With rare exceptions (Avatar, Lord of the Rings), fantasy and science fiction have seldom fared well with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. But as the world has grown more fantastic—more like sci-fi than what once passed for reality—a shift is bound to occur.
The change in attitude is noticeable in nomination list for the 90th Oscar Awards. No, not, the puerile Star Wars installment, which received only one nod for Visual Effects, or even Wonder Woman, snubbed completely. Instead, Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water topped the list with 13 nominations, including seven top tier awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Sally Hawkins), Best Supporting Actor (Richard Jenkins), Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer) and Best Original Screenplay. It scooped up six additional categories in the technical fields, including Cinematography, Editing, Sound Editing, Production Design, Original Score and Costume Design.
The Shape of Water’s strongest challenger is the interesting but not as likeable 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, nominated for Best Picture, Lead Actress (Francis McDormand) and Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson). I’ll venture that McDormand will triumph over Hawkins—and leading contenders Meryl Streep (The Post) and Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird). Given the stunt casting of his 11th hour role in All the Money in the World, Christopher Plummer has the edge for Supporting Actor.
3 Billboard’s director, Martin McDonagh, wasn’t acknowledged for Best Director, albeit he received a nod for Original Screenplay. For me, it’s a sign that Shape of Water will win Best Picture. Del Toro faces an interesting list of contender for Director, but odds are in his favor.
And given his wins at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild, Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) will be hard to beat for Best Actor.
