The 86th Academy Awards are taking place this Sunday night, giving us an excuse to stay up until midnight drinking champagne and talking shit on celebs (just me?). Ellen Degeneres will be taking on the hosting duties of tonight, because with every bold choice of host (James Franco and Anne Hathaway, Seth MacFarlane), the Academy never fails to follow up with a safe choice (Billy Crystal, Ellen).
The movies nominated for Best Picture are a good representation of both Oscar shoe-ins and movies we actually saw this year, which means (hopefully) that the hours-long awards show won’t be as dry as we know it can get. Compared to the Grammys and the Golden Globes, the Academy Awards are known to steep in their own nostalgia, but no matter. We’ll still watch, at least, for the major awards and the best gowns, of course, so who can we expect to see making some acceptance speeches on Hollywood’s big night.
If you’re heading to an Oscar viewing party in Boston, making bets, or just watching from home, here are some Oscar night predictions and people to look out for at this year’s awards. Want to root for the home team? Here are Boston’s ties to the Oscars.
Best Picture
The nominees:
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street
Who will win:
Gravity and 12 Years a Slave tied for top honors at the Producers Guild Awards, which is a classic match up between cutting-edge technology and the historical epic. Don’t forget American Hustle, which won big at the Golden Globes. This three-way race will make things interesting, but we’re going to put our money on 12 Years a Slave, if past winners like Hurt Locker and The Artist have any indication of the Academy’s preference.
Best Director
The nominees:
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Martin Scorcese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Who will win:
Just like Best Picture, Gravity and 12 Years a Slave are the front runners. But unlike Best Picture, we’re giving this one to Cuarón for his work on the mesmerizing aesthetic of the movie. David O. Russell could be a last-minute sleeper win as well, but as usual, none for Martin Scorcese, bye.
Best Actor
The nominees:
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Who will win:
Will the Academy finally end Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar losing streak? It’s possible, but the award could easily go to Chiwetel Ejiofor or Matthew McConaughey as well. I’d put my money on McConaughey, but my heart is with Leo. As for the total snub? Joaquin Phoenix in Her. His performance was so convincing, I believed in that mustache.
Best Actress
The nominees:
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Who will win:
Cate Blanchett is the favored winner after scoring big at the SAG Awards and Golden Globes. Amy Adams, however, could sneak in as an upset – especially considering the controversy surrounding Woody Allen in recent months. But since when has the Academy been known to take something like that into consideration? We’d bet on Blanchett.
Best Supporting Actor
The nominees:
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Who will win:
Jared Leto is a big favorite, as he’s won every precursor award leading up to the Oscars. And he went drag for Dallas Buyers Club, whereas Jonah Hill merely wore some fake, prominent teeth. Barkhad Abdi could be a last-minute upset, but I’ll put my money on Leto.
Best Supporting Actress
The nominees:
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska
Who will win:
Lupita Nyong’o has it in the bag – hopefully. Her and Jennifer Lawrence have basically split the precursor awards down the middle, but really … her American Hustle character didn’t even get that much screen time. Plus, it feels like Lawrence doesn’t even feel like she deserves the award, whereas Nyong’o has been all over the scene and nailing it so far. As much as we all like Lawrence, I have a feeling a relatively undeserved win wouldn’t do her any favors.
Like our choices? Print out a ballot here and prepare to win big at this Sunday’s Academy Awards party. (BostInno is not responsible for any money lost on the making of a shitty ballot.) Happy Oscars!
