So far, this Oscar season has been pretty exciting. At first, “The Irishman” seemed to be the front runner, but then “Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood” went ahead with its considerable victory at the Golden Globe, but then there came “1917” and “Parasite”, a dark horse from South Korea which may make the history considering its possible chance to beat “1917” in the ongoing Best Picture Oscar race.

Meanwhile, many of other major categories have been quite clear during last several weeks. In case of the acting categories, all of the front runners won Golden Globe, SAG, BFCA and BAFTA, and we will be quite surprised if something similar to Olivia Colman winning the Best Actress Oscar in last year happens. In case of the technical categories, I am convinced that “1917” will garner 3 or 4 awards at least, and I think most of other Best Picture Oscar nominees will not be empty-handed in the end, though “The Irishman” will probably suffer the same humiliation “Gangs of New York” suffered 17 years ago.

Anyway, folks, here is my ever-incorrect Oscar Prediction, and let’s see how inaccurate my prediction is – and how much you can outsmart me. I am ready to be surprised, you know.

Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari (2019): Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and James Mangold
The Irishman(2019): Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff
Jojo Rabbit (2019): Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, and Chelsea Winstanley
Joker (2019): Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff
Little Women (2019): Amy Pascal
Marriage Story (2019): Noah Baumbach and David Heyman
1917 (2019): Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, and Callum McDougal
Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019): David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, and Quentin Tarantino
Parasite (2019): Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-ho

Let’s do some elimination first. While “Jojo Rabbit”, “Marriage Story”, “Little Women”, and “Ford v Ferrari” have not had much buzz, “Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood” and “The Irishman” have gone down so far, and “Joker” is too controversial to win despite garnering no less than 11 nominations. Considering its victories at Golden Globe, DGA, PGA, and BAFTA, I will bet on “1917”, but my heart goes to “Parasite”

Prediction: “1917”
Preference: “Parasite”

 

Best Actor
Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory (2019)
Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019)
Adam Driver – Marriage Story (2019)
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker (2019)
Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes (2019)

After winning the Golden Globe, BAFTA, BFCA and SAG Award, Joaquin Phoenix has been a definite front runner while other nominees are far behind him.

Prediction: Joaquin Phoenix
Preference: Antonio Banderas

 

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo – Harriet (2019)
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story (2019)
Saoirse Ronan – Little Women (2019)
Charlize Theron – Bombshell (2019)
Renée Zellweger –Judy (2019)

Like Joaquin Phoenix, Renée Zellweger won all those four major awards, so….

Prediction: Renée Zellweger
Preference: Saoirse Ronan

 

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes (2019)
Al Pacino – The Irishman (2019)
Joe Pesci – The Irishman (2019)
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019)

Don’t bet on anyone other than Brad Pitt.

Prediction: Brad Pitt
Preference: Joe Pesci

 

Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell (2019)
Laura Dern – Marriage Story (2019)
Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Florence Pugh – Little Women (2019)
Margot Robbie – Bombshell (2019)

The time has finally come for Laura Dern, you know.

Prediction: Laura Dern
Preference: Laura Dern

 

Best Director
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman (2019)
Todd Phillips – Joker (2019)
Sam Mendes – 1917 (2019)
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019)
Bong Joon-ho – Parasite (2019)

After winning the Golden Globe, DGA, and BAFTA award, Sam Mendes is bound to win his second Best Director Oscar.

Prediction: Sam Mendes
Preference: Bong Joon-ho

 

Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out (2019): Rian Johnson
Marriage Story (2019): Noah Baumbach
1917 (2019): Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019): Quentin Tarantino
Parasite (2019): Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” won the Golden Globe, but then “Parasite” (2019) won the WGA and BAFTA award, so…

Prediction: “Parasite”
Preference: “Parasite”

 

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman (2019): Steven Zaillian
Jojo Rabbit (2019): Taika Waititi
Joker (2019): Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Little Women (2019): Greta Gerwig
The Two Popes (2019): Anthony McCarten

“Jojo Rabbit” won the WGA and BAFTA award, so…

Prediction: “Jojo Rabbit”
Preference: “Little Women”

 

Best Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari (2019): Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker
The Irishman (2019): Thelma Schoonmaker
Jojo Rabbit (2019): Tom Eagles
Joker (2019): Jeff Groth
Parasite (2019): Yang Jin-mo

“Ford v Ferrari” is the showiest one, but watch out for “Parasite”.

Prediction: “Ford v Ferrari”
Preference: “Parasite”

Best Cinematography
The Irishman (2019): Rodrigo Prieto
Joker (2019): Lawrence Sher
The Lighthouse (2019): Jarin Blaschke
1917 (2019): Roger Deakins
Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019): Robert Richardson

Who can beat that utterly astounding technical achievement of Roger Deakins in “1917”?

Prediction: “1917”
Preference: “1917”

Best Original Score
Joker (2019): Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women (2019): Alexandre Desplat
Marriage Story (2019): Randy Newman
1917 (2019): Thomas Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(2019): John Williams

I will be delighted to see Hildur Guðnadóttir becoming the first female Best Score Oscar winner since 1998, but my heart still goes to John Williams’ magnificent score for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

Prediction: “Joker”
Preference: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

 

Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 (2019): Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman (2019): Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
“I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough (2019): Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren
“Into the Unknown” from Frozen II (2019): Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“Stand Up” from Harriet (2019): Music and Lyrics by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo

It has been clear that Elton John will win here….

Prediction: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again“
Preference: “Into the Unknown”

 

Best Production Design
The Irishman (2019): Production Design: Bob Shaw; Set Decoration: Regina Graves
Jojo Rabbit (2019): Production Design: Ra Vincent; Set Decoration: Nora Sopková
1917 (2019): Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019): Production Design: Barbara Ling; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
Parasite (2019): Production Design: Lee Ha-jun; Set Decoration: Cho Won-w

I will bet on “Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood”, but watch out for “1917” and “Parasite”.

Prediction: “Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood”
Preference: “Parasite”

 

Best Costume Design
The Irishman (2019): Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson
Jojo Rabbit (2019): Mayes C. Rubeo
Joker (2019): Mark Bridges
Little Women (2019): Jacqueline Durran
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019): Arianne Phillips

Which one does look the most gorgeous?

Prediction: “Little Women”
Preference: “Little Women”

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Bombshell (2019): Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker
Joker (2019): Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou
Judy (2019); Jeremy Woodhead
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil: (2019) Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, and David White
1917 (2019): Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis, and Rebecca Cole

Which one you think is the showiest one?

Prediction: “Bombshell”
Preference: “Bombshell”

 

Best Sound Editing
Ford v Ferrari (2019): Donald Sylvester
Joker (2019): Alan Robert Murray
1917 (2019): Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019): Wylie Stateman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019): Matthew Wood and David Acord

I think “1917” will win here, but watch out for “Ford v Ferrari”.

Prediction: “1917”
Preference: “1917”

 

Best Sound Mixing
Ad Astra (2019): Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
Ford v Ferrari (2019): Paul Massey, David Giammarco, and Steven A. Morrow
Joker (2019): Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland
1917 (2019): Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood (2019): Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler, and Mark Ulano

“1917” will win also here, but watch out for “Ford v Ferrari”.

Prediction: “1917”
Preference: “1917”

 

Best Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame (2019): Dan DeLeeuw, Matt Aitken, Russell Earl, and Dan Sudick
The Irishman (2019): Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, and Nelson Sepulveda
The Lion King (2019): Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, and Elliot Newman
1917 (2019): Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, and Dominic Tuohy
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019): Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, and Dominic Tuohy

“1917” will probably beat “Avengers: Endgame”.

Prediction: “1917”
Preference: “1917”

 

Best Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019); Dean DeBlois, Bonnie Arnold, and Brad Lewis
I Lost My Body(2019): Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice
Klaus (2019): Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh, and Marisa Román
Missing Link (2019): Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner, and Travis Knight
Toy Story 4 (2019): Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, and Mark Nielsen

“Toy Story 4” is the best one in the bunch, but watch out for “Missing Link”

Prediction: “Toy Story 4”
Preference: “Toy Story 4”

 

 

Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi(Poland) (2019): Directed by Jan Komasa
Honeyland (North Macedonia) (2019): Directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov
Les Misérables (France) (2019): Directed by Ladj Ly
Pain and Glory (Spain) (2019): Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Parasite (South Korea) (2019): Directed by Bong Joon-ho

I saw all of them except “Les Misérables”, and “Parasite” has been my No.1 choice.

Prediction: “Parasite”
Preference: “Parasite”

 

Best Documentary – Feature
American Factory (2019): Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert
The Cave (2019): Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod, and Sigrid Dyekjær
The Edge of Democracy (2019): Petra Costa, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris, and Tiago Pavan
For Sama (2019): Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts
Honeyland (2019): Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska, and Atanas Georgiev

I think “American Factory” will win, but I would vote on “For Sama”.

Prediction: “American Factory”
Preference: “For Sama”

 

Best Documentary – Short Subject
In the Absence (2019): Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) (2019): Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
Life Overtakes Me (2019): John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson
St. Louis Superman (2019): Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan
Walk Run Cha-Cha (2019): Laura Nix and Colette Sandstedt

I only watched “In the Absence”, “Life Overtakes Me”, and “Walk Run Cha-Cha”, but it looks like the award will go to “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”

Prediction: “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”
Preference: “In the Absence”

 

Best Live Action Short Film
Brotherhood (2018): Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon
Nefta Football Club (2018): Yves Piat and Damien Megherbi
The Neighbors’ Window (2019): Marshall Curry
Saria (2019): Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre
A Sister (2018): Delphine Girard

I watched all of them except “Saria”. I will vote on “The Neighbors’ Window”.

Prediction: “Brotherhood”
Preference: “The Neighbors’ Window”

 
Best Animated Short Film
Dcera (Daughter) (2019): Daria Kashcheeva
Hair Love (2019): Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
Kitbull (2019): Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson
Memorable (2019): Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre
Sister (2018): Siqi Song

I only watched “Kitbull”, “Memorable”, and “Hair Love”, which seems to be the front runner at this point.

Prediction: “Hair Love”
Preference: “Kitbull”