Oscars 2018 Predictions

Oscars 2018 is finally here! I'm watching Real Housewives of NYC on my second screen, as I write, cuz I can't stop, won't stop this obsession, but I will get this post out if it kills me.

Without further ado, here are my selected Oscar predictions for selected categories.

Costume Design:

“Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran
“Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran
“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges
“The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira
“Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle

What I want to win: 

“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges

What should win:

“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges

What will win:

“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges

Original Song:

“Mighty River” from “Mudbound,” Mary J. Blige
“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens
“Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez
“Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall,” Diane Warren, Common
“This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

What I want to win: 

“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens

What should win:

“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens

What will win:

Toss up between "Remember Me" and "This is Me"

Original Score:

“Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer
“Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood
“The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” John Williams
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Carter Burwell

What I want to win: 

“Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood

What should win:

“Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood

What will win:

“The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat

Original Screenplay:

“The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
“Get Out,” Jordan Peele
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

What I want to win: 

“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig

What should win:

Toss up between “Get Out" and "Lady Bird"

What will win:

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

Adapted Screenplay:

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory
“The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
“Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green
“Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin
“Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

What I want to win: 

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory

What should win:

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory

What will win:

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory

Animated Feature: 

“The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito
“The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo
“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson
“Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha
“Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman

What I want to win: 

“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson

What should win:

“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson

What will win:

“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson

Director:

“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan
“Get Out,” Jordan Peele
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro

Who I want to win: 

“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig

Who should win:

“Get Out,” Jordan Peele

Who will win:

“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro

Supporting Actress:

Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”
Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”

Who I want to win: 

Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”

Who should win:

Toss up between Lesley Manville and Laurie Metcalf

Who will win:

Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”

Supporting Actor:

Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Who I want to win: 

Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”

Who should win:

Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”

Who will win:

Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Lead Actress:

Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Meryl Streep, “The Post”

Who I want to win: 

Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”

Who should win:

Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”

Who will win:

Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Lead Actor:

Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Who I want to win: 

Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”

Who should win:

Toss up between Daniel Day-Lewis and Daniel Kaluuya.

Who will win:

Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”

Best Picture:

“Call Me by Your Name”
“Darkest Hour”
“Dunkirk”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“Phantom Thread”
“The Post”
“The Shape of Water”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

What I want to win: 

“Call Me by Your Name”

What should win:

“Phantom Thread”

What will win:

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Fangirl Friday, Feb. 23, 2018

I didn't consume much media this week, because I'm still on my "Vanderpump Rules" kick so this is a very mini-Fangirl Friday.

Movie of the Week

I was going to write a full review of this film, but honestly, I don't think I'd be able to do it justice, and nor am I the appropriate voice to voice it. That being said, I had high expectations for this film and I feel as if they were all exceeded. We were introduced to a lot of new characters in quick succession and they all felt fully-realized and fleshed out. The worldbuilding is outstanding and is never overwhelming. I already want sequels and spin-offs of a number of characters, most notably, Shuri, King T'Challa's feisty, techno-savvy sister. She also has one of the best lines in the entire movie, a line I won't spoil here, but if you're up on your memes, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Run don't walk to see this movie.

Song of the Week

This song is fire. A Prince-inspired bisexual anthem? Sign me the fuck up.

A Fantastic Woman

The one word that kept coming to mind while watching this Chilean Best Foreign Picture nominee, was "striking". I felt like I was being struck constantly, by the storyline, by the visuals, by lead actress Daniela Vega. To say that this is a difficult movie is something of an understatement, but everyone involved is up to the task.

The film revolves around Marina (Vega), whose older partner suddenly dies, and how she must now navigate her role in her partner's family. She has exactly one ally in that family, her partner's brother, but the rest of the family runs the gamut from petty to full-on abusive towards Marina. No one can understand the relationship she had had with her partner, especially her partner's ex-wife, and she must spend the film defending herself over and over to people she should not have to explain herself to.

The film explores otherness through Marina's identity and people's inability to see herself the way she wishes to be seen. She was able to seek refuge in the arms of her partner, but now that he's gone, she's been left wayward, as everything is slowly taken away from her. 

Marina is one of the most compelling protagonists I've seen in a very long time. There are so few trans stories that are being told in film, and if they are, RARELY are they portrayed by trans actors/actresses. And this is a trans story and a beautifully depicted one. Though we are only with Marina for about a week or so, we come to understand her, her life, and the way she moves and interacts with the world. Marina must pick her battles with her partner's family, whether it be not reacting to being misgendered, or giving up her car, because we know that these are things she has to deal with on a regular basis. We see her fighting for herself against people who refuse to even acknowledge who she is.

We are with Marina every step of the way, from a humiliating experience at a detective agency, to trying to seek solace in a queer bar, to being verbally and physically abused by her partner's son, to her snapping and jumping on her partner's ex-wife's car. Each moment is filled with such raw emotion, and Vega is so powerful in every scene.

The film has been recognized at the Academy Awards and has been nominated for Best Foreign Film but I would be remiss if I didn't say that I believe Vega has been snubbed in the Best Actress category. I could not take my eyes off of her for a moment and I truly believe her performance is one of the most complex and intricate of the films I've seen all year. I won't go so far as to say who I think she should replace within the Best Actress category, but it's a damn shame she wasn't given the recognition she deserves. 

This film is a true masterpiece and deserves every bit of attention it's receiving. If you have the opportunity to see it in theatres, make the trip.

Fangirl Friday, Feb. 16, 2018

Podcast of the Week

My latest podcast obsession has been a podcast I’ve been waiting for for a while, since I heard it was coming out. Crooked Media has been a big part of my life for the past year, despite not being an American, and let me tell you, when I heard they were coming out with a pop culture roundtable with Ira Madison III as host, I was hooked before I even heard the first episode. Each episode is full of quips, barbs and chants of “Keep it”, Madison’s catchphrase, which denotes a person/place/thing that we are no longer here for. It's my Wednesday morning treat, the perfect way to get out of bed, knowing that someone is talking about the importance of the Kim Cattrall/Sarah Jessica Parker feud, the value of Timothée Chalamet's denouncement of Woody Allen, and Catherine Deneuve being... Catherine Deneuve. Don't sleep on this pod.

Movie of the Week

In my efforts to see all Oscar-nominated films before the Oscars on March 4, I watched quite a few this week, including "Icarus," "A Fantastic Woman," "The Post," and "The Darkest Hour". What left the biggest impression on me, however, was Christopher Nolan's war epic, "Dunkirk". I admit, I was a bit of a snob about this one, not viewing it as anything worth seeing in theatres and boy am I regretting that snobbery. By far one of the most visually stimulating films I've seen in a long time, "Dunkirk" held me tight from the first shot of pamphlets falling to the ground to the final shot of a freed soldier, and didn't let me go. Nolan plays with time in innovative ways, telling the story from three perspectives, and the way those perspectives intertwine is inspired. The film is meant to be seen on an IMAX screen, but still looked unbelievable on rinky-dink TV. Also... Harry Styles bangs in it. Like... he's astoundingly good. My good, good boy is growing up. I didn't think I'd see another nominated film that touched me like "Call Me By Your Name," "Lady Bird" or "Phantom Thread" but I was gratefully surprised.

TV Show of the Week

This show. I don't even know where to start. I've seen two seasons of it in two days. That's unhealthy. And yet, I can't stop. It's so bad. But it's so good. And I hate everyone. But I love them all. They're so abhorrent. But I get why they did that. And all I want to do is watch more of it immediately. There's a definite schadenfreude I get out of watching bad people behaving badly, and that is at a prime in this show and I'm living for it.

Song of the Week

This song is sexy af. I could listen to it all day. It's got a great beat, it's danceable, and that's literally all I have to say about it. 

Zine of the Week

I found out about "Little White Lies", the film zine, through Tavi Gevinson's instagram, and now I've got myself a hard copy of the "Call Me By Your Name" issue and have now subscribed to the digital version. It dives deep into the process of filmmaking from all aspects, from the director, to the screenwriter, to the actors, and everyone in between. Each magazine is filled with incredible artwork, making you want to poster your walls with each page. It only comes out once a month, but each issue is dense and stuffed with goodies, enough to tide you over until the next one.