The 2019 Academy Awards will take place on February 24, 2019 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, hosted by nobody? We guess? The 3rd annual 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 check out our overall projected winners. UPDATED – RESULTS ARE IN!
Note: 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. Check out the full list of nominees below to see which staffer picked what and which nominees came out on top overall. – Keven
UPDATE! – WINNERS REVEALED IN **PINK** BELOW!
BEST PICTURE – Projected Winner: Roma
- “Black Panther” Scott
- “BlacKkKlansman”
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” Mark
- “The Favourite”
- “Green Book” Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “Roma” Keven Michael
- “A Star Is Born”
- “Vice”
Keven – I still can’t bring myself to watch Roma even though it’s right there sitting in my Netflix list and has been for ages. I’m making an educated guess in assuming it will win, during the lowest viewed Oscars broadcast in history mind you… My favourite film of 2019 was MANDY, so of all the nominees in this category, I honestly don’t care who wins. This is the lamest lineup of Best Picture contenders in years.
Michael – Alfonso Cuaron crafts a masterpiece in this personal and powerful story. Roma will go down as his best movie when its all said and done.
Kevin – This awards season has been full of questionable decisions, and the perfect way to conclude it is with one of the more divisive PGA winners in recent memory taking home the biggest Oscar of the night – Green Book.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – Projected Winner: Undecided
- Christian Bale, “Vice” Michael Mark
- Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born” Scott
- Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate”
- Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody” Keven Kevin– ***WINNER***
- Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”
Keven – I watched Bohemian Rhapsody and I enjoyed the film very much. I don’t get all the hate (aside from the behind-the-scenes nonsense) and I don’t get the criticism against Rami Malek’s performance as legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury either. He did an admirable job and I think he was honestly the best of the bunch here. He deserves it.
Michael – Bale is known for transforming himself and being immersed in a role. As Dick Cheney, he takes that to a whole different level.
Kevin – From the BAFTA to the SAG award and the Golden Globe, Malek has won every Best Actor award up to this point for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – Projected Winner: Lady Gaga
- Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma”
- Glenn Close, “The Wife” Scott
- Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born” Keven Michael Kevin Mark
- Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”– ***WINNER***
- Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Keven – I was about 30 minutes into watching ‘A Star is Born’ before my wife turned to me during a mumbled and annoying conversation between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, when she asked me if we could shut this shit off and watch something good. I was stunned, but I happily obliged. Gaga’s not a good actress. Sorry – she’s an incredible singer but she’s been godawful onscreen since her acting debut in American Horror Story. She will likely win, though I hope Glenn Close takes it instead.
Michael – Gaga shows off range that we didn’t really know she had and her performance of Shallow alone should give her the Oscar.
Kevin – The Academy Awards are trying to appeal to popular audiences, and what better way to do it than by awarding the lone pop star-turned-actress (Gaga) for a breakthrough performance?
DIRECTOR – Projected Winner: Alfonso Cuaron
- Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” Mark
- Pawel Pawlikowski, “Cold War”
- Yorgos Lanthimos, “The Favourite”
- Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” Keven Scott Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
- Adam McKay, “Vice”
Director Alfonso Cuaron photographed by Benedict Evans in New York, NY on October 5, 2018.
Michael – The direction of Roma is very poised and precise which makes it the clear winner for the Oscar.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – Projected Winner: Regina King
- Amy Adams, “Vice”
- Marina de Tavira, “Roma” Keven
- Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk” Scott Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
- Emma Stone, “The Favourite” Mark
- Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – Projected Winner: Undecided
- Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
- Adam Driver, “BlackKKlansman”
- Sam Elliott, “A Star Is Born” Keven
- Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me” Scott Mark
- Sam Rockwell, “Vice”
Keven – Sam Elliott is the man. I’ve been a fan for life and I’m ecstatic that he was nominated for an Academy Award – FINALLY. Yes this is his first nod and that simply will not do. Richard E. Grant will probably win this one, but I really, really am cheering for that legendary mustache to grace the podium.
Michael – Ali is the best part of the fabricated Green Book and this is the only Oscar that movie should win.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – Projected Winner: Roma
- “Capernaum”
- “Cold War”
- “Never Look Away”
- “Roma” Keven Scott Michael Kevin Mark– ***WINNER***
- “Shoplifters”
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT) – Projected Winner: Period. End of Sentence.
- “Black Sheep” Michael
- “End Game” Keven
- “Lifeboat” Mark
- “A Night at the Garden”
- “Period. End of Sentence.” Scott Kevin– ***WINNER***
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – Projected Winner: Free Solo
- “Free Solo” Keven Scott Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” Mark
- “Minding the Gap”
- “Of Fathers and Sons”
- “RBG”
Michael – This breathtaking doc (Free Solo) deserves to win not only because of the way it was filmed and the story, but also for how organic the character transformations are.
ORIGINAL SONG – Projected Winner: Shallow
- “All The Stars” – “Black Panther”
- “I’ll Fight” – “RBG”
- “Shallow” – “A Star Is Born Keven Scott Michael Kevin Mark– ***WINNER***
- “The Place Where Lost Things Go” – “Mary Poppins Returns”
- “When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” – “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
Michael – SHALLALLALLOWWWWW (one of the best songs in general of 2018).
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM – Projected Winner: Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse
- “Incredibles 2”
- “Isle of Dogs” Mark
- “Mirai”
- “Ralph Breaks the Internet”
- “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” Keven Scott Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
Keven – Into The Spider-Verse will win this and if it does indeed lose to Pixar’s Incredibles 2 – the internet will RIOT. I don’t see how Spider-Man could lose this one but I’ve seen crazier, dumber things from these shows before. Into The Spider-Verse should have been nominated over Black Panther for Film of The Year too by the way…
Michael – I don’t even like animated movies but I will be buying the Spider-Verse blu-ray day one.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – Projected Winner: BlacKkKlansman
- “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
- “BlacKkKlansman” Keven Scott Michael Mark– ***WINNER***
- “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
- “If Beale Street Could Talk” Kevin
- “A Star Is Born”
Michael – The “BlacKkKlansman” screenplay tells a well-crafted story that is powerful and timely.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Projected Winner: The Favourite
- “First Reformed”
- “Green Book” Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “Roma” Michael
- “The Favourite” Keven Scott
- “Vice” Mark
PRODUCTION DESIGN – Projected Winner: Black Panther
- “Black Panther” Keven Scott Kevin Mark– ***WINNER***
- “The Favourite” Michael
- “First Man”
- “Mary Poppins Returns”
- “Roma”
Michael –The production design of “The Favourite” is very authentic and pleasing to the eye.
CINEMATOGRAPHY – Projected Winner: Roma
- “Cold War”
- “The Favourite” Mark
- “Never Look Away”
- “Roma” Keven Scott Michael Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “A Star Is Born”
Michael – Cuaron takes a stab at being the cinematographer while also directing and producing and writing….and needless to say, this movie is GORGEOUS
COSTUME DESIGN – Projected Winner: The Favourite
- “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
- “Black Panther” Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “The Favourite” Keven Scott Michael
- “Mary Poppins Returns”
- “Mary Queen of Scots” Mark
SOUND EDITING – Projected Winner: Undecided
- “A Quiet Place” Michael Mark
- “Black Panther” Keven Scott
- “Bohemian Rhapsody”– ***WINNER***
- “First Man”
- “Roma” Kevin
Keven – A Quiet Place deserves this award because I’ve never seen a film that utilised sound (and the lack of) better in 2018 (maybe ever?). But I’m picking Black Panther because I’m assuming Disney paid for at least a couple technical awards this year…
Michael – The sound in A Quiet Place makes the film and it is VERY well done.
SOUND MIXING – Projected Winner: A Star is Born
- “Black Panther”
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” Keven– ***WINNER***
- “First Man”
- “Roma” Kevin
- “A Star Is Born” Scott Michael Mark
ANIMATED SHORT FILM – Projected Winner: Bao
- “Animal Behaviour”
- “Bao” Keven Scott Kevin Mark– ***WINNER***
- “Late Afternoon”
- “One Small Step” Michael
- “Weekends”
Keven – Pixar’s Bao was weird, unsettling and packs one helluva an emotional punch. It’s easily the most bizarre short film that the studio has attached to a major theatrical release (Incredibles 2) and I hope it wins.
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM – Projected Winner: Detainment
- “Detainment” Keven Michael Kevin
- “Fauve”
- “Marguerite”
- “Mother” Mark
- “Skin” Scott– ***WINNER***
ORIGINAL SCORE – Projected Winner: Undecided
- “Black Panther” Scott Kevin– ***WINNER***
- “BlacKkKlansman”
- “If Beale Street Could Talk” Michael Mark
- “Isle of Dogs”
- “Mary Poppins Returns” Keven
Michael – The score in “If Beale Street Could Talk” is very attention grabbing and it elevates the story even more.
VISUAL EFFECTS – Projected Winner: Avengers Infinity War
- “Avengers: Infinity War” Keven Scott Michael Kevin
- “Christopher Robin”
- “First Man”– ***WINNER***
- “Ready Player One” Mark
- “Solo: A Star Wars Story”
Keven – There were some astounding special effects in 2018 – Ready Player One and Solo were both incredibly fun theatrical experiences but Infinity War changed the game… Josh Brolin’s mo-cap performance as Thanos was the best visual effect of the year and for that alone it deserves the win – not to mention the millions of other insane digital shots included from the nearly three-hour runtime.
Michael – THANOS. NUFF’ SAID.
FILM EDITING – Projected Winner: Undecided
- “BlacKkKlansman” Scott
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” Keven– ***WINNER***
- “Green Book” Mark
- “The Favourite” Kevin
- “Vice” Michael
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING – Projected Winner” Vice
- “Border”
- “Mary Queen of Scots”
- “Vice” Keven Scott Michael Kevin Mark – ***WINNER***
Michael – CHRISTIAN BALE. NUFF’ SAID.
THE RESULTS!!!!
Overall Score – 12/24 *** 50% accuracy
Well that’s a wrap and we have a new champion as Kevin Allen is crowned victorious as this year’s sole survivor of the Oscar Battle Royale. Green Book was his secret weapon as the controversial flick scooped up plenty of major awards leading him to a strong win. Until next year!
#1. Kevin 17/24 *** 71% accuracy
#2. Scott 14/24 *** 58% accuracy
#3. Keven – 13/24 ***54% accuracy
#4. Michael – 10/24 *** 42% accuracy
#5. Mark – 6/24 *** 25% accuracy
