It’s the eve of the Academy Awards, so it’s time for Showbiz Trouper to make his final predictions about what’s going to happen on Oscar night:
Best Picture
BlacKkKlansman
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
Green Book
The Favourite
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Roma – for making us actually look at movies again, not just watch them
Who Will Win: Roma
Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron – Roma
Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite
Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
Adam McKay – Vice
Pawel Pawlikowski – Cold War
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron – yes in the Trouper’s view it’s slow at the beginning. She’s a cleaner, we get it. But for such a visual treat and reminding us of our childhoods, not matter where we live or when we lived them.
Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron
Best Actress
Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
Glenn Close – The Wife
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Glenn Close – it’s good to see her back reigning it in a little after a series of hammy harridans (Cruella de Vil, anyone?)
Who Will Win: Glenn Close – if for nothing else her body of work
Best Actor
Christian Bale – Vice
Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate
Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Christian Bale – for his transformative performance, something quite remarkable
Who Will Win: Rami Malek – he is on something of a roll, now
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – Vice
Marina de Tavira – Roma
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone – The Favourite
Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Regina King – she is such a presence on screen (generally TV up to now). Whenever she’s on, you can’t not watch her
Who Will Win: Regina King
Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali – Green Book
Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born
Richard E Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Sam Rockwell – Vice
Trouper Verdict:
Who Should Win: Mahershala Ali – he has such dignity and presence in all his performances
Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali – even if the heart says Richard E Grant.
Photo courtesy: Creative Commons