My Final 97th Annual Academy Awards' Predictions
Attempting To Nail All 23 Categories For The Super Bowl Of Film Award Shows
INTRODUCTION
Well the time has come. Oscar Sunday is this weekend as the 97th annual Academy Awards close out this awards season.
If you want more detailed thoughts on my thinking on why I believe a certain film or performance may be a winner in certain categories, and why I have them ranked where I do, look out for my much more in-depth piece on the matter that might be over at Ordinary Times by the time this is published.
BEST PICTURE
My Prediction: Anora
Upset Alert: Conclave
Dark Horse: The Brutalist
Just Happy To Be Nominated: A Complete Unknown; Dune: Part Two; Emilia Perez; I’m Still Here; Nickel Boys; The Substance; Wicked
If I Had A Vote: 1. Wicked; 2. Conclave; 3. The Brutalist; 4. Dune: Part Two; 5. Nickel Boys; 6. Anora; 7. The Substance; 8. I’m Still Here; 9. Emilia Perez; 10. A Complete Unknown
BEST DIRECTOR
My Prediction: Sean Baker (Anora)
Upset Alert: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
Dark Horse: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Coralie Fargeat (The Substance); James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)
If I Had A Vote: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
BEST ACTOR
My Prediction: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
Upset Alert: Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)
Dark Horse: Ralph Fiennes (Conclave)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Colman Domingo (Sing Sing); Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)
If I Had A Vote: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
BEST ACTRESS
My Prediction: Mikey Madison (Anora)
Upset Alert: Demi Moore (The Substance)
Dark Horse: Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Cynthia Erivo (Wicked); Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Perez)
If I Had A Vote: Demi Moore (The Substance)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
My Prediction: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Upset Alert: Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown)
Dark Horse: Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Yura Borisov (Anora); Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
If I Had A Vote: Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
My Prediction: Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez)
Upset Alert: Ariana Grande (Wicked)
Dark Horse: Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Felicity Jones (The Brutalist); Isabella Rossellini (Conclave)
If I Had A Vote: Ariana Grande (Wicked)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
My Prediction: Anora
Upset Alert: A Real Pain
Dark Horse: The Substance
Just Happy To Be Nominated: September 5; The Brutalist
If I Had A Vote: The Brutalist
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
My Prediction: Conclave
Upset Alert: Nickel Boys
Dark Horse: Sing Sing
Just Happy To Be Nominated: A Complete Unknown; Emilia Perez
If I Had A Vote: Conclave
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
My Prediction: The Wild Robot
Upset Alert: Flow
Dark Horse: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Inside Out 2; Memoir Of A Snail
If I Had A Vote: The Wild Robot
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
My Prediction: Wander To Wonder
Upset Alert: Yuck!
Dark Horse: Beautiful Men
Just Happy To Be Nominated: In The Shadow Of The Cypress; Magic Candies
If I Had A Vote: Wander To Wonder
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
My Prediction: I’m Still Here
Upset Alert: Emilia Perez
Dark Horse: Flow
Just Happy To Be Nominated: The Girl With The Needle; The Seed Of The Sacred Fig
If I Had A Vote: Flow
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
My Prediction: A Lien
Upset Alert: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
Dark Horse: The Last Ranger
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Anuja; I’m Not A Robot
If I Had A Vote: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
My Prediction: Porcelain War
Upset Alert: No Other Land
Dark Horses: Black Box Diaries; Sugarcane
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat
If I Had A Vote: Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
My Prediction: The Only Girl In The Orchestra
Upset Alert: I Am Ready Warden
Dark Horse: Incident
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Death By Numbers; Instruments Of A Beating Heart
If I Had A Vote: Incident
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
My Prediction: “El Mal” (Emilia Perez)
Upset Alert: “The Journey” (The Six Triple Eight)
Dark Horse: “Like A Bird” (Sing Sing)
Just Happy To Be Nominated: “Never Too Late” (Elton John: Never Too Late); “Mi Camino” (Emilia Perez)
If I Had A Vote: “Like A Bird” (Sing Sing)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
My Prediction: The Brutalist
Upset Alert: Conclave
Dark Horses: Emilia Perez; The Wild Robot
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Wicked
If I Had A Vote: The Brutalist
BEST SOUND
My Prediction: Dune: Part Two
Upset Alert: Wicked
Dark Horse: A Complete Unknown
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Emilia Perez; The Wild Robot
If I Had A Vote: Wicked
BEST EDITING
My Prediction: Conclave
Upset Alert: Anora
Dark Horses: Wicked; Emilia Perez
Just Happy To Be Nominated: The Brutalist
If I Had A Vote: Wicked
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
My Prediction: The Brutalist
Upset Alert: Dune: Part Two
Dark Horses: Maria; Nosferatu
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Emilia Perez
If I Had A Vote: Nosferatu
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
My Prediction: Dune: Part Two
Upset Alert: Wicked
Dark Horse: Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Alien: Romulus; Better Man
If I Had A Vote: Dune: Part Two
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
My Prediction: Wicked
Upset Alert: Conclave
Dark Horse: Nosferatu
Just Happy To Be Nominated: Dune: Part Two; The Brutalist
If I Had A Vote: Wicked
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
My Prediction: Wicked
Upset Alert: Conclave
Dark Horse: Nosferatu
Just Happy To Be Nominated: A Complete Unknown; Gladiator II
If I Had A Vote: Wicked
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
My Prediction: The Substance
Upset Alert: Wicked
Dark Horse: Emilia Perez
Just Happy To Be Nominated: A Different Man; Nosferatu
If I Had A Vote: The Substance