The American Cinema Editors select nominees in four categories. Two of those categories (Animation & Documentary) have no Oscar impact. The other two, Drama and Comedy/Musical do. While Comedy/Musical has less of an impact than Drama does, they could both have something to say about this year’s competitors. That’s because of the five Oscar nominees, three are on the Comedy/Musical slate this year (Baby Driver, I, Tonya, and Three Billboards) and two are in Drama (Dunkirk and The Shape of Water). The ACE awards banquet will be Friday evening.

AMERICAN CINEMA EDITORS AWARDS

Best Drama Editing

Blade Runner 2049 (RU:Peter)
Dunkirk (Wesley, Tripp, Thomas)
Molly’s Game
The Post
The Shape of Water (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: Coincidentally, the two Oscar nominees on this slate are likely the only two who can win the award. While The Shape of Water is an Oscar frontrunner in several categories, Dunkirk has been winning all the awards for editing, so give this one to Christopher Nolan’s World War II film.
Peter J. Patrick: This should be a toss-up between The Shape of Water and Blade Runner 2049.
Tripp Burton: This is between our new Oscar nominations leader and a war epic that jumps time and space repeatedly. I see Dunkirk taking this easily, on its way to a likely Oscar win.
Thomas LaTourette: Dunkirk had more editing than anything else this year, so that flashiness will probably carry over to a win here. The Shape of Water is probably its only major competition, as they are both now Oscar nominees. Since flashy wins over subtle quite often, it should easily be Dunkirk.

Best Comedy/Musical Editing

Baby Driver (Wesley, Thomas)
Get Out (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
I, Tonya
Lady Bird (Peter, RU:Tripp)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Tripp, RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: In a situation that rarely, if ever, happens, three of the year’s Oscar nominees come from this group of nominees. Two of those I peg to be the primary contenders not just in this category, but at the Oscars as well where Dunkirk is likely leading, if only barely, Baby Driver, and the Best Picture contender Three Billboards is not far behind. The question here is whether ACE voters will go for the Best Picture nominee of the three or go for the one with the flashiest editing. I’m guessing that Baby Driver is showy and inventive enough to pull off a win over the more traditional Three Billboards.
Peter J. Patrick: Lady Bird would be best guess, with Get Out a possible spoiler.
Tripp Burton: This is becoming one of the more interesting categories, with recent popular pick Three Billboards competing against popular choices Lady Bird and Get Out, as well as co-Oscar nominees Baby Driver and I, Tonya. There are actually more Oscar nominees here than in the Drama category. This is anyone’s guess, but I’ll lean towards Three Billboards.
Thomas LaTourette: Once again, I am assuming that flashy will win, so Baby Driver should take this award.

Best Animation Editing

Coco (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Despicable Me 3
The Lego Batman Movie (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: While it’s generally foolish to vote against the Pixar effort (notice I’m not doing that), this is the one place Coco might actually lose to the more frenetic entry, The Lego Batman Movie.
Peter J. Patrick: Coco easily.
Tripp Burton: Don’t bet against Coco all season.
Thomas LaTourette: It would surprise me if anything but Coco won.

Best Documentary Editing

Cries from Syria (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
Jane (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)
Joan Didion: The Center Will Hold
LA 92 (Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: I’m really not sure what will win here. Three of these were on the Documentary Feature shortlist, but none of them claimed an Oscar nomination. While Jane is the more acclaimed, the rigors fo war make Cries from Syria a more likely contender. Of course, I put Jane in second place, but I feel LA 92 might be a potential spoiler.
Peter J. Patrick: I see this one going to Jane with Cries from Syria the closest runner-up.
Tripp Burton: None of these are Oscar nominees, and I could see this going any way.
Thomas LaTourette: Cries from Syria and LA 92 sound like they will be the most edited because of their subject matters, though Jane was edited from years’ worth of film, so it could win instead.