I am really coming in to the 11th hour.
With the only a few days left until the Academy Awards, my predictions are finally done, but at the cost of a few things, namely, that I don’t have all the photos I would normally have with this post.
(On the plus side, I did have time to see all the shorts).
Read more: Predictions for the 96th Academy AwardsMuch of that has to do with the same old story of me overthinking certain categories and not knowing what to pick. That is not to say that there are not certain categories that are easy to predict. the real question of Oscar night will be how many awards will Oppenheimer sweep and how many will the rest get?
Here are my predictions
Best Picture
- American Fiction
- Anatomy of a Fall
- Barbie
- The Holdovers
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- Maestro
- Oppenheimer
- Past Lives
- Poor Things
- The Zone of Interest
Not to get too far ahead of myself, but the only nominee here to walk away empty handed will be Past Lives (only two noms but hey, still my favorite of 2023).
Either way, this is the epicenter of Oppenheimer’s dominance of the night.
Will win: Oppenheimer
Should win: Past Lives
Best Director
- Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest
- Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
- Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
- Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
- Justin Triet – Anatomy of a Fall
Who are we kidding here? This is the easiest of the night. There is no runner up. Someone tell Nolan he can bring in the sheets if they have not already.
Will win/Should win: Nolan
Best Actor
- Bradley Cooper – Maestro
- Colman Domingo – Rustin
- Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
- Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
- Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
Despite the fight my heart has been fighting for Giamatti, my brain won with Murphy.
Will win: Cillian Murphy
Could win/Should win: Giamatti
Best Actress
- Annette Bening – Nyad
- Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
- Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall
- Carey Mulligan – Maestro
- Emma Stone – Poor Things
The closest of the acting races, this could present the night’s biggest upset if Hüller comes through, but with the SAG win and history in the making behind her (not to mention Stone’s support), expect it to go to Gladstone.
Will win/Should win: Gladstone
Could win: Hüller
Best Supporting Actor
- Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
- Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
- Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
- Ryan Gosling – Barbie
- Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
Another nearly for sure win: while Gosling is the only possible runner up, it is nowhere near enough to surpass Downey Jr. at this point.
Will win/Should win: RDJ
Best Supporting Actress
- Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
- Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
- America Ferrera – Barbie
- Jodie Foster – Nyad
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
If there is any place you can be sure that Oppenheimer will NOT win, it is here. Nothing against Blunt, but Randolph has won every thing up to this point and won’t stop now.
Will win/Should win: Randolph
(Click here for full list of nominations)
Best Original Screenplay
Will win: Anatomy of a Fall
Should win: Past Lives
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will win: American Fiction
Could win: Oppenheimer
Best Animated Feature
Will win: The Boy and the Heron
Could win/Should win: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
(this one is truly a coin toss between those two)
Best International Feature
Will win/Should win: The Zone of Interest
Best Documentary Feature
Will win/Should win: 20 Days in Mariupol
Best Film Editing
Will win/Should win: Oppenheimer
Best Cinematography
Will win/Should win: Oppenheimer
Best Original Score
Will win: Oppenheimer
Should win: Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Original Song
Will win: “What was I made for?” – Barbie
Should win: “I’m just Ken” – Barbie
Best Production Design
Will win/Should win: Poor Things
Best Costume Design
Will win: Poor Things
Should win: Barbie
Best Make-up/Hairstyling
Will win/Should win: Maestro
Could win: Poor Things
Best Sound
Will win: Oppenheimer
Could win/Should win: The Zone of Interest
Best Visual Effects
Will win/Should win: The Creator
Could win: Godzilla Minus One
Best Animated Short
Will win/Should win: WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the music of John & Yoko
Best Documentary Short
Will win/Should win: The ABCS of Book Banning
Could win: The Last Repair Shop
Best Live Action Short
Will win: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Could win/Should win: Red, White and Blue
Nothing else to say 