I go back and forth on this as well. Manchester was the most effecting of all the films I saw this year and Affleck is great in it. Those allegations were pretty gross though. I'd like to see Manchester get best pic if they don't award Affleck. La La will win best pic though. I thought LaLa Land was very charming but 14 nominations is Hollywood patting itself on the back. And yes, Amy Adams is becoming the female Leo D'Cap. The Academy wants to string this out I guess. Here's my cynical "Who I'd like to win but won't" list: Mortensen- Actor Ali- Supporting (he might win) Huppert- Actress Williams- Supporting Hair and Makeup- Just don't encourage that Suicide Squad movie w/ an Oscar and I can move on with my life.
I've only seen the trailers for Lala land and it looked Oscar worthy. I already bought in. Was waiting for it to hit on demand first because assume it's a chick flick not necessarily big screen worthy. But a must see for sure based on the trailer alone.
If you really have an appreciation for cinematography I would totally make a point to catch it on the big screen. The movie is just incredibly, gorgeously shot. Even the detractors and haters of the movie admit that it is extraordinarily well made.
La La Land and Moonlight are probably a toss up for best picture. If I had to bet on one I'd think they give it to Moonlight
Musicals usually dominate at the Oscars with the exception of Dreamgirls, yes Eddie was snubbed, LOL. But La La Land will mostly win all their awards that they're nominated in.
I'm picking Hell or High Water. This film will stand the test of time. It's grounded in the realities of our time. White alienation, generational poverty, and the plight of rural America are all accurately portrayed with a visceral sense of tragedy. Yet, it carries no dead weight Hollywood political message. No MAGA anthem. Just explaining with prescient clarity the decline of White America. A line for the ages:
Vegas has already pinned all the winners except Best Actor. Lil Affleck and Denzel in a dead heat. Lil Affleck a slight favorite. Everything else is pretty much set in stone. Spoiler Best Picture/Director: La La Land Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahersala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis (Bet your house on this one, currently -10000)
So if I parlay those 4 twice, once into Denzel, the other into Affleck, I'm gonna be RICH one way or the other?
Mahersala Ali completed owned Moonlight, and the movie sagged a lot after his part was done. In fact, the whole last half of Moonlight just didn't seem like a very good movie, to me at least. It went from an Oscar-worthy opening act to something like an awkward after-school special. Mahersala Ali was also one of the best parts of Hidden Figures (just saw that this weekend, and watched him steal every scene he was in, even with a great cast).
He's the best part of Luke Cage also and one of the better parts in House of Cards. Guy is getting well deserved love.
