A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks - Part 1

It's Oscar Week! With the 90th Academy Awards just days away, this is a time not just to celebrate awards contenders, but the art and craft of filmmaking. From directors to writers to technicians to the people in front of the camera, this is the time to celebrate the power and magic of cinema.

In this first part of Oscar Picks, Reel Speak picks the winners in the four acting categories. This so far has been one of those rare years where the major awards from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Golden Globes, and British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) are all on the same page. Oscar may follow the trend and complete a sweep for our nominees, but there is always potential for an upset.

Best Supporting Actress

Having already won the SAG, Globe, and BAFTA in this category, Allison Janney looks to complete her awards season sweep for her firecracker role in I, TONYA. Similar to how the world always loves a grumpy old man on film, Janney’s portrayal of a grumpy old woman who operated behind the scenes of the one of the biggest sports scandals in history offered a unique insight and fresh angle to a story that the world has known so very well.

Winner: Allison Janney

Best Supporting Actor

Having already won the SAG, Globe, and BAFTA in this category (see the trend yet?), Sam Rockwell looks to complete his season sweep for his role as the biggest asshole in Ebbing, in THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI. Rockwell could very well be upset by his co-star Woody Harrelson, or even Willem Dafoe in the lower profile THE FLORIDA PROJECT, but Rockwell’s character went through a lot of different phases; going from jerk to sympathetic in a blink…and that is no easy task.

Winner: Sam Rockwell

Best Actress

This seems to be a lock for Frances McDormand and her powerful performance in THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI…which is an acting clinic. McDormand has already won this category at the Globes, SAG, and BAFTA, and is favored to complete the sweep. However, the much-adored LADY BIRD could play spoiler here. Saorise Ronan, an Irish actress, has captured a lot of hearts in her portrayal of an outspoken California teen, and her win could be the only Oscar LADY BIRD takes home, but McDormand is definitely the safe bet.

Winner: Frances McDormand

Best Actor

This category is a long-awaited clash of the titans, with the long-overdue Gary Oldman going up against the greatest of all time, Daniel Day-Lewis. Oldman’s towering performance as the famed Winston Churchill took a lot of work, as he had to act past the heavy prosthetics and sell the character with his eyes (again, no easy task), and he also has won this category in SAG, Globes and BAFTA. Daniel Day-Lewis has won this Oscar three times (best in history), and could play spoiler to Oldman’s long-awaited win. Another upset could come from Timothee Chalamet from the stupid CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, but Oldman should have this as easily as Churchill has a cigar.

Winner: Gary Oldman

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Read Reel Speak's picks in the elemental categories leading to Best Picture HERE

The Oscars will be awarded March 4^th.