After a few quiet years with little to no controversy The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has had a bit of a confounding time of late. After a longer than usual time spent securing a host for the 91st Oscar ceremony the Academy selected Kevin Hart. SJW scolds soon rose and criticised the selection because of old jokes the comedian told.

Given this concerned Hollywood, where a firm backbone is as rare as a Republican fundraiser, The Academy got nervous and demanded that Hart apologize. In response the actor comedian instead chose to walk away, and left in the lurch the Oscars scrambled for a replacement, electing in the end to simply forgo having a host at all.

This followed an earlier decision made where it was proposed that the Academy would create a new Best Picture category, one that would recognize “Popular” films. The reasoning was that some believed that the vastly popular film “Black Panther” may get shutout, and the feeling was it deserved notification The decision was met with so much confusion and scorn the outfit quietly decided to pull that decision off of the table.

As it turned out they had no reason to worry, as this morning the nominations were announced and many should be satisfied. I know the Academy ust be excited/relieved, since now people can talk about the movies, and not the Academy itself.

(On this week’s Marble Halls & Silver Screens podcast movie writer Christian Toto joined us for our Oscar fantasy tournament.)

BEST PICTURE

A Star Is Born
BlacKkKlansman
Green Book
ROMA
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Vice

DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuaron – “Roma”
Spike Lee – “BlacKkKlansman
Adam McKay – “Vice”
Yorgos Lanthimos – “The Favourite”
Pawel Pawlikowski – “Cold War”

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Willem Dafoe – “At Eternity’s Gate”

Bradley Cooper – “A Star Is Born”

Christian Bale – “Vice”
Rami Malek – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Viggo Mortensen – “Green Book”

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Glenn Close – “The Wife”
Lady Gaga – “A Star Is Born”
Olivia Colman – “The Favourite”
Melissa McCarthy – “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Yalitza Aparicio – “Roma”

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mahershala Ali – “Green Book”
Adam Driver – “BlacKkKlansman”
Richard E. Grant – “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Sam Elliot – “A Star Is Born”
Sam Rockwell – “Vice”

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Regina King – “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Amy Adams – “Vice”
Emma Stone – “The Favourite”
Marina De Tavira – “Roma”
Rachel Weisz – “The Favourite”

ORIGINAL SCREEN PLAY
The Favourite
First Reformed
Green Book
Roma
Vice

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
BlacKkKlansman
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
If Beale Street Could Talk
A Star Is Born”

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Incredibles 2
Isle Of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks The Internet
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cold War
The Favourite
Never Look Away
Roma
A Star Is Born

FILM EDITING
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Vice

ORIGINAL SONG
“All The Stars” – Black Panther
“I’ll Fight” – RBG
“The Place Where Lost Things Go” – Mary Poppins Returns
“Shallow” – A Star Is Born
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” – The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs

MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING
Border
Mary Queen Of Scots
Vice

COSTUME DESIGN
Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther
The Favourite
Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Queen Of Scots

ORIGINAL SCORE
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
If Beale Street Could Talk
Isle Of Dogs
Mary Poppins Returns

SOUND EDITING
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
First Man
A Quiet Place
Roma

SOUND MIXING
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
First Man
Roma
A Star Is Born

VISUAL EFFECTS
Avengers: Infinity War
Christopher Robin
First Man
Ready Player One
Solo: A Star Wars Story

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Black Panther
The Favourite
First Man
Mary Poppins Returns
Roma