Tonight is the presentation of the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood. The equally prestigious and localized ceremony celebrates the best in filmmaking from 2019. While it’s still a competition, it’s expected most categories this year to have obvious winners. But who are they going to be? And which races are the close ones to watch?
Tonight’s show begins airing on various networks at 6:30pm EST with arrivals on the red carpet. The actual ceremony starts at 8:00pm EST. And after last year’s success, there will be no host for the ceremony for the second year in a row.
A popular pastime that compliments the show are Oscar viewing parties, where people gather to watch the red carpet show and Academy Award presentation on television. Many of those also include contests for guessing who the winners are going to be.
Filling out ballots, in fact, is arguably the highlight of these parties. Guests can fill out sheets with who they think will win the Oscar in each of the 24 different categories. It can be more challenging for some viewers because it’s hard to guess winners when you haven’t seen a certain number of the nominated movies.
Luckily, I have seen most of the nominated movies this year. After an exciting year in cinema, allow me to help guide you to the likeliest winners.
Like most years, the Academy is expected to give a multiple prizes to several movies instead of several to only one or two. It’s worth remembering that predicting the Oscars isn’t about who you want to win. It’s about who you think the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science actually voted to win.
Here are my predictions for the four movies I believe will win the more than one statuette at this year’s ceremony. You can use my background and predictions to help you win your Oscar ballot tonight.
92nd Academy Awards Predictions
1917
- Best Picture
- Best Director for Sam Mendes
- Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
While the best odds are on 1917 to win most categories and Best Picture, none of these are for certain. Parasite could spoil its odd at the top prize and Ford v Ferrari’s chances at the two sound awards are actually the closest mathematical races of the night. The only lock here for sure is Roger Deakins’ cinematography. (Read the Oakville News review here.)
Parasite
- Best Original Screenplay for Bong Joon-Ho
- Best International Feature for South Korea
- Best Editing
I believe Parasite to truly be this year’s Best Picture and it’s the second most likely to win the top prize. It will, however, most definitely win the newly renamed Best International Film category. (It was formerly called Best Foreign Language Film.) That win means a lot to South Korea, competing with a movie at the Oscars for the first time. (Read the Oakville News review here.)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
- Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth
- Best Production Design
The glitz and glamour of Tarantino’s Hollywood comedy epic will win for its lavish period sets, and Brad Pitt has been charming award shows for months. But these should be the only expected wins, notably an expectation to lose Best Costume Design to Little Women. (Read the Oakville News review here.)
Joker
- Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/“Joker”
- Best Original Score for Hildur Guonadóttir
Although it leads the nominations with 11 in all, Joker also got the lowest average review score of this year’s Best Picture nominees. What it will win for certain is Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix in the title role. He’s received critical acclaim since the film’s premiere six months ago, and it really is no contest. (Read the Oakville News review here.)
The other two acting prizes will likely go to Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy for Best Actress and Laura Dern winning Best Supporting Actress for her performance of Nora Fanshaw in Marriage Story.
Other likely winners include Toy Story 4 for Best Animated Feature, Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman for Best Original Song, and American Factory for Best Documentary Film.
Finally, look for Taika Waititi to get a surprise win for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, though Greta Gerwig is a very close second for her writing of Little Women.
If you’re interested in reading about my in-depth analysis for the 24 categories for the 92nd Academy Awards, you can read and download my annual film essay by clicking here for free. It contains my complete predictions for tonight’s Academy Awards. It also includes a recap of my movie watching habits and thoughts on all movies from 2019.
Otherwise, get ready for an exciting and unpredictable 92nd Academy Awards. With Hollywood changing how it makes and releases movies, it’s sure to be a political and possibly controversial show.
Who knows? Five years from now, maybe Netflix will get the exclusive rights to streaming the show. Maybe then they’d have a chance at winning Best Picture.
