Oscar Predictions for 2020
As I have done every year for decades, here are my Oscar predictions.
2020 Oscars
Wendy’s Guesses
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: 1917, because it did at Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Parasite; it’s unanimous with Austin cinemaphiles, but I'm more "mehhh"
WHO DID WIN: Parasite, so that makes 2020 a record-breaking year (1st non-English-language film to win Best Picture, for just one of many)
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Todd Phillips, Joker
Sam Mendes, 1917
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Scorsese; they’ll give a 2nd one to him as he trends to retirement
WHO SHOULD WIN: Bong Joon Ho, always underappreciated
WHO SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: A woman! Even just one woman!! Greta Gerwig, maybe?
WHO DID WIN: Bong Joon Ho did a clean sweep of awards, dang
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
WHO WILL WIN: Jonathan Pryce, because it’s the pope and he humanized him so well
WHO SHOULD WIN: Impressed with Adam Driver’s quivering chin in that one scene
WHO DID WIN: Joaquin Phoenix, like at Golden Globes, and he did another long about mankind
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renée Zellweger, Judy
WHO WILL WIN: Maybe Zellweger, because of Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Erivo was intense, charismatic, and no trace of Brit showed
WHO DID WIN: Zellweger again
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: Probably Joe Pesci, because I hear he owned that movie
WHO SHOULD WIN: Tom Hanks did great as Mr. Rogers, a portrayal, not an imitation
WHO DID WIN: Brad Pitt, and he did a few political digs, so good for him
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
WHO WILL WIN: Margot Robbie, to show #me2 solidarity
WHO SHOULD WIN: Laura Dern was cutthroat yet warm, with a great speech
WHO DID WIN: Laura Dern, wo0t!
Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Tarantino again for “Once Upon a Time…”
WHO SHOULD WIN: Rian Johnson had so many clever touches, such amazing characterizations, and a deconstructed plot in “Knives Out” - and it’s claimed that it’s put normal-budgeted films back into the mix
WHO DID WIN: Bong Joon-Ho for PARASITE, which okay.. not even his best movie
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
WHO WILL WIN: Steve Zallian for “The Irishman” mostly because of Scorsese
WHO SHOULD WIN: Greta Gerwig did a smart rethreading of “Little Women” to push her theme, plus added Alcott’s own life details
WHO DID WIN: Taiko Watiti, his 1st Oscar! for JOJO RABBIT--wow!
Best Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: Joker, again, because colors!
WHO SHOULD WIN: JoJo Rabbit used shoes, hats, cast-off clothes as plot devices
WHO DID WIN: The antebellum styling of LITTLE WOMEN
Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story 4
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II
“Stand Up,” Harriet
WHO WILL WIN: The Frozen II song that didn’t win at Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Erivo sang her own Harriet song and it was powerful
WHO DID WIN: Rocketman, Elton John & Bernie Taubin, son of a gun!
Best Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
WHO WILL WIN: Toy Story 4 (can’t believe, Missing Link???)
WHO SHOUD WIN: How to Train Your Dragon brought another layer of character depth, plot depth, and awesomeness as the final movie
WHO DID WIN: Toy Story wins every year they have one, so, duh
Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi
Honeyland
Les Misérables
Pain and Glory
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Pain and Glory for Anthony Banderas
WHO SHOULD WIN: Parasite
WHO DID WIN: Oh yeah, Parasite (Korean film)
Best Cinematography
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: 1917
WHO SHOULD WIN: 1917
WHO DID WIN: 1917 was all about that one-continuous-shot feel
Best Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
WHO WILL WIN: Probably 1917
WHO SHOULD WIN: Avengers: Endgame; story clarity amidst a dozen different explosions
WHO DID WIN: Yep, 1917
2020 Oscars
Wendy’s Guesses
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: 1917, because it did at Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Parasite; it’s unanimous with Austin cinemaphiles, but I'm more "mehhh"
WHO DID WIN: Parasite, so that makes 2020 a record-breaking year (1st non-English-language film to win Best Picture, for just one of many)
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Todd Phillips, Joker
Sam Mendes, 1917
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Scorsese; they’ll give a 2nd one to him as he trends to retirement
WHO SHOULD WIN: Bong Joon Ho, always underappreciated
WHO SHOULD’VE BEEN NOMINATED: A woman! Even just one woman!! Greta Gerwig, maybe?
WHO DID WIN: Bong Joon Ho did a clean sweep of awards, dang
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
WHO WILL WIN: Jonathan Pryce, because it’s the pope and he humanized him so well
WHO SHOULD WIN: Impressed with Adam Driver’s quivering chin in that one scene
WHO DID WIN: Joaquin Phoenix, like at Golden Globes, and he did another long about mankind
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renée Zellweger, Judy
WHO WILL WIN: Maybe Zellweger, because of Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Erivo was intense, charismatic, and no trace of Brit showed
WHO DID WIN: Zellweger again
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: Probably Joe Pesci, because I hear he owned that movie
WHO SHOULD WIN: Tom Hanks did great as Mr. Rogers, a portrayal, not an imitation
WHO DID WIN: Brad Pitt, and he did a few political digs, so good for him
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
WHO WILL WIN: Margot Robbie, to show #me2 solidarity
WHO SHOULD WIN: Laura Dern was cutthroat yet warm, with a great speech
WHO DID WIN: Laura Dern, wo0t!
Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Tarantino again for “Once Upon a Time…”
WHO SHOULD WIN: Rian Johnson had so many clever touches, such amazing characterizations, and a deconstructed plot in “Knives Out” - and it’s claimed that it’s put normal-budgeted films back into the mix
WHO DID WIN: Bong Joon-Ho for PARASITE, which okay.. not even his best movie
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
WHO WILL WIN: Steve Zallian for “The Irishman” mostly because of Scorsese
WHO SHOULD WIN: Greta Gerwig did a smart rethreading of “Little Women” to push her theme, plus added Alcott’s own life details
WHO DID WIN: Taiko Watiti, his 1st Oscar! for JOJO RABBIT--wow!
Best Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: Joker, again, because colors!
WHO SHOULD WIN: JoJo Rabbit used shoes, hats, cast-off clothes as plot devices
WHO DID WIN: The antebellum styling of LITTLE WOMEN
Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story 4
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II
“Stand Up,” Harriet
WHO WILL WIN: The Frozen II song that didn’t win at Golden Globes
WHO SHOULD WIN: Erivo sang her own Harriet song and it was powerful
WHO DID WIN: Rocketman, Elton John & Bernie Taubin, son of a gun!
Best Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
WHO WILL WIN: Toy Story 4 (can’t believe, Missing Link???)
WHO SHOUD WIN: How to Train Your Dragon brought another layer of character depth, plot depth, and awesomeness as the final movie
WHO DID WIN: Toy Story wins every year they have one, so, duh
Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi
Honeyland
Les Misérables
Pain and Glory
Parasite
WHO WILL WIN: Pain and Glory for Anthony Banderas
WHO SHOULD WIN: Parasite
WHO DID WIN: Oh yeah, Parasite (Korean film)
Best Cinematography
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
WHO WILL WIN: 1917
WHO SHOULD WIN: 1917
WHO DID WIN: 1917 was all about that one-continuous-shot feel
Best Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
WHO WILL WIN: Probably 1917
WHO SHOULD WIN: Avengers: Endgame; story clarity amidst a dozen different explosions
WHO DID WIN: Yep, 1917