Column: Reels with Ryan

The Academy Awards are Feb. 24, and here are my picks for winners of every major category.

Best Picture: “Green Book” or “Roma”

“Green Book” captures the heart with its touching and sometimes comedic true story about a white chauffeur escorting an African-American pianist through the Deep South in the 1960s. What sets this film apart in my book (pun intended) is the way it illustrates not only a friendship built across racial lines, but also how to acknowledge one’s identity as a human being. 

“Roma” tells a drawn-out story of how a family in 1970s Mexico moves on after the husband abandons his wife and children, and its slow pace can deceive you into thinking it has nothing to say. While the first hour or so seems to serve little purpose as we follow average family interactions, it soon builds to a deeply emotional conclusion. 

Best Actor: Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) or Christian Bale (“Vice”)

In both of their films, Malek and Bale play characters based on real people who end up making a massive impact on their respective fields, at the cost of alienating themselves with their own ambitions. Malek’s mastery of Freddie Mercury’s iconic overbite and animated stage persona make him my frontrunner, but Bale’s complete disappearance into the mysterious Dick Cheney cannot and will not be ignored, and this might carry over to Oscar night. In the end, I think pop culture will outnumber politics, and Rami Malek will have an Oscar to put next to the Golden Globes and Emmy on his mantle. 

Best Actress: Glenn Close (“The Wife”) or Lady Gaga (“A Star is Born”)

This one is difficult because it’s my heart fighting my gut. Every sign points toward Glenn Close receiving her long overdue first Academy Award, following six losses and four decades of terrific acting. Her character in “The Wife” — a woman who compromised her dreams and career for her husband, and in her old age, doesn’t like what she’s become — is also such an important and timely story. However, Lady Gaga nailed every moment of her role as the eponymous singer in “A Star is Born” both musically and dramatically, and I was awestruck by the end. Ultimately, I think that Close will nab the win and Gaga will continue down the path of success she has forged for herself. 

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”)

There is not much of a race from what I’ve been able to tell. Ali plays his role as a fearless and distinguished African-American pianist who develops a love for life and people flawlessly, and he creates a perfect chemistry with his co-star Viggo Mortensen. He is on course to win his second Oscar in three years, and I see no one standing in his way. 

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) 

Much like the previous category, this one is relatively straightforward. Regina King is superb in her role as a loving mother who cares for her pregnant daughter while the baby’s father fights a wrongful conviction, balancing stern determination and a careful heart. “Beale Street” missed out on Best Picture somehow, and I think King’s performance is the piece of this film that will live on in Oscar history. 

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”)

While I haven’t seen the work of all the nominees for this category, I can’t imagine anyone who can surpass what Cuarón does with this passion project that is somewhat based on his own childhood. The apparent monotony of everyday life is transformed into poignant drama in what seems like seconds, and the proficiency with a camera he’s made a career out of is further illustrated throughout the film. 

Best Animated Film: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

This was a pretty good year for animated movies, with “Incredibles 2” continuing right where its predecessor left off, and “Isle of Dogs” was a piece of stop-motion piece of perfection by Wes Anderson. Unfortunately for those two movies, however, “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” is an unprecedented animated masterpiece from top to bottom. The comic-accurate visuals, sharp writing, excellent cast, and complementary soundtrack all serve to place the film at the top of this category and even add it to the conversation of the best Spider-Man film, live-action
or animated.