Best Picture:
- “Arrival”
- “Fences”
- “Hacksaw Ridge”
- “Hell or High Water”
- “Hidden Figures”
- “La La Land”
- “Lion”
- “Manchester by the Sea” — “La La Land” is such a favorite that voters will feel freed up to vote for an underdog such as “Manchester by the Sea” — an unbearably depressing film that is so deeply felt that it has, against all odds, earned nearly $50 million in the US.
“Moonlight”
Best Director:
- Damien Chazelle, “La La Land” — At 32, Chazelle is set to become the youngest-ever winner for “La La Land,” a 🍌movie that basically screams, “Look at all the directingꦓ that’s happening here!”
- Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge”
- Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
- Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”
- Denis Villeneuve, “Arrival”
Best Actor:
- Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea” — Denzel Washington was the surprise winner of the Screen Actors Guild Award, but Washington already has two Oscars and Affleck’s magnificent restraint in “Manchester by the Sea” must be rewarded.
- Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”
- Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”
- Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic”
- Denzel Washington, “Fences”
Best Actress:
- Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”
- Ruth Negga, “Loving”
- Natalie Portman, “Jackie”
- Emma Stone, “La La Land” — Hollywood loves to fawn over the latest It girl, even if she is as cutesy as Emma Stone is in “La La Land.”
- Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”
Best Supporting Actor:
- Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight” — Ali was going to win anyway for “Moonlight,” but his being a Muslim makes him absolutely irresistible as an opportunity for the Academy to razz President Trump.
- Jeff Bridges, “Hell or High Water”
- Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”
- Dev Patel, “Lion”
- Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals”
Best Supporting Actress:
- Viola Davis, “Fences” — Davis should have been nominated for Best Actress for her superb performance in “Fences.” Whatever the case, she wins here.
- Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
- Nicole Kidman, “Lion”
- Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures”
- Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best Animated Feature:
- “Kubo and the Two Strings”
- “Moana”
- “My Life as a Zucchini”
- “The Red Turtle”
- “Zootopia” — It’s not only clever, twisty and fun — “Zootopia” also carries an allegorical message progressive voters will love, about the harm done by racial profiling.