The 89th Academy Awards: Who Will Win
Damien Chazelle might be worried about his next project, as "La La Land" became the third film to receive 14 Academy Award nominations. It was the highest number received by "All About Eve" (1950) and "Titanic" (1997). It was a case of a right place at the right time, as this nostalgic musical was like a breath of fresh air. Marvel ruled the cinema for more than a decade, and critics might be wishing for the studio days. It would be pointless to compare "La La Land" to the best of MGM musicals, even silly to pit Ryan Gosling against Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly. (There won't be a remake of "Ziegfeld Follies".) On the other hand, the Academy voters made up for last year's shutout of black actors in the acting categories. There would be six this year, and one could be preparing a thank-you speech at this point.
Let's look at the most anticipated categories:
Who will win the Best Picture category? There would be a first time for everything, but it won't happen on February 26. Expect "La La Land" to waltz with the Oscar.
Who should win the Best Picture category? Any motion picture but "La La Land", but those who seemed too critical about the musical could think of such a thing.
Who will win the Best Director category? Damien Chazelle is looking at a bright future after he receives his Oscar, but all that glitters isn't gold. He'll likely think of music for his next film, but he must do it right. There's no need to rush on it.
Who should win the Best Director category? The positive reviews of “Arrival” would make Denis Villeneuve a dark horse in this category. Science fiction doesn't impress Academy voters unless James Cameron is behind the camera. Perhaps the success of "Arrival" will change it. A nomination is good enough for Mel Gibson, as the after-awards party might give him a hint if Hollywood is giving him one more chance.
Who will win the Best Actor category? Casey Affleck despite a checkered career. It remains to be seen if he can make it without big brother Ben (Affleck) and Matt Damon by his side.
Who should win the Best Actor category? Andrew Garfield, as the Oscar can redeem him from his unlikely departure from "The Amazing Spider-Man" and its sequel, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2". He can act, and the studio bosses know it.
Who will win the Best Actress category? Amy Adams was left out, prompting her fans to wonder if she would ever go up the stage (and receive her well-deserved Oscar). On the other hand, the Academy voters did the right thing by not including Emily Blunt on the short list. (She will have her chance.) The multiple nominations of "La La Land" will give Emma Stone a good chance of winning an Academy Award on her second try. She may not be Cyd Charisse, but it wasn't hard to ignore her screen presence. An actor may have it or not.
Who should win the Best Actress category? Isabelle Huppert if Academy voters remember her heartfelt speech after receiving her Golden Globe Award. Meryl Streep may be a long shot, as her 20th nomination (for "Florence Foster Jenkins") could be partly due to her anti-Trump speech after receiving the Cecille B. Demille Award.
Who will win the Best Original Screenplay category? No one can resist "La La Land".
Who should win the Best Original Screenplay category? "The Lobster", which was one of the talked-about films at Cannes last year. This would be the second Oscar nomination for Yorgos Lanthimos, and he might be lucky the third time around.
Who will win the Best Adapted Screenplay category? "Moonlight" by the mile.
Who should win the Best Adapted Screenplay category? "Arrival", which might make up for the apparent snub on Amy Adams.
The next one will be the other categories. Watch out for it.
