“If you are looking for a video on Oscar predictions that’s less than 21 minutes and more than 20 minutes, you’ve come to the right place,” declares Marcus James Dixon in Gold Derby’s latest slugfest video with Daniel Montgomery. As this is the 2020 Oscars, the two senior editors give themselves exactly 20 minutes, 20 seconds to share their predictions in six major categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor. Watch the Oscars lightning round video above to find out who they think will win these top races.
Both editors have “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” in first place to win the big prize, with Montgomery noting, “It’s been doing great all season. It hasn’t really missed anything except the editing nomination, but that’s the worst miss it’s had all season. It won at the Golden Globes, won at Critics’ Choice.” Dixon believes it’s “time” one of Quentin Tarantino‘s movies won Best Picture, adding, “He kind of has an IOU and if that narrative gets out, which I think it will, that’ll help him.”
While Montgomery has “Parasite” in his runner-up position, Dixon thinks “1917” is the one to watch out for. Montgomery expects the preferential ballot will help “Parasite,” which the Oscar voters will likely “rank second or third or fourth” if they don’t have it in their first-place positions. Dixon says not to worry about “1917” and “Parasite” missing acting nominations, as both “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) and “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” (2003) still won Best Picture without any actors being recognized.
For Best Director, Dixon picks Sam Mendes (“1917”) to prevail. “‘1917’ was the directorial achievement of the year [and] such a technical marvel,” Dixon explains, which is something that helped recent director champs like Ang Lee (“Life of Pi”), Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity” and “Roma”), Alejandro G. Inarritu (“Birdman” and “The Revenant”) and Guillermo del Toro (“The Shape of Water”). Montgomery instead believes Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) will win, though he also warns to watch out for Tarantino who’s “due” for a directing Oscar.
The four acting categories don’t lend themselves to much debate, as Dixon and Montgomery predict easy wins for actress Renee Zellweger (“Judy”), actor Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”), supporting actress Laura Dern (“Marriage Story”) and supporting actor Brad Pitt (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”). Watch the slugfest video above to see who, if anyone, our editors think can possibly upset these four acting front-runners.
Be sure to make your Oscar winner predictions today so that Hollywood insiders can see how their films and performers are faring in our odds. You can keep changing your predictions as often as you like until just before the ceremony on February 9. And join in the thrilling debate over the 2020 Academy Awards taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our film forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
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