It's Oscar time again and time to see if anyone can beat my picks! Now I know I am much later than normal getting these posted, but what can I say....it's been a crazy year! With any luck this is the first of many new posts to come, so please bear with me and don't forget to bookmark as well as share my pages!

So...on to my predictions!

I always like leaving Best Picture for last, so why don't we start with the fine actors and actresses that have filled our screens with fine performances!

Actress in a Supporting Role

Viola Davis - Fences
Naomie Harris - Moonlight
Nicole Kidman - Lion
Octavia Spencer - Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams - Manchester by the Sea

And the winner is: Viola Davis - Fences With a stunningly powerful performance that actually took screen time away from Denzel Washington, Viola Davis is a sure bet to walk away with a statue. Add to that her past 2 nominations (she is over-due) with one of the nominations coming at the same time Octavia Spencer won for The Help, a movie they both appeared in and were both nominated for. Additionally this is a role that Viola Davis won a Tony for, so more mature voters will likely remember that wonderful performance.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Jeff Bridges - Hell or High Water
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
Dev Patel - Lion
Lucas Hedges - Manchester by the Sea
Michael Shannon - Nocturnal Animals

And the winner is: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight While I thought Moonlight was very overrated, no one can take away the powerful performance of Mahershala Ali, one of the finest, underrated actors out there today. Largely a quiet role, the character of a soulful drug dealer who accepts the responsibility of a fatherless boy turns out to be the emotional center of an otherwise dull film. Mahershala has quickly become one of my favorite actors with a reoccurring role in Marvel's 'Luke Cage' now on Netflix. This is an actor to watch out for.

Actress in a Leading Role

Isabell Huppert - Elle
Ruth Nega - Loving
Emma Stone - La La Land
Natalie Portman - Jackie
Meryl Streep - Florence Foster Jenkins

And the winner is: Emma Stone - La La Land Admittedly this is a very tough year for this category; there are so many powerful performances (with the exception of Meryl Streep who seemed to recycle Florence Jenkins). I think the dark horse is Isabell Huppert who has made more the 100 films but this is her first Best Actress nod. That being said, at 63, she still has a lot of life ahead of her. But, like I said, I think Emma Stone will take the gold statue home. With those doe like eyes that convey such a range of emotions to her surprisingly powerful and soulful solo of The Fools Who Dream, Emma Stone has us believe that dreams can in fact come true.

Actor in a Leading Role

Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling - La La Land
Viggo Mortensen - Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington - Fences

And the winner is: Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea In what has to be one of the more emotionally draining performance in some time, I would be hard pressed to realize that Casey Affleck has an actually chance of losing here. But I am afraid the real dark horse here is Denzel Washington, good news for Affleck is that Washington has two statues already and one would say that Denzel's performance in a film he also directed, was typical Denzel and not as reveling as Affleck's performance. But in a very politically charged and divided year, I have to admit I am constantly second guessing myself even as I write this. But in the end, I think Affleck will prevail in a performance that was powerfully moving and didn't leave a dry eye in the house.

Best Picture

Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell of High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Moonlight
Manchester by the Sea

And the winner is: La La Land Hollywood is all about dreams. La La Land is about those Hollywood dreams coming true! A modern 'Singing in the Rain' La La Land transports us hook, line and sinker back to a time we all had dreams of stardom. Filled with fantastic music, wonderful dance numbers and fine performances by the two leads, LA La Land is EVERYTHING Hollywood loves about the movies. It is everything WE love about the movies as well. An modern classic that will stand the test of time!

And finally: Best Director

Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Mel Gibson - Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
Denis Villeneuve - Arrival

The general rule of thumb is the Best Picture will yield the Best Director; and most times I would agree. However, there is the dark-horse of Moonlight, the indie darling film made for just under $5 million that may just win an Oscar for Berry Jenkins. BUT, that won't be the case here! And the winner is: Damien Chazelle - La La Land Chazelle did the near impossible, he made Hollywood and us fall in love with musicals again. And he did it with a modern twist that was a tour de force of film making. From the opening single shot tracked dance number to the magical dance among the stars; Damien Chazelle gives a film filled with wonder, innocence and a belief that dreams do in fact come true.

Well, those are my picks! Let me know how you do! You can comment on this post or email me: rsieger@robertsieger.com; if you do better than me, perhaps I will reward you! Then again, I might just give you a hardy 'Atta boy/girl'!

2017 Bob's Oscar Picks!

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