OFFICIAL Oscar Predictions (Part 2 of 3)

Continuing on, these categories capture the look and feel of the film. And personally, they are my favorite categories to predict and wonder about. I always feel as though I'll have five or ten more pieces of production design or showcases in cinematography that are just as (if not more so) worthy of a nomination. But I digress. Well knowing that there are a few months more of offerings, here are some less-than finalized predictions:

Film Editing

_ Call Me By Your Name

_ Darkest Hour

_ Dunkirk

_ The Post

_ Wonderstruck

alt. Blade Runner 2049

But really, who knows with this one? With the exception of Dunkirk, I am hard-pressed to declare any of these as a slam-dunk. Again, other than Dunkirk, none of these really strike me as 'traditional' Academy showcases. Perhaps Wonderstruck for its hops in time? The Post for its ensemble balancing act? Call Me By Your Name because it's (seemingly) a Best Picture frontrunner? Stay tuned, I say, as others like Star Wars and Blade Runner 2049 feature more action-oriented storytelling.

Cinematography

_ Blade Runner 2049

_ Darkest Hour

_ Dunkirk

_ The Shape of Water

_ Wonderstruck

alt. The Greatest Showman

Strange. For the past few years, Cinematography seems to be the one I get right every time. And thus far, these are the five I feel the most confident about in any category. For what it's worth, the race will come down to Dunkirk or Blade Runner 2049. Another Deakins loss would absolutely kill me.

Production Design and Set Decoration

_ Beauty and the Beast

_ Blade Runner 2049

_ Darkest Hour

_ The Greatest Showman

_ The Shape of Water

alt. Murder on the Orient Express

I suppose I have been, for better or worse, seeing Murder as this year's The Grand Budapest Hotel, in that it seems very fruitful in all it has to show for. But that could all be conjecture. It could just as well be all eye candy, so much so that the Academy cannot even get itself to appreciate it.

Costume Design

_ Beauty and the Beast

_ Darkest Hour
_ The Greatest Showman

_ Phantom Thread

_ The Shape of Water

alt. Murder on the Orient Express

Here, it is shaping up to be a great year for costume design! Based solely on what I've seen from trailers and artwork, I am really gunning for Murder to make a big artistic appearance in these categories.

Makeup and Hair Design
_ Darkest Hour

_ Logan

_ Wonder

alt. Beauty and the Beast

This is always the 'do your best' category. Seriously, who knows what could happen? Darkest Hour is our slam-dunk is all I can offer. Even then, the Academy always pulls the rug out from under the one we think will be an obvious nomination.

Original Score

_ Darkest Hour

_ Dunkirk

_ The Post

_ The Shape of Water
_ Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi

alt. Blade Runner 2049

Working blindly on this one. Music doesn't really get its credentials during awards season until much later. Which is why listing off vague Original Song contenders seems near pointless just now.

- - - - -

Finishing up the predictions, Part 3 will navigate three the technical categories. Be sure to follow up!