2018 Oscars Race:
Taking a look at Pittsburgh ties, scandals and top contenders
The year in movies isn’t quite over in Pittsburgh, where Oscar hopefuls such as “Phantom Thread” and “Call Me By Your Name” have not yet reached local theaters. Steven Spielberg’s widely praised “The Post” opened Friday. But awards season is in full swing, and if the Golden Globes are any indication, it could be a banner 2018 for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
The nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 23. The ceremony, with Jimmy Kimmel as host, will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. March 4 on ABC.
Understanding the Academy Awards’ best picture race is complicated by rules of nomination and the quirks of a year when Hollywood has been shaken by sexual misconduct scandals. You know it’s a weird award season when in the running are two very different films with horror elements. With two weeks to go before nominations are announced, Guillermo del Toro’s transcendent fable “The Shape of Water” seems to be a lock for a nomination, and there’s strong sentiment for Jordan Peele’s racially charged “Get Out,” released in February but not forgotten.
There can be no less than five but no more than 10 nominees in the best picture category. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules allow for an odd number with the caveat that “no picture shall be nominated that receives less than 5 percent of the total votes cast.”
As we dig deeper into 2018, Hollywood continues to have some deep thinking to do regarding its harassment scandals and lack of diversity. The downfall of disgraced studio head Harvey Weinstein has dropped at least one potential
awards-season contender in “The Current War,” a Weinstein Company picture with Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon as Edison nemesis and Pittsburgh resident George Westinghouse. The movie was pulled from its Nov. 24 release and delayed until a date still yet to be determined because the scandal has created a toxic market for anything to do with Mr. Weinstein.
Another scandal caused a mad dash to make the nominations deadline: Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey was erased from the Getty family kidnap drama “All the Money in the World” and replaced by Christopher Plummer in nine days of shooting — and Mr. Plummer earned a Golden Globe nomination. It has been speculated that Mr. Spacey’s presence has hurt the chances of “Baby Driver,” the fast-paced Edgar Wright film that was an early critical darling this season. You can bet Hollywood is bracing for more sexual misconduct cases to come to light, leaving emcee Kimmel with a lot to think about as he prepares his Oscars opening monologue.
Scanning a list of possible contenders, it also is obvious that #OscarsSoWhite persists. Gender and racial diversity would seem to be elusive after the success of “Moonlight” and Viola Davis in “Fences” last year. One breakthrough should be writer-director Greta Gerwig, snubbed by the Golden Globes but a good bet to be recognized for the acclaimed coming-of-age dramedy “Lady Bird.” There also appears to be plenty of love for the Mexican-born del Toro, who won at the Golden Globes, and possibly Mr. Peele and “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya, along with Kumail Nanjiani with wife Emily V. Gordon for writing “The Big Sick.” And watch for singer Mary J. Blige of “Mudbound” in a tight supporting actress category.
The following is a list of contenders in the motion picture, director and acting categories, plus Pittsburgher possibilities, gleaned from Post-Gazette reviews, other award show nominations and wins, and top publication and website predictions.
Leading contenders
Frances McDormand, Holly Hunter and Joe Letteri, Oscar winners with Pittsburgh ties, are contenders again in 2018.
Pittsburgh connections
A lock in the best actress category would seem to be “Three Billboards” star Frances McDormand (Oscar winner for “Fargo”), who attended junior high and high school in Monessen. Carnegie Mellon alumna Holly Hunter (Oscar winner for “The Piano”) has a good shot to be nominated as best supporting actress for “The Big Sick.” And Aliquippa’s Joe Letteri of WETA Digital may get his 11th nomination for visual effects (he has four statuettes already) for “War for the Planet of the Apes.”
Best picture contenders
have appeared together, and you won’t find a better match than these old pros.” (Opened Friday.)
“CALL ME BY YOUR NAME”: A coming-of-age story about a gay relationship between a teenager and his father’s assistant in the Italian countryside. (Opening Jan. 19)
“PHANTOM THREAD”: Three-time Oscar winner Daniel DayLewis plays an eccentric couture designer in what Mr. Day-Lewis says is his last film. (Opening Jan. 19)
“LADY BIRD”: Directorwriter Gerwig’s coming-ofage story starring Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf re-created by Christopher was the best-reviewed movie Nolan as an action thrill of the year in the consensus ride. What the PG said: of critics at the website Rotten Reviewer Gary Rotstein, 4 Tomatoes. What the PG stars. “A stirring, old-fashioned, said: Reviewer Gary Rotstein, action epic.” (Check 3 stars. “Smarter, classier your on-demand service) ... thanks to the gifted, “THE SHAPE OF realistic performances of its WATER”: Mr. Del Toro’s fable lead actors and sharp dialogue.” about compassion and (DVD ETA: TBA) love, and the lack of it, when
“THREE BILLBOARDS a mystical creature is captured. OUTSIDE EBBING, What the PG said: MISSOURI”: Screenwriter Reviewer Barry Paris, 3½ Martin McDonagh’s directorial stars. “Extravagantly romantic, DON’T RULE OUT debut has his trademark sweetly sorrowful, “GET OUT”: Jordan bursts of violence, this time exquisitely crafted, perversely Peele’s horror/fantasy of in a small town where a intelligent.” (Still in racism and white privilege grieving mother, a dying some theaters) was an early watercooler sheriff, a racist deputy and “THE DISASTER movie that’s not to be forgotten. more clash and commiserate. ARTIST”: James Franco is What reviewer Katie Ms. McDormand and spot-on as real-life dreamer Walsh of Tribune News Sam Rockwell won acting Tommy Wiseau and goes behind Service said: 4 stars. “Flips Golden Globes Sunday, and the bizarre scenes for horror conventions on their the film was named top the making of the cult hit head, and in doing so, flips movie drama. What the PG “The Room.” What the PG our cultural perceptions, revealing said: Reviewer Gary Rotstein, said: Reviewer Maria a dark underside.” 4 stars. “Richly entertaining Sciullo, 3 stars. “Fans of the (Came to HBO in November) ... a grand collection 2003 cult film will delight in “BLADE RUNNER of indelible characters.” re-creations of scenes from a 2049”: The sequel starring (DVD ETA: Jan. 30) film that definitely marched Ryan Gosling and Harrison
“THE FLORIDA to the beat of its own drummer.” Ford takes place 30 years after PROJECT”: A mother and (Still in some theaters) the dystopian chaos of her young daughter living in “THE POST”: The National Ridley Scott’s neo-noir sci-fi poverty, in a seedy hotel on Board of Review gave classic. 3 stars from the PG’s the edges of Disney World. its top honor to “The Post,” Maria Sciullo. What the PG What the PG said: the Spielberg-directed ode to said: “Roger Deakins’ cinematography Reviewer Barry Paris, 3½ newspaper journalism and and Dennis stars. “Character-driven exercise The Washington Post’s Gassner’s production design with the [director’s] struggle to publish The Pentagon are beyond stunning.” (Still trademark semi-verite Papers. What the PG in some theaters) style.” (DVD ETA: Feb. 13) said: Reviewer Barry Paris, “DARKEST HOUR”:
“DUNKIRK”: The factbased 3½ stars. “Spielberg supplies Golden Globes best actor World War II civilian theatrical suspense to winner Gary Oldman is unrecognizable rescue mission that saved historical decisions,” and and a force of thousands of British troops, “It’s the first time [ Tom nature as newly minted
Hanks] and Meryl Streep Prime Minister Winston Churchill, leading Great Britain through the early days of World War II. What the PG said: Reviewer Barry Paris, 3½ stars. “Gary Oldman and Winston Churchill are a match made in casting heaven.” (Still in some theaters)
Best actress contenders
Among the top contenders for best actress nominations are: Meryl Streep in “The Post”; Frances McDormand in “Three Billboards”; Sally Hawkins in “The Shape of Water”; Margot Robbie in “I, Tonya,” and Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird.” Don’t rule out: Jessica Chastain, “Molly’s Game,” and Michelle Williams, “All the Money in the World.”
Best actor contenders
Among the top contenders for best actor nominations are Daniel Day-Lewis in “Phantom Thread”; Timothee Chalamet in “Call Me by Your Name”; James Franco in “The Disaster Artist”; Tom Hanks in “The Post,” and Gary Oldman in “Darkest Hour.” Don’t rule out: Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out.”
Best director contenders
Among the top contenders for best director nominations are Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”; Jordan Peele, “Get Out”; Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”; Steven Spielberg, “The Post”; Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water,” and Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me by Your Name.” Don’t rule out: Denis Villeneuve, “Blade Runner 2049”; Ridley Scott, “All the Money in the World,” and Patty Jenkins, “Wonder Woman.”
Best supporting actress contenders
Among the top contenders for best supporting actress nominations are Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”; Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”; Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”; Holly Hunter, “The Big Sick,” and Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water.” Don’t rule out: Tiffany Haddish, “Girls Trip”; Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”; Kristin Scott Thomas, “Darkest Hour,” and Hong Chau, “Downsizing.”
Best supporting actor contenders
Among the top contenders for best supporting actor nominations are Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”; Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”; Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg, “Call Me by Your Name.” Don’t rule out: Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”; Jason Mitchell, “Mudbound,” and Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”