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BEST DIRECTOR


DENIS VILLENEUVE -ARRIVAL MEL GIBSON -HACKSAW RIDGE DAMIEN CHAZELLE -LA LA LAND KENNETH LONERGAN -MANCHESTER BY THE SEA BARRY JENKINS -MOONLIGHT


Again, Gibson’s inclusion here is something of an eyebrow-raiser, and there’s no mention of Denzel Washington’s behind-the-camera work, despite Fences faring well elsewhere. Also, nothing for the old guard, with Eastwood and Scorsese being conspicuous by their absence. No matter though, because here, as with Best Film, it’s a one-and-a-half-horse race that Damien Chazelle will win, leaving Barry Jenkins a distant second and everyone else shot in the paddock.


WWW: Damien Chazelle WWLTW: Denis Villeneuve


BEST ACTOR


CASEY AFFLECK - MANCHESTER BY THE SEA ANDREW GARFIELD - HACKSAW RIDGE RYAN GOSLING - LA LA LAND VIGGO MORTENSEN - CAPTAIN FANTASTIC DENZEL WASHINGTON - FENCES


Here’s where things get a bit more interesting. Casey Affleck’s stripped- back and understated turn as an unwilling guardian in Kenneth Lonergan’s downbeat family drama Manchester by the Sea has had ‘Oscar’ written all over it for months, and his Golden Globe win a few weeks ago has further cemented expectations. However, there’s a real chance that Denzel Washington’s predictably superb in-front-of-the-camera work in Fences will cause one of the major upsets of the night. It’s great to see Viggo Mortensen’s surprise nom for his wonderful portrayal of a bohemian dad in off-the-grid family drama Captain Fantastic, though, as hopefully more people will be prompted to see what was


one of last year’s largely overlooked gems. It’s a tricky one, but we’re calling it for Affleck.


WWW: Casey Affleck WWLTW: Denzel Washington


BEST ACTRESS


ISABELLE HUPPERT - ELLE RUTH NEGGA - LOVING EMMA STONE - LA LA LAND NATALIE PORTMAN - JACKIE MERYL STREEP - FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS


Tis category sees the most conspicuous snub of the noms, with Amy Adams’ extraordinary performance in Arrival (did we mention we really liked Arrival?) not getting a thoroughly deserved - and expected - nod. Also, although it seems strange to call any nomination for Meryl Streep a surprise, the fact is her performance in Florence Foster Jenkins, while warm and hilarious, wasn’t widely regarded as awards material. We like to think that her berating of dwarf-handed spunk-monkey Donald Trump at the Golden Globes, and his response that she is “overrated,” led to what amounts to a protest nomination. Other surprises here are Isabelle Huppert’s nomination for her vengeful rape victim in Paul Verhoeven’s superb French dramedy Elle, which, following an equally surprising Golden Globes win, is in with a real chance; and Ruth Negga’s out-of- nowhere nom for the real-life interracial romance Loving. Tey’re up against Emma Stone and Natalie Portman, though, both of whom are hotly tipped. Tis is probably the closest major race of the night, but we’re tentatively plumping for Stone.


WWW: Emma Stone WWLTW: Isabelle Huppert


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Jay & Smiley


MAHERSHALA ALI - MOONLIGHT JEFF BRIDGES - HELL OR HIGH WATER LUCAS HEDGES


- MANCHESTER BY THE SEA DEV PATEL - LION


MICHAEL SHANNON - NOCTURNAL ANIMALS


It’s nice to see our own Dev Patel getting a nod for adoption drama Lion, and it’s always a pleasure to see any kind of recognition for both the fantastic Michael Shannon, whose nomination for Nocturnal Animals is - bafflingly - the only one for this superb psychological modern noir; and Jeff Bridges, who pretty much steals Hell or High Water. However, their battle-of- the-hardened-Texas-lawmen is likely to amount to nought, as Mahershala Ali has it in the bag, we reckon, for Moonlight.


WWW: Mahershala Ali WWLTW: Michael Shannon


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS


VIOLA DAVIS - FENCES NAOMIE HARRIS - MOONLIGHT NICOLE KIDMAN -LION


OCTAVIA SPENCER - HIDDEN FIGURES MICHELLE WILLIAMS -MANCHESTER BY THE SEA


No surprises here, and not a great deal to say other than Viola Davis has scored her third Oscar nomination, setting the record for a black actress, and looks set for her first win. Quite right, too. Her towering performance in Fences should really, we think, have been nominated in the Best Actress category. It will be a thoroughly deserved - and no doubt extremely popular - win.


WWW: Viola Davis WWLTW: Viola Davis


As with all things Oscarey, we’re overrunning a little, so there’s just time to say… *music swells. Cut to commercial.*


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