Tech: Our predictions of who will win at the 2018 Oscars on Sunday night — and who really should win

Our Oscar predictions for the 2018 Academy Awards in all the major categories. Along with who should win.

The 90th Academy Awards will finally be here on Sunday, after months of campaigning (and millions of dollars spent) by studios and independent distributors to get their best and brightest recognition.

On paper, it could turn out to be a dull night. A few categories (like best actor and best supporting actress) seem to be a lock for specific actors. And the odds-on favorites to win best picture — “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” — haven't been that popular with general audiences. Both movies’ combined domestic box office ($105 million) is around what “Wonder Woman” had its opening weekend.

But if we learned anything from last year’s Oscars, you never know what kind of surprises could come. And the best-picture race is one of the most wide open in recent years.

Here are our predictions on who we think will win the major categories and who we think should win.

The Academy Awards air on ABC on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST/ 5 p.m. PST.

Best original score

What will win: “The Shape of Water”

This category has a lot of major talents gunning for the win, but it’s going to be Alexandre Desplat’s hypnotic score for “The Shape of Water” that comes out on top. It's a beautiful companion to the unique love story director Guillermo del Toro weaves.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: "Dunkirk"

It would be great to see Hans Zimmer nab the Oscar, as the stopwatch rhythm of his score for “Dunkirk” is so vital to the movie. If “Dunkirk” does pull off the win it could be a hint to how the night goes, as “The Shape of Water” and “Dunkirk” are up against one another in numerous categories, including best picture.

Best original song

What will win: “Remember Me” (“Coco”)

Honestly, there really is no contest. When Miguel goes to Mama Coco at the end of the movie and sings the song to make her not forget the memory of Hector, it just brings the movie to an incredibly high emotional level.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Remember Me” (“Coco”)

Yes, you can make a case about Mary J. Blige’s “Mighty River” for “Mudbound” or Sufjan Stevens’ “Mystery of Love” for “Call Me by Your Name” — both very powerful — but there is no other song in 2017 at the movies that elevated the story being told more than “Remember Me” does for “Coco.”

Best editing

What will win: “Dunkirk”

Lee Smith, who has been editing Christopher Nolan’s work since 2006’s “Batman Begins,” is used to the director’s complex storytelling methods. And here he once more elevates the story Nolan wants to tell.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “I, Tonya”

Tatiana S. Riegel also had a challenging task to retell the complex life of Tonya Harding and the moments that would make her one of the most infamous figures in sports history. She had to navigate through flashbacks, testimonials, characters breaking the fourth wall, and do it all in a way that the audience wouldn't be completely lost. She pulled off quite a feat.

Best visual effects

What will win: “War for the Planet of the Apes”

Believe it or not, for all of its remarkable CGI and motion capture work, the latest “Planet of the Apes” trilogy has never won an Oscar in the visual effects category. It’s a good chance that for the final movie the Academy will finally recognize it.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Blade Runner 2049”

If for some reason “Apes” loses again, it will be the latest “Blade Runner” that will take the prize. And it’s worthy of it. Along with the incredible expansion of the universe Ridley Scott brought to the screen in 1982, there’s also that crazy Rachael scene the movie pulled off.

Best documentary

What will win: “Icarus”

Bryan Fogel’s quest to show how easy it is for athletes to dope (by doping himself) led to him stumbling across the biggest Olympics doping scandal of all time — and we’re there for the entire ride. With that kind of story and Netflix backing it, his movie has become the odds-on favorite to take home the Oscar.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”

Not only is Steve James’ latest documentary a fantastic story, but this marks his long-awaited first-ever Oscar nomination after famously being snubbed for the legendary “Hoop Dreams.” His movie is a long-shot to win the Oscar, but it would be quite a moment if it happened.

Best cinematography

What will win: “Dunkirk”

Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema pushes the boundaries of the IMAX camera and delivers a movie that pulls off the difficult task of feeling epic and intimate at the same time.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Blade Runner 2049”

DP Roger Deakins still has never won an Oscar. As always, he delivers incredible work in this movie. Just give him the darn award already!

Best animated feature

What will win: “Coco”

Pixar’s latest movie was the first time ever the company delved into a cultural-heavy storyline, and it delivered a powerful story about family and never forgetting those who passed away. There’s really no other animated movie this year that had this kind of raw emotion.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Coco”

Sorry “Boss Baby” fans, Pixar is going to walk away with the Oscar — again.

Best adapted screenplay

What will win: “Call Me by Your Name”

James Ivory’s adaptation is true to the book it’s based on while also expanding the emotion Elio feels throughout the movie.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Mudbound”

Yes, it got nominated, but Dee Rees and Virgil Williams’ script is perhaps one of the most underappreciated works of 2017. Completely reshaping Hillary Jordan’s book to delve deeper into the characters the movie explores, this should be the runaway favorite of this category. Sadly, it’s not. But here’s hoping for an upset.

Best original screenplay

What will win: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Martin McDonagh’s script is a standout because it always keeps you off balance. From the constant foul language to the extremely dark comedy, the dialogue plays on the fact that what’s being explored in the movie is so serious. And then it’s the actors’ performances that make it all work.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Get Out”

Jordan Peele’s exploration of race in our country, and combining a horror element with it, is a masterwork that will be hard to top. Despite if it wins an Oscar or not, the movie will certainly be remembered for decades to come.

Best supporting actress

Who will win: Allison Janney (“I, Tonya”)

This is another one of those no-brainers. Janney’s performance as Tonya Harding’s mother is just pure evil, though also extremely funny.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Allison Janney (“I, Tonya”)

I know there are some Laurie Metcalf (“Lady Bird”) loyalists out there, but Janney gives a career-best performance.

Best supporting actor

Who will win: Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”)

Rockwell’s career has been a roller-coaster ride because of Hollywood’s trouble placing him as either a movie star or a character actor over the years. But there’s never been any argument about his ability to act. It was a wild road to get here, but Rockwell will finally be recognized on Sunday.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Christopher Plummer (“All the Money in the World”)

It would be amazing if Plummer stole the win. His performance in “All the Money in the World” is one of its few saving graces. It’s incredible to think he was just puttering around his house and was on the set the next day when he was called on to replace Kevin Spacey following the sexual misconduct allegations that led to director Ridley Scott cutting him out of the movie.

Best actress

Who will win: Frances McDormand (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”)

“Three Billboards” is powered by the incredible performances by its cast. And McDormand’s work shines incredibly bright.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Margot Robbie (“I, Tonya”)

However, I can’t get Robbie’s performance as Tonya Harding out of my head. She gives a jaw-dropping performance of a woman who basically has a chip on her shoulder because of all the crap she’s dealt with her entire life.

Best actor

Who will win: Gary Oldman (“Darkest Hour”)

This is kind of like Leonardo DiCaprio winning for “The Revenant” a few years back. Oldman, who despite a legendary career has never won an Oscar, basically had to completely be unrecognizable and become Winston Churchill to get an Oscar (which is likely going to happen). Thankfully he didn’t have to go as far as DiCaprio and eat bison liver on set to get the award.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Daniel Kaluuya (“Get Out”)

Man, it would be great to see Kaluuya get the win. It’s a very long shot, but for general audiences his performance in “Get Out” will stay with them longer than Oldman as Churchill.

Best director

Who will win: Guillermo del Toro (“The Shape of Water”)

There’s no one better right now making creature movies, and Del Toro made such a great one you can't hate on the fact that he’s the frontrunner to win the Oscar in this category.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Christopher Nolan (“Dunkirk”)

But it’s also hard to ignore the incredible work Nolan did in pulling off “Dunkirk.” It will be fascinating to see where the Academy leans because it will likely hint at which movie wins best picture.

Best picture

What will win: “The Shape of Water”

The creature feature love story isn’t just a celebration of the genre, but also a celebration of cinema itself. That usually pulls at the heart strings of Academy voters.

WHAT SHOULD WIN: “Dunkirk”

But, again, the boldness of this movie needs to be recognized. And its ending scenes are some of the best storytelling Nolan has ever done (and that’s saying something seeing how he ended “Inception”).

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