OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2018: My full and official list of predictions

All of the tea leaves on my 2018 Awards Tracker have been read. The analysis and breakdown. My seven editorial columns of detailed picks are complete using my head more than my heart. These aren't my personal choices of what "should" win. It's what I think "will" win because you and I have got Oscar pools to dominate! Here's my complete and master list of predictions for the 90th Academy Awards.

2018, Column, Editorial, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 2018Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominees, Academy Awards, Academy Award hopeful, 90th Academy Awards, 90th Oscars, 2018, 2017 films, Get Out, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Oscar snubs, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar Checklist, Oscar nominee, Oscars, Oscar winners, Oscar, Oscar race, Oscar contenders, Oscar bait, Oscar talks, Oscar Predictions, Oscar surprises, Oscar nominations, Awards seasons, Awards, Awards Predictions, Awards bait, Awards Talk, Awards Tracker, Award Prediction, Checklist, checklist, List, list, 2018 Oscar Predictions Comments

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2018: The female acting awards

Throughout the awards season, I’ve been tallying the minor and lead-up award winners in all of the Oscar categories on the 2018 Awards Tracker as a big source of my prognostication data. In this fifth post, we look at the races for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Feelin' Film" post-Oscars podcast

One of the perks of becoming a regular blogging contributor on a podcast site is getting the occasional chance to appear on the actual podcast. Aaron White, one of the hosts of "Feelin' Film," connected time zones to bring myself and Popcorn Confessional critic Steve Clifton together for an extended post-Oscar wrap-up show. Listen to our reactions, rants, loves, and heartbreaks to both the 89th Academy Awards and the website's first annual "Feeler's Choice Awards."

2017, Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 20172017, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Academy Awards, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Academy Award nominee, 2017 Academy Awards, 89th Academy Awards, 89th Oscars, 90th Academy Awards, 90th Oscars, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar surprises, Oscar bait, Oscar Checklist, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar race, Oscar snubs, Oscar contenders, Oscar, Oscar Predictions, Oscars, #OscarsSoWhite, Oscar talks, Oscar winners, Awards bait, Awards, Awards Talk, Feeler Awards, Feelin' Film, Aaron White, Steve Clifton, Popcorn Confessional, Twitter, Feeler, fan-voting, Awards seasons, Awards Tracker, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, SAG Award, BAFTA, Best Sound, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Motion Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Actor, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress, Best Animated Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short, Best Animated Feature, La La Land, Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea, Best Art Direction, Best Production Design, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Musical Score, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Costume Design, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Short Film, Best Live Action Short, Best Foreign Film, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

EDITORIAL: Final 2017 Awards Tracker and Oscar Reactions

Between the prestigious Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday and the Academy Awards on Sunday, here are the final tallies for the 2017 Awards Tracker and my overall Oscar reactions in each category. Enjoy and see you this November when we fire all of this up again for the 90th Academy Awards!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 27, 20172017, 2016 films, 2017 Awards Tracker, 2017 Academy Awards, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Oscar talks, Oscars, Oscar bait, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar race, Oscar contenders, Oscar, Oscar Checklist, Oscar Predictions, Oscar surprises, Oscar snubs, Oscar winners, #OscarsSoWhite, 89th Oscars, 89th Academy Awards, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Musical Score, Best Live Action Short, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Documentary, Best Documentary Feature, Best Directing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Visual Effects, Best Screenplay, Awards Tracker, Awards Talk, Awards seasons, Awards, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, Academy Awards, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Awards bait, SAG Award, Editorial, Column, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: My full and official list of predictions

The 2017 Awards Tracker is full, the teas leaves have been read, the races have been broken down, and every category has been analyzed. I've made my detailed picks in seven columns and editorials over the past week. Here's my complete and master list. I've said it all along. Stick with me and I will win you that Oscar pool at home or at work! Use this as your checklist and cheat sheet of choice!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 23, 20172017 Academy Awards, 2017, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, 89th Academy Awards, 89th Oscars, Awards Talk, Award Prediction, Awards, Awards bait, Awards Tracker, Awards seasons, Awards Predictions, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award nominees, Academy Awards, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award, Oscar winners, Oscar bait, Oscar, Oscar contenders, Oscar Predictions, Oscar snubs, Oscar race, Oscar talks, Oscar surprises, Oscar nominations, Oscars, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, List, Checklist, Oscar Checklist, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: The female acting awards

n this fifth post, we look at the races for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 22, 20172017, 2017 Academy Awards, 2017 Oscar Predictions, 2017 Oscars, Oscar talks, Oscar snubs, Oscar race, Oscar Predictions, Oscars, 89th Oscars, 89th Academy Awards, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar contenders, Oscar winners, Oscar surprises, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar bait, Oscar, Academy Awards, Academy Award, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominees, Awards Talk, Awards bait, Awards, Awards Tracker, Awards seasons, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, Female acting awards, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, Best Actress in a Leading Role, female leads, female protagonists, strong female protagonists, strong female character, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

SPECIAL: Winners announced for the first annual CIFCC Awards!

The 28 film critics and voting members, including yours truly, of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle completed their final ballots in 25 categories for their first annual CIFCC Awards. The CIFCC hosted an invitation-only awards reception at Transistor Chicago on January 8, 2017.

2016, 2017, Independent Film, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 9, 2017Transistor ChicagoAwards, Awards Talk, CIFCC, CIFCC Awards, Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, 2016 CIFCC Awards, Oscar hopefuls, Ava DuVernay, 13th, Jacqueline Stewart, Charles Musser, Pioneers of African-American Cinema, Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster, The Love Witch, Anna Biller, Atmo Horrox, Piper, Doctors Strange, Swiss Army Man, La La Land, Justin Hurwitz, Tom Cross, Madeline Fontaine, David Wasco, Linus Sandgren, Viola Davis, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Natalie Portman, Jackie, Casey Affleck, Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Kenneth Lonergan, Damien Chazelle, Southside with You, Richard Tanne, Kubo and the Two Strings, Travis Knight, Laika, The Fits, Anna Rose Holmer, O.J.: Made in America, The Handmaiden, Best Independent Film, Best Studio Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Documentary, Best Microbudget Film, Best Animated Film, Best Chicago Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Short Film, Best Undistributed Film, Trailblazer Award, Impact Award, Donald Shanahan, Don ShanahanComment

COLUMN: Who should win/will win the 2017 Golden Globes?

What you're watching on TV on Sunday night is a party thrown by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hosted by Jimmy Fallon in an effort to be loved and share some love. It’s a popularity contest more than a true Oscar precursor. The winners do get a pretty positive rub and the marketers gain a few more "Winner of..." graphics to put in the newspapers next to their films and we get Brendan Fraser GIFs.

SPECIAL: First annual CIFCC Awards nominations

Capping off their inaugural year, the members of newly-formed Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, of which I am a director and co-founder, have announced their nominees for their first annual CIFCC Awards. Their voting membership of 28 members strong completed ballots over the holidays with the goal of three final nominees in 25 categories. They will commence a final round of voting ending on January 1, 2017 and host an invitation-only awards banquet at Transistor Chicago on January 8, 2017.

2016, Best Films, Column, Independent Film, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 29, 2016Transistor Chicago2016, CIFCC, Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, CIFCC Awards, Best Independent Film, Best Studio Film, Moonlight, La La Land, Jackie, The Handmaiden, Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Yorgos Lanthimos, Jacqueline Stewart, Deborah Stratman, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Animated Film, Best Undistributed Film, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Ensemble, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, Best Chicago Film, Best Microbudget Film, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Foreign Film, Chicago, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Donald ShanahanComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Jackie

Mesmerizing describes the film as a whole and its incomparable lead performance from Academy Award winner Natalie Portman playing First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the immediate hours and days following her husband's 1963 assassination. Far from a biopic and more of a psychological examination, Portman and Larrain sear the screen with emotion and imagery that is as captivating as it is difficult. It is astonishing that it takes a foreign director to create the most empowering portrait of American history put to film in years.

2016, 5 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Chicago Film Festival, Film Festival, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanDecember 9, 2016Chicago International Film Festival2016, 2016 Holiday Movies, Jackie, Jackie Kennedy, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Robert Kennedy, Greta Gerwig, Chicago International Film Festival, 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, Special Presentations, Best of 2016, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress, JFK, Pablo Larrain, No, Neruda, Billy Crudup, Max Casella, John Hurt, John F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., Caroline Kennedy, Movie presidents, First Lady, Camelot, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, film festival, Festival review, Festival coverage, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, life lessons from films, life lessons, Life lessons, life lesson, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Jacqueline Kennedy, Jean Rabasse, Halina Gebarowicz, Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe, Broadway musical, Mica Levi, Noah Oppenheim, Madeline Fontaine, Mac Casella, Jack Valenti, John Carroll Lynch, Lyndon B. Johnson, Casper Phillipsom, Theodore H. White, LIFE magazine, Hyannis PortComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Marguerite

Do we all remember the infamy of William Hung from 2004? You should. Take William Hung, turn back the clock 80 years, and, here's the kicker, give him a judging audience that won't tell him he's bad. If you can do that, you can step into the foreign film "Marguerite" from French director Xavier Giannoli playing now at the Landmark Theater locations in Lincoln Park and Highland Park. Divided into five chapters, "Marguerite" is an immersive character study into a would-be singer's obsession with talent.

EDITORIAL: Final 2016 Awards Tracker and Oscar Reactions

Last night, I correctly predicted 16 of the 24 winners, tied with last year for my lowest total. To conclude the awards season with a final update of the Awards Tracker data, here are the finishing tallies, Oscar winners, and my reactions to the winners and losers.