Oscars 2018: Here are your predictions before nominations

Holding that Oscar trophy in your hands is considered as one of the biggest recognition in the world of film-making. It's nearly time to bring out the Tuxedos and roll out the Red Carpet for the 90th Academy Awards!  2017 produced some amazing movies of our time. Women took over with Wonder Woman at the box office and Lady Bird in awards circuit. Monsters were more humane and period dramas like Dunkirk and The Post grabbed eyeballs.

So who’s going to get a shot at glory this time around? We will know for sure on the January 23 when the official Oscars 2018 Nominations will be announced. Before the actual announcement here are some predictions that we think will get the nod from their peers.

So, here goes…

Best Picture

From Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk to Jordan Peele’s Get Out, this year’s Oscars have some hard-hitting films across genres. There have been some stand-out performances this year, like Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird that are sure to give the films a push for a spot in the list of Nominees. Steven Spielberg’s The Post that focusses on the battle between the Press and the United States Government over the Vietnam war cover-up, also remains a strong probable to make the list. So, here’s our pick of 10 for the Nominations in the Best Picture category:

Dunkirk

All the Money in the World

The Post

Get Out

Ladybird

I, Tonya

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

The Florida Project

The Shape of Water

Darkest Hour

Best Director

We agree with what Natalie Portman said at the Golden Globes and are looking forward to Academy rectify the mistake of all  male directors selection for the category. Greta Gerwig has hit a home run with Lady Bird, her directorial debut, that focusses on the story of a teenager with an artistic inclination and her coming of age. Guillermo del Toro is another name that must feature in our predictions and he’ll probably be hopeful of repeating his Golden Globes success, where he won the award for Best Director for his film Shape of Water. Here’s a look at our list of the famous five we think will land up being the Nominees for Best Director:

Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk

Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird

Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water

Steven Spielberg - The Post

Luca Guadagnino - Call Me By Your Name

Best Actress

The Best Actress category is quite interesting for the range of performances that we’ve seen. Meryl Streep showcased the true value of women empowerment in a male-dominated era in The Post. Gal Gadot on the other hand has managed to become a hero-figure for young girls with her performance in ‘Wonder Woman.’ Alas, there is a huge possibility of her not getting a nomination given the Academy's tradition of limiting the superhero genre to technical categories. Margot Robbie's brilliant performance as Tonya Harding has people raving about her skills. One thing is clear, Hollywood’s women have been raising the bar at the Oscars year after year and this one is no different. Here’s our picks for the Nominees in the Best Actress category:

Meryl Streep - The Post

Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water

Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird

Margot Robbie - I, Tonya

Best Supporting Actress

Alison Janney has been sweeping this category everywhere. So there is little doubt about her inclusion in this category for her performance in I, Tonya. Laurie Metcalfe (Lady Bird) and Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water) are other two strong contenders to make final five.

Alison Janney - Lady Bird

Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water

Laurie Metcalfe - Lady Bird

Kristin Scott Thomas - Darkest Hour

Mary J. Blige - Mudbound

Best Actor

Nominees are one thing, but this category really seems to already have a winner in Gary Oldman. His breathtaking performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture and it’s one that’s going to be hard to match for some years. His challengers are strong, but it would be interesting to see if they manage to stage a possible upset. The strongest challenger though, is Timothee Chalamet who’s been winning critical acclaim for his performance in ‘Call Me By Your Name.’ It could have been James Franco given his Golden Globes win, but the recent sexual harassment claims against the actor may have hurt his chances. Here’s a look at the ones who we believe should make it to the list of Nominees in the Best Actor category:

Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour

Timothee Chalamet - Call Me By Your Name

Tom Hanks - The Post

Daniel Day-Lewis - Phantom Thread

James Franco - The Disaster Artist

Best Supporting Actor

Sam Rockwell has been winning in this category so far for his performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. So he has to be on the list. Willem Dafoe and Richard Jenkins have been companions of Rockwell in this category so far. Here's a look at what it might be when the actual nominations are announced on Tuesday evening (IST).

Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project

Richard Jenkins - Shape of Water

Armie Hammer - Call Me By Your Name

Christopher Plummer - All The Money In The World

Best Original Screenplay

With some stellar stories that have unfolded in the year gone by, this Oscars could witness a very interesting battle. From Kumail Niljani and Emily V Gordon’s writing that brought about some laughs in The Big Sick, to Guillermo del Toro’s script that brought out a fantasy tale of love like no other in The Shape of Water, the screenplay across genres has been commendable. Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird is also a contender with its intricate story that comes to life in a near perfect manner. So who are the ones that deserve a shot at glory? Here’re our picks for the Nominees in the Best Original Screenplay category:

Kumail Niljani and Emily V Gordon - The Big Sick

Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water

Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird

Jordan Peele - Get Out

Steven Rogers - I, Tonya

Best Animated Feature

Pixar has always been one of the strongest contenders in this category. This year they bring Coco – a story about family bonds that go beyond the concept of life and death. Then there is Ferdinand, starring John Cena, that is based on a beloved children's book of the same name. Loving Vincent, the first fully painted movie about the artist and the circumstances of his death, can be one of the upsetters here. Here are our choices for this category

Coco

Ferdinand

Loving Vincent

The Breadwinner

The Boss Baby

The nominations will be announced on Tuesday. But the wait to see the actual winners will be a bit longer. You can catch the live telecast of the Oscars 2018 on March 5 (IST) on Star Movies and Star Movies Select starting 5:30 AM