This coming weekend, the 89th Annual Academy Awards will determine who comes out on top in one of the most notable and coveted competitions in film. Commonly known as The Oscars, the award show will cover various categories of film making, ranging from awards for best visual effects, to best animated short film, to the big one - best picture. I am a movie fanatic, but the cost of going to see movies has kept me from viewing all of the new and best films as they premiere. However, I try to see as much as I can to prepare for my family's annual tradition - Oscar ballots.
Every year, my family prints out ballot forms and picks the winners of every category covered during the show. A lot of times, we go in pretty blind and count on lucky guesses to get us through some of the more obscure categories. No matter what, it's always a fun experience to see who in our family comes out on top along with the stars out in Hollywood.
This year, I have only seen a few of the major films nominated but I'm still going to be going for the win! One things that's changed since last year is that I've become much more interested in the study of films on a very general level. I've always had a passion for creative writing, and as a movie-lover, I finally decided to delve into the world of screenwriting. Because of this, I've been watching Youtube videos, researching styles, and all that jazz (no La La Land pun intended). This has helped give me a new perspective when viewing a film; I tend to analyze a lot more closely then before. I figure, if I really want to pursue this interest, I have to watch and analyze a lot of good films. And the Oscars are a great place to start looking for recommendations.
So, for my family's 2017 Oscar Ballot Competition, I am more prepared then ever. Below this, I will be revealing my picks for Oscar wins in every category. If you would like to do this fun activity with your family or group of friends, you can find the printable ballots from Nola.com here. (Hint: La La Land is always a good choice.)
Oscar Picks
Best Picture: La La Land
Best Director: Kenneth Lonergan,
"Manchester by the Sea"
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Denzel Washington,
"Fences"
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Emma Stone, "La La Land"
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Michael Shannon,
"Nocturnal Animals"
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis, "Fences"
Best Animated Feature: "Moana"
Best Documentary Feature: "I Am Not Your Negro"
Best Foreign Language Film: "The Salesman"
Best Cinematography: "La La Land"
Best Costume Design: "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: "Suicide Squad"
Best Original Score: "La La Land"
Best Original Song: "Audition" from "La La
Land"
Best Sound Mixing: "Rogue One"
Best Sound Editing: "Hacksaw Ridge"
Best Film Editing: "Moonlight"
Best Visual Effects: "Doctor Strange"
Best Production Design: "La La Land"
Best Original Screenplay: "Manchester by the Sea"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "Moonlight"
Best Documentary Short: "Extremis"
Best Animated Short: "Piper"
Best Live-Action Short: "Silent Nights"
*There was a lot of guessing this year, but we'll see what happens! Happy Oscars week!