Balloting ended Friday, the same week that the directors and producers guilds announced their slates and Meryl Streep delivered an awards show speech for the ages about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
What does it all mean for the Academy Awards? Time for another edition of Oscar Watch, as we puzzle through the latest news and developments leading up to the academy\u2019s revealing of its nominees on Jan. 24.
\u201cLa La Land\u201d
\u201cMoonlight\u201d
\u201c Manchester by the Sea \u201d
\u201cFences\u201d
\u201cArrival\u201d
\u201cLion\u201d
\u201cHell or High Water\u201d
\u201cHidden Figures\u201d
\u201cHacksaw Ridge\u201d
\u201cSilence\u201d
Now the question is: How many more films will the academy select? \u201cHidden Figures\u201d is the feel-good choice, sporting a popular ensemble and currently peaking at the box office. \u201cHacksaw\u201d is the preferred pick among the academy members we like to call \u201csteak eaters,\u201d i.e. older white males, i.e. most of the membership. And \u201cHell or High Water\u201d is the best movie of the trio, a thriller that weaves in pointed social commentary that speaks to the anxiety of our times.
All three could make it in \u2014 meaning there would be nine nominated movies, as was the case from 2012 to 2014. Or, possibly \u2014 and I\u2019m not holding my breath \u2014 Martin Scorsese \u2019s acolytes could make their presence felt by putting \u201cSilence\u201d in the top spot on their preferential ballots. Pundits call such placement the \u201cpassion vote,\u201d a particularly apt term for a deeply felt film like \u201cSilence.\u201d Let\u2019s just say I\u2019m holding Hebrews 11:1 close to my heart right now.
Emma Stone , \u201cLa La Land\u201d
Natalie Portman, \u201cJackie\u201d
Amy Adams, \u201cArrival\u201d
Meryl Streep, \u201cFlorence Foster Jenkins\u201d
Annette Bening , \u201c20th Century Women\u201d
Isabelle Huppert , \u201cElle\u201d
Isabelle Huppert, \u201cElle\u201d
But that doesn\u2019t always matter among actors branch voters, as they\u2019ve recently rewarded leads from off-the-beaten-path indies \u2014 Charlotte Rampling (\u201c45 Years\u201d), Marion Cotillard (\u201cTwo Days, One Night\u201d) and Emmanuelle Riva (\u201cAmour\u201d). Huppert is the quintessential \u201cdue\u201d nominee. That might give her an edge, and Streep certainly won a few votes with her speech at the Golden Globes. (Rami Malek: \u201cIn a weird way, she\u2019s our president.\u201d ) As for Bening, she\u2019s plenty revered herself and has served on the academy\u2019s board of governors the past several years. Did I mention this is an almost impossible choice?
Denzel Washington, \u201cFences\u201d
Casey Affleck, \u201cManchester by the Sea\u201d
Ryan Gosling, \u201cLa La Land\u201d
Viggo Mortensen, \u201cCaptain Fantastic\u201d
Andrew Garfield, \u201cHacksaw Ridge\u201d
Michael Keaton, \u201cThe Founder\u201d
Viola Davis, \u201cFences\u201d
Michelle Williams , \u201cManchester by the Sea\u201d
Naomie Harris , \u201cMoonlight\u201d
Nicole Kidman , \u201cLion\u201d
Octavia Spencer , \u201cHidden Figures\u201d
Janelle Mon\u00e1e, \u201cHidden Figures\u201d
Mahershala Ali , \u201cMoonlight\u201d
Jeff Bridges, \u201cHell or High Water\u201d
Lucas Hedges, \u201cManchester by the Sea\u201d
Dev Patel , \u201cLion\u201d
Hugh Grant, \u201cFlorence Foster Jenkins\u201d
Michael Shannon, \u201cNocturnal Animals\u201d
Damien Chazelle, \u201cLa La Land\u201d
Barry Jenkins, \u201cMoonlight\u201d
Kenneth Lonergan, \u201cManchester by the Sea\u201d
Denis Villeneuve, \u201cArrival\u201d
Martin Scorsese, \u201cSilence\u201d
David Mackenzie, \u201cHell or High Water\u201d<\/p>\n