The Race for Best Picture

By Matt Chieco

The 92nd Oscars are just days away, and the race for Best Picture is still uncertain. On January 13th, the Academy nominated 'Little Women', 'Jojo Rabbit', '1917', 'Joker', 'Ford v Ferrari', 'Parasite', 'Marriage Story', 'The Irishman', and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' for Best Picture, without a clear frontrunner.

However, '1917' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' emerged as frontrunners after winning Best Drama and Best Musical or Comedy, respectively, at the Golden Globes.

Leading up to the Oscars, the Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG), Producers Guild Award (PGA), and Directors Guild Award (DGA) are presented. Typically, these three awards help predict the Best Picture winner, and this year, opinions are divided. 'Parasite' secured the SAG, while '1917' clinched both the PGA and the DGA. Some suggest that the Best Picture category is a toss-up between these two films, yet in 2017, these awards had a different impact.

'Moonlight' lost in every category but Best Drama at the Golden Globes, yet still managed to win Best Picture (although 'La La Land' was initially announced… you know the story), illustrating that even a popular favorite can unexpectedly win the top prize. This leads me to believe that 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' has the greatest chance of replicating what 'Moonlight' achieved in 2017.

While Hollywood insiders can speculate, the true answer won't be revealed until the envelope is opened on February 9th.