oval office, it was an important moment in our country's history.  I can totally see a film about Donald Trump being made similar to the ones about George W. Bush.

Trump is a very controversial individual and could have lots of subject matter that would lend itself to the big screen.  However, I would be more interested if the film follows either a member of the press, or someone on the Trump advisory staff.  Having it from a different perspective could be an Ides of March situation but with more intrigue.  

Whatever your political views may be,  there's always an audience for political films.  Based off the box office numbers from 2017's Vice, which grossed 47.8 million, I could see this subject grossing more in the right person's hands.  Of course, seeing that most of Hollywood does disagree with Trump's views, there is a chance that his supporters might not like the way the film turns out.  I have some strange feeling that Oliver Stone would make this type of film at some point!

1.

Harvey Weinstein Exposure

I know, I was saving the controversial films for the end of this list!  The #MeToo movement has been one of the most important talking points from the last few years.  The Me Too founder, Tarana Burke, first coined the hashtag back in 2006. However, it first gained traction in 2017.  In late 2017, the New York times exposed the long-rumored accusations of sexual-harassment and assault by Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein.

The film could be a mix of Spotlight (2015) and the recent release, Bombshell (2019).  It's clearly a film that Hollywood would make.  The subject matter is important, not just for the people involved with heinous acts, but to the thousands of people who have yet to speak up.  Also, clearly a topic of conversation that won't be going away anytime soon.

For Weinstein, the only person I can truly see playing him is, John Goodman.  I feel like he could deliver something good with the role. However, his performance shouldn't be celebrated.  Just like John Lithgow playing Roger Ailes in Bombshell.  A film like this would be the perfect opportunity to have a female director at the helm, with a possibility of the Best Director nomination and win (like we talked about previously).  

Well that's my list of predictions for this upcoming decade!  It will be fun to look back in ten years and see what I got right and what I got wrong!  What do you think will happen in the next decade?  Let us know down below!  

Adam Daly of Almost Sideways!