FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020

OSCARS How to win Best Picture fi lm will go on to take the top prize at the Oscars? Judging from the early slates of winners Which noms these contenders need to take the top prize and nominees for other awards, you could make a case for six movies. Each one needs GLENN WHIPP | Tribune News Service things to break a certain way on Oscar nomination morning to bolster their chances in scar voting begins the day after New Year’s, meaning academy members should what remains a fairly fl uid race. be busy powering through movies and preparing their hangover remedies so they Here are the six leading contenders, along with the nominations they hope to earn Ocan be good to go on Jan. 2. and the nominations they need to earn when the motion picture academy reveals its We’re pretty sure about the movies that will be nominated for best picture. But which choices Jan. 13.

‘Parasite’ ‘Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood’ ‘Marriage Story’ Optimal Oscar nominations morning: Eight nods Optimal Oscar nominations morning: Nine nods Optimal Oscar nominations morning: Eight (pic- (picture, director, supporting actor, original screenplay, (picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, original ture, director, lead actress, lead actor, supporting actress, cinematography, fi lm editing, production design, inter- screenplay, cinematography, costume design, fi lm edit- original screenplay, fi lm editing, score) national fi lm) ing, production design) Nomination it needs: Noah Baumbach for director. Nomination it needs: Song Kang Ho for supporting Nomination it needs: Leonardo DiCaprio for lead Baumbach should land a nomination for his original actor. actor. screenplay, but the director fi eld will prove more chal- “Parasite” earned a SAG Awards ensemble nomi- DiCaprio faces the same problem as De Niro — too many lenging. You don’t need to look far to fi nd a best picture nation, and Song has taken a couple of critics prizes, noteworthy performances and just fi ve slots to contain winner whose director didn’t earn a nomination. Snubbed including an honor from the Los Angeles Film Crit- them. “Once Upon a Time” could still prevail without fi lmmaker Peter Farrelly bounded up to the stage just 10 ics Association. If Song can land a supporting nod, it DiCaprio along for the ride. But to have both its A-list months ago to collect the Oscar for “Green Book.” But would indicate support from the acting branch voters, leads nominated would help reestablish the credentials approval from the directors branch would allow “Marriage the academy’s largest bloc, and also boost the movie’s of a movie that premiered in the summer, i.e., a lifetime Story” backers to trumpet it as a cinematic achievement profi le in a prominent category. ago in terms of awards season chronology. and not just a feat of writing and acting.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE STUDIOS ‘The Irishman’ ‘1917’ ‘Jojo Rabbit’ Optimal Oscar nominations morning: 11 nods Optimal Oscar nominations morning: 10 (pic- Optimal Oscar nominations morning: Six (picture, (picture, director, lead actor, twice in supporting actor, ture, director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, fi lm director, supporting actress, adapted screenplay, produc- adapted screenplay, cinematography, costume design, editing, production design, score, sound editing, sound tion design, costume design) fi lm editing, production design, visual eff ects) mixing, visual eff ects) Nomination it needs: Taika Waititi for director. Nomination it needs: Robert De Niro for lead actor. Nomination it needs: Sam Mendes and Krysty Wil- Like “Green Book,” “Jojo Rabbit” won the People’s De Niro failed to snag a nod at the Golden Globes and son-Cairns for original screenplay. Choice prize at Toronto, catapulting Waititi’s sentimental SAG Awards, leading to speculation that voters are latch- A movie can win the best picture Oscar without earn- satire into the best picture race. The movie has divided ing onto Al Pacino’s showy turn as the belligerent Jimmy ing any acting nominations. (“The Lord of the Rings: The critics and audiences, scoring a middling 58 on review Hoff a and Joe Pesci’s subtle work playing mob boss Russell Return of the King” was the last one to do it.) A movie aggregator Metacritic and grossing just over $20 million Bufalino at his expense. Lead actor is the season’s most can win without a screenplay nod. (Remember when at the box offi ce in a release that saw it play at nearly 1,000 competitive category. De Niro, playing a passive charac- “Titanic” was king of the world?) But if it’s shut out in locations. But those who love “Jojo” are all in (“a warm ter doing others’ bidding in “The Irishman,” will have to both areas, you can forget about writing that acceptance hug of a movie!”), and likely to put it at the No. 1 spot on elbow his way through tough competition . speech. You won’t need it. their best picture ballots.