The 2017 Academy Awards will take place Sunday February 26, 2017 and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The first ever Oscar Battle Royale is here and the Fox Force Five News staff are competing head to head to see who can predict the most correct wins. Check out the full list of nominees below and see who picked what – then Monday we will grant the invisible championship trophy of Oscar Battle Royale 2017 to whoever comes out on top.
Even though we are all competing – because we are bloodthirsty maniacs, trended picks will be considered our overall projected winners for every category in the process. La La Land is our top winner (because it will likely win damn near everything it touches and we have it at 10 total projected Oscar wins). Check out the full list of nominees below and see which staffer picked what and which films came out on top overall. – Keven
UPDATED WITH RESULTS! Actual winners underlined.
FFFN Staff Pool Results!!
- Grant (Oscar Battle Royale 2017 Champion)
- Michael/Keven Tied
- Sean
- Mark/Scott Tied
BEST PICTURE (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land *Keven *Sean *Scott
Lion
Manchester by the Sea *Mark
Moonlight *Grant *Michael
“Of all the best picture nominees, my personal favourites are Hell or High Water and Hacksaw Ridge but the obvious momentum is calling for either a La La Land or Hidden Figures victory according to other experts in the industry. It has become fairly obvious at this point that the Jazz musical will likely take home the most trophies, but that pisses me off for some reason.” – *Keven
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![Manchester by The Sea: Emotions Run High in Stirring, Simplistic Drama [Review]](https://i0.wp.com/615film.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Casey-Affleck.jpg?ssl=1)
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (Projected Winner: Casey Affleck)
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea *Keven *Grant *Michael
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge *Scott
Ryan Gosling, La La Land *Mark
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences *Sean
“Manchester by The Sea made me want to die sitting through 2.5 hours of everyday people drenched in utter sadness, but Affleck has that one in the bag (all that harrassment shit aside – he was the best actor in 2016).” – *Keven
“Casey is the clear choice here. His performance is nuanced and perfectly human. The flack he is getting for past allegations of sexual misconduct should not overshadow what he has done here. That is what tragically happened to Nate Parker, and his beautiful film was put on the sidelines because of it. The art and the artist should be judged separately.” – *Grant
“While Casey Affleck gives the best performance out of all of these actors nominated in this category, the momentum has swung in Denzel Washington’s favor after winning, “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role,” at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month.” – *Sean
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ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE (Projected Winner: Emma Stone)
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving *Keven
Natalie Portman, Jackie *Grant
Emma Stone, La La Land *Sean *Scott *Michael
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins *Mark
“If Natalie Portman didn’t win an Oscar back in 2011 for her performance in Black Swan, this year’s Oscar for Best Actress would go to her. But since she has one, I think the Academy will lean towards Emma Stone, who sealed her nomination (and eventual win) with her closing number in La La Land.” – *Sean
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ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (Projected Winner: Mahershala Ali)
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight *Keven *Sean *Mark *Scott *Grant
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water *Michael
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
“Damn near unanimous – Mahershala Ali was the best supporting performance of 2016 for his incredible role in Moonlight, which Sean has pegged as the darkhorse flick that could upset La La Land in many of these major categories. Read in depth about Moonlight right HERE – courtesy of our resident film critic Sean Atkins.” – *Keven
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ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (Projected Winner: Viola Davis)
Viola Davis, Fences *Keven *Sean *Grant *Michael
Naomie Harris, Moonlight *Scott
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea *Mark
All that snot. Viola Davis pisses me off but it’s because she’s TOO good at what she does. On ‘How to Get Away with Murder’, she comes across as ‘trying too hard’, but I think that might be because she’s lumped in with a bunch of lightweights and constant ‘OMG FML SUH GUD’ half-assed script work. She’s a terrific actress and she deserves this win.” – *Keven.
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Kubo and The Two Strings
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM (Projected Winner: TIE Between Kubo and The Two Strings / Zootopia)
Kubo and the Two Strings *Keven *Mark *Scott
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia *Sean *Grant *Michael
“The stop-motion works of studio Laika are a unique animation trait that most companies fear to explore these days in the heavy digital animation market (cause it is TOUGH!!), but I tell you what – Kubo and The Two Strings was the first film that my 2-year-old sat through entirely without taking her eyes off the beautiful screen. This is their masterpiece – don’t miss it.” – *Keven
“I want Kubo and the Two Strings to win so bad, but Zootopia has been dominating the awards season in the animated category. While Zootopia is a great animated movie, Kubo was not only the best animated movie of 2016, but one of the best movies of 2016 period.” – *Sean
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CINEMATOGRAPHY (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival *Keven *Mark
La La Land *Sean *Grant *Michael
Lion
Moonlight *Scott
Silence
“This is another one I’m conflicted about. I want Arrival to win, for the historic significance of the first African-American to take home the Oscar and the unconventional way Bradford Young approached shooting the film. La La Land deserves it for the blending of old school Hollywood film techniques with modern film practices, but Arrival deserves it as well.” – *Grant
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COSTUME DESIGN (Projected Winner: Jackie)
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins *Grant
Jackie *Mark *Scott *Michael
La La Land *Keven *Sean
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DIRECTING (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge *Mark
La La Land *Keven *Grant *Michael
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight *Sean *Scott
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DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) (Projected Winner: OJ Made in America)
Fire at Sea *Mark
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
O.J.: Made in America *Keven *Sean *Scott *Grant *Michael
13th
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DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT) (Projected Winner: 4.1 Miles)
Extremis *Scott
4.1 Miles *Sean *Grant
Joe’s Violin *Keven
Watani: My Homeland *Mark
The White Helmets *Michael
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FILM EDITING (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival *Grant
Hacksaw Ridge *Keven
Hell or High Water *Mark
La La Land *Sean *Scott *Michael
Moonlight
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The Salesman
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (Projected Winner: 3 Way Tie Between ‘A Man Called Ove, The Salesman & Toni Erdmann)
Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove *Scott *Michael
The Salesman *Keven *Mark
Tanna
Toni Erdmann *Sean *Grant
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MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING (Projected Winner: Star Trek Beyond)
A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond *Keven *Sean *Scott *Michael
Suicide Squad *Mark *Grant
“Is it just me or is this the saddest catogory in YEARS for the Oscars? That’s all they could come up with? Really?” – *Keven
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MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Jackie
La La Land *Keven *Sean *Mark *Scott *Grant *Michael
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers
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MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) (Projected Winner: La La Land – “City of Stars”)
“Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
“Can’t Stop The Feeling” from Trolls *Scott
Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster
“City Of Stars” from La La Land *Keven *Sean *Grant *Michael
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
“The Empty Chair” from Jim: The James Foley Story
Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting
“How Far I’ll Go” from Moana *Mark
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
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PRODUCTION DESIGN (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival *Grant
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them *Mark
Hail, Caesar!
La La Land *Keven *Sean *Scott *Michael
Passengers
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SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) (Projected Winner: Borrowed Time)
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time *Keven *Sean *Scott *Michael
Pear Cider and Cigarettes *Mark
Pearl
Piper *Grant
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SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) (Projected Winner: Silent Nights)
Ennemis Intérieurs
La Femme et le TGV
Silent Nights *Sean *Scott *Grant *Michael
Sing *Keven
Timecode *Mark
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SOUND EDITING (Projected Winner: Hacksaw Ridge)
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge *Keven *Grant *Michael
La La Land *Sean *Scott
Sully *Mark
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SOUND MIXING (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Arrival *Keven
Hacksaw Ridge *Grant
La La Land *Sean *Scott *Michael
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story *Mark
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
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VISUAL EFFECTS (Projected Winner: Doctor Strange)
Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange *Sean *Mark *Grant
The Jungle Book *Keven
Kubo and the Two Strings *Scott
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story *Michael
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WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY) (Projected Winner: Arrival)
Arrival *Keven *Mark *Scott *Michael
Fences *Grant
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight *Sean
“I want Arrival to go home with at least one golden statue by the end of the night and this category gives the movie a decent chance at making that happen. But if Arrival couldn’t score a nomination for Amy Adams’ performance, I question the movie’s chances at winning any of the eight categories it was nominated for.” – *Sean
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WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY) (Projected Winner: La La Land)
Hell or High Water *Keven *Scott
La La Land *Sean *Grant *Michael
The Lobster
Manchester by the Sea *Mark
20th Century Women