Nick Picks Flicks

This year's Oscar race can basically be summed up in a verse from a classic Queen song:

"It's been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise, I consider it a challenge before the whole human race and I ain't gonna lose."

The season has been beyond unpredicable, but after weeks of stressing over these nominees, hopefully I can emerge as a champion. Here are my predictions for the 91st Academy Awards, ranked in order of the categories I’m most confident about to the ones I’m least confident about:

Best Director

Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Runner-Up: Spike Lee

My Preference: Alfonso Cuaron

Best Foreign Language Film

Will Win: Roma

Runner-Up: Cold War

My Preference: Roma

Best Cinematography

Will Win: Roma

Runner-Up: Cold War

My Preference: Roma

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Will Win: Vice

Runner-Up: Mary Queen of Scots

My Preference: Vice

Best Sound Mixing

Will Win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Runner-Up: A Star Is Born

My Preference: A Star Is Born

Best Original Song


Will Win: Shallow: A Star Is Born

Runner-Up: All the Stars: Black Panther

My Preference: Shallow: A Star Is Born

Best Adapted Screenplay

Will Win: BlacKkKlansman

Runner-Up: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

My Preference: BlacKkKlansman

Best Supporting Actor

Will Win: Mahershala Ali

Runner-Up Richard E Grant

My Preference: Sam Elliott

Best Actor


Will Win: Rami Malek

Runner-Up: Christian Bale

My Preference: Rami Malek

Best Actress

Will Win: Glenn Close

Runner-Up: Olivia Coleman

My Preference: Lady Gaga

Best Animated Feature

Will Win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Runner-Up: Incredibles 2

My Preference: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Editing


Will Win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Runner-Up: Vice

My Preference: Vice

Best Supporting Actress

Will Win: Regina King

Runner-Up: Rachel Weisz

My Preference: Emma Stone

Best Original Screenplay


Will Win: Green Book

Runner-Up: The Favourite

My Preference: Green Book

Best Animated Short

Will Win: Boa

Runner-Up: Weekends

My Preference: Boa

Best Documentary Feature

Will Win: Free Solo

Runner-Up: RBG

My Preference: Won’t You Be My Neighbor, but since it’s wasn’t nominated, Minding the Gap

Best Visual Effects

Will Win: First Man

Runner-Up: Ready Player One

My Preference: Avengers Infinity War

Best Live-Action Short

Will Win: Marguerite

My Preference: Skin

Best Documentary Short

Will Win: Period. End of Sentence

Runner-Up: End Game

Best Sound Editing

Will Win: Black Panther

Runner-Up: A Quiet Place

My Preference: A Quiet Place

Best Costume Design


Will Win: Black Panther

Runner-Up: The Favourite

My Preference: Mary Poppins Returns

Best Production Design


Will Win: Black Panther

Runner-Up: The Favourite

My Preference: Mary Poppins Returns

Best Score


Will Win: Mary Poppins Returns

Runner-Up: Black Panther

My Preference: Mary Poppins Returns

Best Picture

Will Win: Green Book

Runner-Up: Roma

My Preference: A Star Is Born