Dark comedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" is in pole position for the most prestigious prizes, although fairy tale romance "The Shape of Water" leads the overall charge with 13 nominations on a night expected to highlight Tinseltown's campaigns against sexual misconduct and gender inequality.

"I don't remember a year with so much uncertainty. There are at least four strong possibilities to win," Variety's awards editor Tim Gray told AFP, adding Christopher Nolan's sweeping war epic "Dunkirk" to the mix.

"I'm guessing that 'The Shape of Water' will win, but that's just a guess." 

The 90th Academy Awards -- hosted for the second straight year by Kimmel -- is beamed live around the world by ABC from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre.

The show caps a difficult few months during which the industry has declared war on the pervasive culture of sexual impropriety unearthed by the downfall of movie mogul and alleged serial sex attacker Harvey Weinstein.

Kimmel targeted Weinstein in his opening monologue and highlighted many of the filmmakers and actors scoring industry firsts with their nominations.

The host said Weinstein's downfall following dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct "was long overdue," along with the demise of numerous other Tinseltown figures caught up in scandal. 

"We can't let bad behavior slide anymore. The world is watching us. We need to set an example," he said. 

"And the truth is, if we are successful here, if we can work together to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, if we can do that, women will only have to deal with harassment all the time at every other place they go."

The first Oscar of the night went to Sam Rockwell for his acclaimed turn as a racist, violent police officer in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri."

Read also: Fun facts about this year's Oscar nominees

- Activism -

With the #MeToo and Time's Up campaigns against sexual misconduct and gender inequality dominating the 2018 awards circuit, this year's Oscars gala is seen as an opportunity for Tinseltown to support female filmmaking.

Greta Gerwig is only the fifth woman in Oscars history to be nominated for best director -- for comedy/drama "Lady Bird" -- but she faces tough competition from Guillermo del Toro, the runaway favorite for "The Shape of Water."

There was also the first nod in history for a female cinematographer, Rachel Morrison, who shot Dee Rees's racial drama "Mudbound."

The Time's Up initiative did not plan a coordinated protest on Sunday -- like the striking red carpet "blackout" at the Golden Globes.

But Kimmel highlighted the work of both campaigns, pointing out that only 11 percent of movies are made by women. 

"The year men screwed up so badly, women started dating fish," he joked, in a reference to the plot of "The Shape of Water."

A host of stars -- including Jane Fonda, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patrick Stewart and Richard Jenkins -- sported Time's Up badges, civil rights ribbons as well as orange US flags backing gun control. 

In another nod to the women's movements, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tapped past winners Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster to present the best actress Oscar, according to Variety.

Traditionally, the previous year's best actor winner would present that statuette, but Casey Affleck, who triumphed in 2017 for "Manchester by the Sea," withdrew under a cloud of sexual harassment accusations he denies.

Read also: Five things to watch on Oscars night

- Avoiding another flub -

Organizers are looking to rebound after last year's flubbed announcement by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway of the best picture winner -- the trophy was initially given to "La La Land," when the actual winner was "Moonlight."

In a surprise turn of events, Beatty and Dunaway have been tapped to present the same prize this time around, according to The Hollywood Reporter, although the Academy did not respond to AFP's request for confirmation. 

- McDormand, Oldman in pole position -

"The Shape of Water," a Cold War-set story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, tops the nominations with 13, although observers expect the spoils to be fairly evenly spread. 

"Dunkirk" heads into Sunday's gala in second place with eight nods, while "Three Billboards" picked up seven.

Frances McDormand ("Three Billboards") and British veteran Gary Oldman ("Darkest Hour"), who have dominated the awards season, are expected to bag the lead acting statuettes.

Disney-Pixar's "Coco" seems a near-sure bet to pick up the award for best animated film.

And "A Fantastic Woman" -- a love story from Chilean director Sebastian Lelio with a much-praised star turn from transgender actress Daniela Vega -- is tipped to win best foreign-language film honors. 

"This year, the Oscars are really surprisingly and beautifully inclusive," Luca Guadagnino, director of "Call Me By Your Name," an outside bet for best picture, told AFP at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards.

"We have films that speak about so many topics and that celebrate so many filmmakers from different parts of the world."

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