Every year at the annual Academy Awards, filmmakers, actors, musicians and others garner recognition for their work in the form of a small golden statue.
This year’s Oscars are set for March 4, and the anticipation is mounting.
Before the show can begin however, nominations must be made; that day is on the horizon. On Jan. 23, the Academy will announce their nominations for the
90th Oscars. 2017 saw immense talent on both sides of camera, so picking out the best is no easy task. Whether these people and films get nominated, they are certainly deserving of recognition.
The Shape of Water
“The Shape of Water” should be in contention for most major awards.
Richard Jenkins deserves a nod for Actor in a Supporting Role, as does a captivating Sally Hawkins for Actress in a Leading Role.
The two give extremely compelling and emotional performances. Hawkins’ is especially impressive as her character is mute and doesn’t speak for the entirety of the film. Her ability to communicate without language is truly spectacular.
Dan Lausten’s cinematography also deserves a mention, as does Luis Sequeira’s
costume design.
The two most impressive aspects of the film, however, are Alexandre Desplat’s score and Guillermo Del Toro’s direction.
The film’s music underlays the beauty and passion of its unique story and brings it to life.
While these artists are all deserving, there is none more so than the film’s director, Guillermo Del Toro.
“The Shape of Water” is Del Toro’s passion project that he has lovingly cultivated for years and his devotion has absolutely paid off.
The story is a beautiful romance in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Del Toro deftly managed to weave themes of love, communication, art, relationships and loneliness together in a beautiful tapestry of color and sound.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Fresh off a night of success at the Golden Globes and culminating in a win for Best Picture, it’s hard to imagine “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” not having a similar performance at the Oscars.
Martin McDonagh will no doubt see a nomination for Directing, and Frances McDormand is a favorite for Actress in a Leading Role.
Perhaps the film’s best candidate is Sam Rockwell for Actor in a
Supporting Role. Rockwell won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Dixon, one of the town’s police officers. Seeing him follow up with another win would not be out of the question.
The film will no doubt also have a nomination for Writing (Original Screenplay), a tight and heartfelt script that McDonagh also penned.
The film was perhaps the biggest winner at the Golden Globes. While that is not necessarily an indication of success at the Academy Awards, “Three Billboards” is a strong film that could easily take down the competition.
Lady Bird
As Greta Gerwig’s coming of age film, “Lady Bird” has been one of the most successful in the awards season. Another shoe-in for a Best Picture nomination, the film has a plethora of talent on both sides of the camera.
Gerwig herself was left out of directing contention at the Golden Globes, and it would be a shame if it happens again at the Oscars. Her control and steady hand put together a beautiful story about family and friendship and shouldn’t be overlooked again. She will also no doubt be recognized for her screenplay, another award-worthy piece of the film.
Saoirse Ronan has a genuine shot to win Actress in a Leading Role as her captivating performance as the titular Lady Bird.
Laurie Metcalf also deserves to be in contention for Actress in a Supporting Role as her turn as Lady Bird’s mother leads to some intense and unforgettable scenes.
Dunkirk
“Dunkirk” will surely be nominated for a few categories, as it is a particularly impressive piece of filmmaking.
A classic Hans Zimmer score is impossible to overlook. He churned out yet another hauntingly beautiful backdrop to the bleakness of the film’s story.
The film is a technical marvel and will easily be nominated for Cinematography, Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Visual Effects.
The most notable nomination for “Dunkirk” will likely be Christopher Nolan for Directing. His film is an incredible story and the use of time and silence truly makes it a standout piece of work. It’s arguably the best he’s made — and that’s saying something.
The Post
“The Post” is a classic awards-season film — a Steven Spielberg-helmed movie with performances from Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and a terrific ensemble cast.
As she appeared in a film during the year, Streep will surely continue her dominance in the Actress in a Leading Role category.
Hanks also gave a commanding performance, but in a year with so many talented actors, he might not make the cut.
The film will no doubt see some technical awards as well, and it also has an outside shot for cinematography. Its beautiful footage of printing presses and newspaper creation was marvelous and might be the extra push needed for Janusz Kaminski to receive a nomination.
