Oscars 2018 - My picks and predicted winners list!

In what's shaping up to be a very exciting Academy Awards Night on March 4th, I've decided to have a look at the front runners in the major awards categories and give my predictions as to what films/actors/directors should win and also my preferred winners in each category. This years nominees see lots of quality and diversity with the sceptical politics and ideas on show in the US being taken to task by a lot of the nominated features this year. So with further ado here are my predictions(and favourites) for this years 90th Academy Awards:

Best Picture:Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

A real strong field for this one with little or no duds to be seen. I,Tonya, The Florida Project and Mudbound may feel aggrieved not to feature but the quality is both diverse and full of high quality productions. On any other year Dunkirk or to a lesser extent The Post would be the film to have the Academy drooling over but Martin McDonagh and Guillermo Del Toro had other ideas and seems a straight shoot out between their two magnificent movies Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and The Shape of Water with Three Billboards just edging it!
My choice: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Most likely outcome: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri

Best Actor:
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

A bit of an open and shut case with this one with Gary Oldman almost certain to add to his Golden Globe and BAFTA with a first time Academy Award. With Daniel Day-Lewis the closest competitor (and on another year would almost certainly win) this one is undoubtedly heading for Oldman's mantelpiece for a film saving performance in Darkest Hour.
My choice: Gary Oldman
Most likely outcome: Gary Oldman

Best Actress:
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post

With an incredibly strong field (with performances that dwarf those of their male counterparts) this is another two way race with Frances McDormand and our own Saoirse Ronan vying for top spot. Sally Hawkins and Margot Robbie were also incredible in their performances and what is Oscar night without record breaker Meryl Streep again being nominated (and deservedly so) but I fear in this category despite a fine portrayal in Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird Saoirse Ronan will lose out to the tour de force that is Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri.
My choice: Frances McDormand
Most likely outcome: Frances McDormand

Best Supporting Actor:
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Another strong list here with two coming from Martin McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. Willem Dafoe's wonderfully understated performance in the Florida Project could have half a chance but I feel despite the negative kick back it would be nothing short of a catastrophe if Sam Rockwell didn't take home his first Academy Award come March 4th.
My choice: Sam Rockwell
Most likely outcome: Sam Rockwell

Best Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

In what could be billed as the "Battle of the Moms" this category is a duel between Laurie Metcalf for Lady Bird and Allison Janney for I, Tonya. Janney is fantastic as the hate filled LaVona in I, Tonya and will probably add the Oscar to her Golden Globe and BAFTA wins but for me, Metcalf's complex performance is more worthy of an Academy Award but alas she may just come up short!
My choice: Laurie Metcalf
Most likely outcome: Allison Janney

Best Director:
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out

I still can't quite comprehend how Denis Villeneuve, Martin McDonagh and Sean Baker didn't make this list and it's hard to believe that despite his strong back catalogue that this is Christopher Nolan's first nomination and on any other year this would certainly be his award to lose. There is however, a lot of love for Guillermo Del Toro for what is a beautiful looking film in Shape of Water and I would expect him to lift his first Oscar come awards night.
My choice: Christopher Nolan
Most likely outcome: Guillermo Del Toro