If you follow Adnerb, you probably noticed I haven’t posted for a few weeks. It is not because I haven’t seen any movies lately. I have. It isn’t because there have been no good movies released. There have. I guess you could say I have taken a break due to lack of interest. Since people can’t go out to theatres (well actually you can), it’s not like it was pre-pandemic; and interest in how good or bad a movie might be has dissipated. Movies I have seen but didn’t review include Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Nobody (better than I thought it would be – Bob Odenkirk!) and The Courier (extremely well done) starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Be that as it may, Adnerb will carry on – a global pandemic will NOT stop me from predicting this year’s Oscar winners.

BEST PICTURE: This will be a close race between Nomadland and Minari. I think the academy will go with NOMADLAND though.

BEST DIRECTOR: I am pretty confident that CHLOE ZHAO, the director of Nomadland, will win this one.

BEST ACTRESS: This is a really hard one. Ordinarily I would say Viola Davis would get it for Ma Rainy’s Black Bottom or Francis McDormand might get it for Nomadland. However, since they both have won in the past, I think the Oscar might go to CAREY MULLIGAN.

BEST ACTOR: CHADWICK BOSEMAN. Enough said!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: I am pretty confident that this award will go to DANIEL KALUUYA for Judas and the Black Messiah.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: This is the one I am least sure about. It could be Maria Bakalova for the Borat movie or it might be Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari. Let me flip a coin……the Oscar goes to YUH-JUNG.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: NOMADLAND

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7

BEST ANIMATED MOVIE: SOUL

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: SOUL

These are my picks. What do you think? What are yours?

Well here we go again – it’s Oscar Time.  I love the Oscars because they are glitzy, kitchy, unpredictable, and always reflect the good and bad of today’s society.  I have been watching and predicting the outcome of The Academy Awards for over 50 years – sometimes getting all of them right, and other times not so much.  This year I am going to predict who I think will win, and if different, who I think should have won.

BEST ACTOR:  Joaquin Phoenix is a shoe-in for playing the Joker in “Joker,” and I have to agree his performance was mesmerizing, and frightening!

BEST ACTRESS: Rene Zellweger  gave a heart-rending performance as  Judy Garland and I would pick her to get the Oscar as well.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Brad Pitt is going to earn his first Oscar for  “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Laura Dern is the favorite here and I think the academy is going to give it to this well-liked actress.

BEST DIRECTOR:  This is a hard category to predict.  I think the academy might give this one to “Parasite” director  Bong Joon-ho; but if they don’t, I think Sam Mendes is deserving also.

BEST PICTURE:  This is the hardest category to predict.  A few weeks ago, I was convinced that “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” was definitely going to get Quentin Tarantino his first academy award.  But now that he hasn’t scored any other major awards, I  think the Academy isn’t going to go rogue and give him one.  The Oscar might go to “Parasite,” but since it will  probably win in the foreign category – I am going to go out on a limb and say that “1917″ will win (with apologies to my son Matt).

BEST ORIGINAL SCREEN PLAY:  “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is a pretty dark horse for this one as I think they will give it to “Parasite,” but I am going to go with Tarantino anyway,

BEST ADAPTED SCREEN PLAY:  “Jojo Rabbit” was one of the most original stories I have seen in a long time ,so I am hoping this is the winner.

BEST FOREIGN FILM:  “Parasite.”

BEST SONG: Elton John and Bernie Taupen’s “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again.”   I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if “Stand Up” wins from the movie “Harriet.”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: John Williams is not going to win in this category and I really want him to, so he is my prediction.  You can’t get any more iconic than “Star Wars” music.

There you go; my picks for the 2019 Oscars.  What do you think?