Six of the most qualified Oscar pundits, film writers and critics to tell us which movies will lead this year’s Oscar race.
It’s that time of year again when the multiplexes are crowded with movies hoping to build that all-important buzz on the way to the 90th Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 4.
As usual, questions abound. Will the newly diversified group of voters provide a boon to smaller audience favorite films such as “Lady Bird,” “The Florida Project” and “Get Out”? Will Christopher Nolan finally earn a directing nomination? How much will the recent string of allegations of sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood darken the proceedings and render some potential contender non-starters?
Here, we turn to six of the most qualified Oscar pundits, film writers and critics to tell us which movies will lead this year’s Oscar race. The nominations won’t be revealed until Jan. 23, so check back often to see who’s up and who’s down on the Buzzmeter.
Tom O’Neil (Gold Derby), Nicole Sperling (Entertainment Weekly), Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood), Glenn Whipp (The Envelope), Justin Chang (L.A. Times), Kenneth Turan (L.A. Times)
Here are their picks in the key categories, with the top vote-getters highlighted in red:
“How curious that two World War II films about Dunkirk battle for the top Oscar — and both have a real chance to win.”
— Tom O’Neil
“Finally, Christopher Nolan will land a directors’ slot that he could actually win. But popular Guillermo del Toro could follow his Mexican confreres Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Inarritu into the winner’s circle for his moving period fantasy romance ‘The Shape of Water.’ ”
— Anne Thompson
“Oscar-winner Daniel Day Lewis looms over the relatively weak actor field as a finicky clothing designer in Paul Thomas Anderson’s yet unseen romance ‘Phantom Thread,’ but until then we can confidently predict that Gary Oldman will be hard to beat as Winston Churchill in the timely ‘Darkest Hour.’ What does his performance show us? What a brilliant leader looks like. ”
— Anne Thompson
“No, we haven’t seen ‘The Post’ yet but that’s Meryl Streep and she’s playing Katherine Graham. It’s a match made in heaven. Still the category is Frances McDormand’s for the taking, even if she won’t schmooze for it.”
— Nicole Sperling
“Nice to see Ray Romano coming back into focus.”
— Kenneth Turan
“Laurie Metcalf and Allison Janney have won countless awards — but never an Oscar. One of them probably will this year.”
— Glenn Whipp
“There may be more voiceover in ‘Molly’s Game’ than there is dialogue in my other four picks combined, and for once, that’s not a bad thing.”
— Justin Chang
“This would be a nice place to reward Sofia Coppola ‘s suspenseful, purposeful drama ‘The Beguiled.’”
— Glenn Whipp
“There may be no more strongly backed favorite this year than ‘Blade Runner 2049’s’ Roger Deakins — which doesn’t mean he won’t lose for the 14th time.”
— Justin Chang
“Smaller companies like GKids and Shout Factory make their play once again.”
— Kenneth Turan
