Film critics Carrie and Chad on who will – and who should – win the 89th Academy Awards
The 89th Academy Awards air this Sunday, February 26th on ABC at 5:30pm PST (tune in an hour or so earlier if you want to see any of the red carpet glitz). Once again, Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chad Liffmann share their annual predictions – and hopes – for the major categories. Follow along and see how we – and you – do on the big night!
BEST PICTURE:
Nominees: Arrival/Fences/Hacksaw Ridge/Hell or High Water/Hidden Figures/La La Land/Lion/Manchester by the Sea/Moonlight
Carrie: Will Win: La La Land; Should Win: Manchester by the Sea
Chad: Will Win: Moonlight; Should Win: Moonlight
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING:
Nominees: Dennis Villeneuve, Arrival/Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge/Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea/Barry Jenkins, Moonlight/Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Carrie: Will Win: Chazelle, La La Land; Should Win: Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Chad: Will Win: Chazelle, La La Land; Should Win: Chazelle, La La Land
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Nominees: Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge/Denzel Washington, Fences/Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic/Ryan Gosling, La La Land/Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Carrie: Will Win: Denzel Washington; Should Win: Casey Affleck
Chad: Will Win: Denzel Washington; Should Win: Denzel Washington
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Nominees: Ruth Negga, Loving/Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins/Natalie Portman, Jackie/Emma Stone, La La Land/Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Carrie: Will Win: Emma Stone; Should Win: Isabelle Huppert
Chad: Will Win: Emma Stone; Should Win: Isabelle Huppert
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Nominees: Naomie Harris, Moonlight/Viola Davis, Fences/Nicole Kidman, Lion/Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures/Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Carrie: Will Win: Viola Davis; Should Win: Viola Davis
Chad: Will Win: Viola Davis; Should Win: Viola Davis
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Nominees: Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea/Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals/Mahershala Ali, Moonlight/Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water/Dev Patel, Lion
Carrie: Will Win: Mahershala Ali; Should Win: Michael Shannon
Chad: Will Win: Mahershala Ali; Should Win: Mahershala Ali
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Nominees: Kubo and the Two Strings/Moana/My Life as a Zucchini/The Red Turtle/Zootopia
Carrie: Will Win: Zootopia; Should Win: Moana
Chad: Will Win: Zootopia; Should Win: Zootopia
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Nominees: I am Not Your Negro/Life Animated/OJ: Made in America/Fire at Sea/13th
Carrie: Will Win: OJ: Made in America; Should Win: The Eagle Huntress (okay, it’s not even nominated, but it should have been – and it should have won!)
Chad: Will Win: OJ: Made in America; Should Win: 13th
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Nominees: Greig Fraser, Lion/James Laxton, Moonlight/Rodrigo Prieto, Silence/Linus Sandgren, La La Land/Bradford Young, Arrival
Carrie: Will Win: Sandgren, La La Land; Should Win: Laxton, Moonlight
Chad: Will Win: Young, Arrival; Should Win: Laxton, Moonlight
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE:
Nominees: Land of Mine (Denmark)/A Man Called Ove (Sweden)/The Salesman (Iran)/Tanna (Australia)/Toni Erdmann (Germany)
Carrie: Will Win: The Salesman; Should Win: The Salesman
Chad: Will Win: Toni Erdmann; Should Win: Toni Erdmann
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Nominees: Eric Heisserer, Arrival/August Wilson, Fences/Luke Davies, Lion/Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight/Theodore Melfi and Allison Schroeder, Hidden Figures
Carrie: Will Win: Jenkins & McCraney, Moonlight; Should Win: Jenkins & McCraney, Moonlight
Chad: Will Win: Jenkins & McCraney, Moonlight; Should Win: Heisserer, Arrival
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Nominees: Mike Mills, 20th Century Women/Damien Chazelle, La La Land/Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea/Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou, The Lobster/Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water
Carrie: Will Win: Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea; Should Win: Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Chad: Will Win: Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea; Should Win: Lanthimos & Filippou, The Lobster
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And if you’re not entirely sure La La Land deserves so many nominations, you’re not alone, as this very funny recent sketch from Saturday Night Live makes clear. Enjoy, and good luck in your Oscar pool!
