The 91st Academy Awards
2019 Nominations
January 22, 2019

Early this morning, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the “Academy”) announced its nominations for the 91st Annual Academy Awards. You know them better as the Oscars. The awards ceremony, which will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center, honor those movies that were released in 2018.

The nominations were announced live from the Academy’s headquarters in Beverly Hills by  Kumail Nanjiani and Tracee Ellis Ross.

We have posted the “Big Categories” below along with PCR’s picks (not necessarily what we think will win). If Sound Mixing really floats your boat, you can head here for a handy dandy one sheet on ALL of the nominees.

Best Picture

Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice

PCR Pick: Black Panther (this was our #2 movie of 2018)

Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

PCR Pick: This is a stacked category of great choices but we’re pulling for Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born. Where is John David Washington?

Actress in a Leading Role

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
Glenn Close, The Wife
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

PCR Pick: Olivia Colman, The Favourite. Her portrayal of Queen Anne ran the gamut of emotions with dynamic nuance.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Sam Rockwell, Vice

PCR Pick: Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman. He gave a Lead Performance in BlacKKKnsman, so good! It’s a shame John David Washington didn’t get a nomination.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams, Vice
Marina de Tavira, Roma
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone, The Favourite
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

PCR Pick: I’m pulling for Rachel OR Emma in this category, they were both delightful in The Favourite.

Directing

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman
Paweł Pawlikowski, Cold War
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Adam McKay, Vice

PCR Pick: I think this is Alfonso Cuarón‘s trophy to lose.

Animated Feature Film

Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

PCR Pick: This is a surprisingly strong field for animated films.  For me though, I gotta give it to Miles Morales and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Original Song

“All The Stars,” Black Panther
“I’ll Fight,” RBG
“The Place Where Lost Things Go,” Mary Poppins Returns
“Shallow,” A Star Is Born
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings,”
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

PCR Pick: “Shallow,” A Star Is Born.

Original Score

Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
If Beale Street Could Talk
Isle of Dogs
Mary Poppins Returns

PCR Pick: Black Panther, the kind of score you listen to over and over again and forget it’s from a superhero movie.

Original Screenplay

The Favourite, Written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara
First Reformed, Written by Paul Schrader
Green Book, Written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly
Roma, Written by Alfonso Cuarón
Vice, Written by Adam McKay

PCR Pick: The Favourite. Based on real life events, The Favourite told a classic tale of ambition, vulnerability, love and manipulation wrapped in a bizarre and surreal spectacle.

Adapted Screenplay

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
BlacKkKlansman, Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee
Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
If Beale Street Could Talk, Written for the screen by Barry Jenkins
A Star Is Born, Screenplay by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters

PCR Pick: I am pulling for A Star Is Born here. The fourth iteration of this story, the Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga version came off as fresh and a well-timed a modern take on the old story.