Oscars 2017: Predicting The Winners

Will Win: La La Land Should Win: Arrival Surprise Win: Moonlight

Whether or not La La Land wins Best Picture, it will certainly win Best Editing. Edited in a classical style, perfectly complementing the throwback style of a Hollywood musical, this is an approach that has previously worked for the likes of Argo, The Aviator and Chicago.

However, Arrival is a far more complex affair, deftly representing the main theme of time not being linear and the aliens speaking to some of the characters through dreams. The editing is integral to the story in a way it isn't for the other 4 nominees. The fact editor Joe Walker pulls it off is a stunning feat, and if the award truly acknowledges achievements in editing, then Arrival is the deserving winner.

There is a chance that if Moonlight does take Best Picture, it might just take Best Editing as well. The film centres on the passing of time, and editors Joi McMillion and Nat Sanders present this effortlessly, with the transitions between the three stages of Chiron's life made with huge emotional impact. It is not groundbreaking editing, but incredibly effective in a less fantastical way than La La Land.