Singer/actress Mary J. Blige is nominated for two Academy Awards for her acting and musical performances in “Mudbound” (Photo Credit: Netflix).
90th Annual Academy Awards: The Regal Predictions
Best Picture Nominees
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
“The Shape of Water”
“The Post”
“Phantom Thread”
“Lady Bird”
“Get Out”
“Dunkirk”
“Darkest Hour”
“Call Me By Your Name”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: “The Shape of Water”
Regal’s Favorite: “Get Out”
Snubs: “Mudbound” and “Hostiles”
The #OscarsSoWhite controversy appears to be a thing of the past with a more diverse array of nominees for the second consecutive year. But even though the Academy Awards has a diverse list of nominees, the winners will still be predominantly White and that’s not a racial thing per se. While “Get Out” received four crowns from RegalMag.com, and “The Shape of Water” only three and a half crowns, “The Shape of Water” might be in a class all its own and will probably win the most Academy Awards in 2018.
Best Actor Nominees
Denzel Washington—“Roman J. Israel, Esq.”
Gary Oldman—“Darkest Hour”
Daniel Kaluuya—“Get Out”
Daniel Day-Lewis—“Phantom Thread”
Timothee Chalamet—“Call Me By Your Name”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: Gary Oldman—“Darkest Hour”
Regal’s Favorite: Gary Oldman—“Darkest Hour”
Snub: Christian Bale—“Hostiles”
Two brothers nominated for Best Actor is great for inclusion and is much appreciated. However, Gary Oldman gave the performance of a lifetime as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” Denzel Washington could receive a nomination for most of his roles and his performance was weirdly brilliant as the quirky Roman J. Israel. Daniel Kaluuya was brilliant in the cultural appropriation/slave/horror classic “Get Out.” However, no one got up to the level of Oldman in 2017.
Best Actress Nominees
Meryl Streep—“The Post”
Saoire Ronan—“Lady Bird”
Margot Robbie—“I, Tonya”
Frances McDormand—“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Sally Hawkins—“The Shape of Water”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: Sally Hawkins—“The Shape of Water”
Regal’s Favorite: Margot Robbie—“I, Tonya”
Snub: Jessica Chastain—“Molly’s Game”
Brilliance is definitely captivating an entire movie audience without saying a mumbling word throughout the movie. That is why the brilliant Sally Hawkins will win for “The Shape of Water” because so much of communication and acting is nonverbal and being able to give a powerful but mute performance is brilliance personified. Regal’s favorite is Margot Robbie’s career defining role as ice skater Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya,” but soon Hawkins will have an award in the shape of an Oscar for her role in “The Shape of Water.”
Best Supporting Actor Nominees
Sam Rockwell—“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Christopher Plummer—“All the Money in the World”
Richard Jenkins—“The Shape of Water”
Woody Harrelson—“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Willem Dafoe—“The Florida Project”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: Sam Rockwell—“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Regal’s Favorite: Sam Rockwell—“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Snub: Jason Mitchell—“Mudbound”
New Orleans native Jason Mitchell is up and coming, but his talents are underappreciated by the Oscar voters. The “Straight Outta Compton” star should have received a nomination for his portrayal as Eazy-E in the N.W.A biopic and should have received another nod for “Mudbound.” Unfortunately, Mitchell is not in the race for best supporting actor. If past award shows are an indicator of Oscar success, Sam Rockwell will walk away with the award for his performance as a racist cop in “Three Billboards in Ebbing, Missouri.”
Best Supporting Actress Nominees
Octavia Spencer—“The Shape of Water”
Laurie Metcalf—“Lady Bird”
Lesley Manville—“Phantom Thread”
Allison Janney—“I, Tonya”
Mary J. Blige—“Mudbound”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: Allison Janney—“I, Tonya”
Regal’s Favorite: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Snub: Rosamund Pike—“Hostiles”
If it were up to RegalMag.com, the stars of “I, Tonya” would sweep the female acting categories. However, Regal will have to settle on one victory and that is Allison Janney for Best Supporting Actress. Octavia Spencer was her usual stellar self and she will begin to be a regular nominee like Washington in the acting categories. Mary J. Blige’s performance as a family matriarch during segregation showed music is just one of the many talents that the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul possesses. But Tanney is brilliant in a trailer park kind of way and should walk way with Oscar gold.
Best Director Nominees
Guillermo del Toro—“The Shape of Water”
Paul Thomas Anderson—“Phantom Thread”
Greta Gerwig—“Lady Bird”
Jordan Peele—“Get Out”
Christopher Nolan—“Dunkirk”
Regal’s Predicted Winner: Guillermo del Toro—“The Shape of Water”
Regal’s Favorite: Guillermo del Toro—“The Shape of Water”
Snub: Dee Rees—“Mudbound”
The 90th annual Academy Awards were supposed to be Christopher Nolan’s year to walk way with the Best Director award. However, Guillermo del Toro has different plans. And while del Toro’s films have run the gamut from weird to fantastic, “The Shape of Water” combined his brilliance with his eccentricities, creating a masterpiece. Jordan Peele also created a masterpiece and another genre, but his time will have to wait until later. But, his time will definitely come soon.
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