Category Archives: Oscars

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Film Review

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If you’re heading to the cinema expecting Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere to be your standard-issue musical biopic — complete with backstage meltdowns, redemption arcs, and roaring sing-alongs — think again. This isn’t a toe-tapping, stadium-shaking celebration of “The Boss.” It’s something far more intimate, raw, and quietly haunting.

It’s a quiet, character-driven story about the weight of fame, the echoes of childhood trauma, and the loneliness that can accompany the pursuit of perfection. At its core, it’s not about Bruce Springsteen, the rock icon but about Bruce the man, the son, and the artist wrestling with his own darkness.

Like Being the Ricardos (2021), the film focuses on a single pivotal chapter in Springsteen’s life, rather than attempting to tell his entire life story. It picks up after The River tour, when Springsteen was emotionally and creatively spent, and follows him into the making of Nebraska. It’s during this period that we see him stripped down — no band, no screaming fans, just him and the noise inside his head. The movie delves into the sometimes messy, yet beautiful process of creation and how unresolved pain can shape the art we hold closest.

I’ll be honest: I enjoyed Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere way more than A Complete Unknown. While the latter left me admiring Dylan’s mystique, this one left me feeling Springsteen’s humanity. I walked away understanding him better — and loving his music even more because of it.

In terms of the performances, Jeremy Allen White is, without question, an incredible actor. I’ve been a fan since his Shameless days, and he’s only gotten better since. His take on Springsteen is intense and heartfelt, but here’s the thing — it didn’t quite feel like a transformation. He nails the emotional depth, but it’s the same quiet, tortured energy we’ve seen from him in other roles. At times, I felt like I was watching Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen rather than Bruce himself. Still, it’s a powerful performance — just one that feels familiar.

Jeremy Strong shines as Jon Landau, Springsteen’s longtime manager and steadying presence. But the real standout for me is Stephen Graham as Bruce’s father. His portrayal — both in flashbacks and present-day moments — is subtle, devastating, and deeply human. There’s no melodrama, no forced sentiment. Just raw emotion that sneaks up on you and lingers. If there’s early Oscar buzz for Supporting Actor, I’d put my money on him.

In the end, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere isn’t a film about rock and roll glory — it’s about the silence behind the spotlight. It’s about what happens when the applause fades and the artist is left alone with his own thoughts.

Grade: B+

2024 Academy Awards Predictions

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Lights, camera, action! Oscars 2024 is almost here. Will Oppenheimer continue its months-long dominance and sweep most of the major categories, will Lily Gladstone pull a late-season upset and become the first Native American woman to win Lead Actress? In just a few days, all will be revealed. 

But until then, I have a few thoughts. Here are my final predictions for this year’s Academy Awards. 

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 

Will Win – It’s Oppenheimer. Similar to last year’s dominant sweep by Everything Everywhere All At Once, no other film has a shot. This category has been sewn up for months. 

BEST DIRECTOR

  • Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”) 
  • Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) 
  • Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”) 
  • Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”) 
  • Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”)

Will Win – Much like Best Picture, this one’s been over for months. It’s Christopher Nolan. 

BEST LEAD ACTOR 

  • Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”) 
  • Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) 
  • Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) 
  • Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) 
  • Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”) 

Will Win – For many months, my gut kept telling me that this category had the potential to become a tight race between Cillian Murphy and Paul Giamatti. However, Cillian Murphy’s win at the SAG Awards may suggest otherwise. He’s the heavy odds-on favorite to win. But a little voice in me says that there is the potential of a shocking upset on Oscar Sunday and Paul Giamatti wins. Albeit, the potential is very small. 

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

  • Annette Bening (“Nyad”) 
  • Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) 
  • Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”)
  • Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) 
  • Emma Stone (“Poor Things”)

Will Win – Who knew that this was going to be the acting category to emerge with the most intrigue? Especially since many initially thought Lily Gladstone made a mistake submitting in Lead versus Supporting Actress. But here we are, unsure which way this category will go come Oscar Sunday. If we only go by last year, the similarities are striking and it certainly suggests Lily Gladstone will win, much like Michelle Yeoh did, despite Cate Blanchett mostly sweeping the Awards Season. However, Killers of the Flower Moon is certainly not as beloved as Everything Everywhere All At Once was and Poor Things, while not expected to win Best Picture, is fairly critically loved. So hard to say, but I think voters will ultimately lean towards the film they loved more and Emma Stone will win.   

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 

  • Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”) 
  • Robert DeNiro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) 
  • Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”)
  • Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) 
  • Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”) 

Will Win – It’s a slam-dunk and it’s not even close. Robert Downey Jr. will win his first Oscar in a long and lustrous career. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

  • Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”) 
  • Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”) 
  • America Ferrera (“Barbie”) 
  • Jodie Foster (“Nyad”) 
  • Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”)

Will Win – Like Supporting Actor, this one is a done deal and has been so since the Oscar race began. Da’Vine Joy Randolph has this one in the bag. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 

  • American Fiction
  • Barbie
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things
  • The Zone of Interest

Will Win – This category has shaped up to be a very interesting one. And with the Writer’s Guild Awards taking place after the Oscars this year, they are no help in sifting through the nominees and picking the potential winner. Months ago, I think many might have thought this would be a fight between Oppenheimer and The Zone of Interest. However, a late-season surge has positioned American Fiction in a much stronger position than many initially realized. I think its win at BAFTA was incredibly significant and for that reason, I’m picking American Fiction to take this one. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 

  • Anatomy of a Fall 
  • The Holdovers 
  • Maestro 
  • May | December 
  • Past Lives 

Will Win – When Awards Season began, I think many expected this category to be a lock for Celine Song for Past Lives. Unfortunately, I think it’s clear much of the wind has been knocked out of Past Lives’ sails. And therefore, I’d say right now, the very heavy favorite to win this category is Anatomy of a Fall. But I wouldn’t be shocked if Past Lives pulls off the upset. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • El Conde 
  • Killers of the Flower Moon 
  • Maestro 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 

Will Win – Another sure win for Oppenheimer. Although, if any film could pull an upset here, it would be Poor Things, which I think represents a pretty formidable foe to Oppenheimer. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

  • Bobi Wine: The People’s President 
  • The Eternal Memory 
  • Four Daughters 
  • To Kill a Tiger 
  • 20 Days in Mariupol 

Will Win – This might have been a more competitive category if some of the early season favorites, such as American Symphony and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie had gotten in. However, as it were, 20 Days in Mariupol has been unstoppable for months and I don’t see that changing come Oscar night. 

BEST FILM EDITING 

  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • The Holdovers 
  • Killers of the Flower Moon 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 

Will Win – Hard to bet against the woman responsible for editing Oppenheimer into a tight three-hour story that never felt guilty of superfluous scenes and moments. It’s Oppenheimer and a win for Jennifer Lame. 

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

  • Io Capitano (Italy)  
  • Perfect Days (Japan) 
  • Society of the Snow (Spain) 
  • The Teachers’ Lounge (Germany)
  • The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) 

Will Win – This could have been one of the most competitive categories of the whole night, had France not made the bonehead decision to submit The Taste of Things, instead of Anatomy of a Fall as its submission. So as it stands, this is a slam-dunk, pack it up, it’s over, win for The Zone of Interest.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

  • “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot, Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
  • “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt 
  • “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony, Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson 
  • “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon, Music and Lyric by Scott George 
  • “ What Was I Made For?” from Barbie, Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell 

Will Win – It’s the battle of the Barbie songs. It seems a foregone conclusion that this will be another Oscar win for the writing duo of Billie and Finneas. However, Academy voters have shown many times in the past that they love to sometimes skew to the off-beat and “unexpected” choices in this category. So don’t be shocked if I’m Just Ken pulls off the upset. Plus, the fact that Billie and Finneas won this category barely three years ago, in 2021, may work against them. Especially considering how young they both are. 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

  • Barbie 
  • Killers of the Flower Moon 
  • Napoleon 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 

Will Win – This is a two-horse race between Poor Things and Barbie. There is certainly a strong case to be made for Barbie, but I think Poor Things will edge it out. 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

  • The Creator 
  • Godzilla Minus One 
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
  • Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One 
  • Napoleon 

Will Win – It feels like this should be a slam dunk for Godzilla Minus One. However, there is The Creator, which while certainly not a mainstream film, delivered incredible visual effects. Hard to say which way this one will go, especially since the entire Academy votes on the winner, and not everyone truly understands what constitutes great visual effects. In the interest of having to pick a winner, I’ll go with Godzilla Minus One. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

  • The Boy and the Heron 
  • Elemental 
  • Nimona 
  • Robot Dreams 
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

Will Win – At the start of this Awards Season, I believed this category was a slam dunk for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. But then the televised awards began and The Boy and the Heron has won every major award, except the Critics Choice. So now I’m torn, and thinking that it may be The Boy and the Heron’s to lose. However, it should be noted that the Animation Guild and PGA awarded Spider-Man the win. Who would have thought Best Animated Film would turn out to be such a hotly debated category? I am predicting Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to win, with the expectation that the wider Academy will have more love for it versus The Boy and the Heron. However, I’m doing so with the caveat that I can absolutely see The Boy and the Heron winning instead. 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

  • Barbie 
  • Killers of the Flower Moon 
  • Napoleon 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 

Will Win – Another Barbie versus Poor Things showdown. While a strong case can be made for both films, I do see the argument that as stunning as the Barbie costumes were, the costume designer had a reference point to work from, while Poor Things is mostly the costume designer’s imagination. It’s similar to last year’s argument in this category of Elvis versus Wakanda Forever. On that logic, I’m going with Poor Things for the win. 

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING 

  • Golda 
  • Maestro 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 
  • Society of the Snow 

Will Win – If there is any category where Maestro has an excellent shot of taking home a win, it is this one. And that is exactly what I believe will happen on Oscar night. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • American Fiction 
  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 
  • Killers of the Flower Moon 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • Poor Things 

Will Win – There are some amazing movie scores in this category, as well as some heavyweight nominees. However, one score, in particular, has been dominant throughout the season. And I believe that streak will continue when Ludwig Göransson picks up his second Oscar for Best Original Score, for Oppenheimer. 

BEST SOUND

  • The Creator 
  • Maestro 
  • Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One 
  • Oppenheimer 
  • The Zone of Interest 

Will Win – There is some intrigue in this category, as many loved the eerie disturbing sounds of The Zone of Interest. However, it’s hard to bet against a film that featured the sounds of a whole atomic bomb exploding. I’m going with Oppenheimer.

2024 Golden Globes Recap

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The 2024 Golden Globes are officially in the bag. We now have an idea of what direction this new voting body is going to take moving forward, and I’m not sure I love it (more on that below). There isn’t much to say about the ceremony, therefore, rather than a best and worst, I’ll just list a few key takeaways I had about the ceremony. 

  • Less Time for the Host’s Monologue – Don’t worry, I will not add to the pile-on of poor Jo Koy. That said, awful jokes aside, there was simply no reason the monologue should have been 15 minutes long in the first place. Award shows producers are always bleating about time, going as far as trying to remove categories during the telecast. But I find it odd that none of them have considered cutting down the host’s monologue. I get that the hosts are typically comedians, which means a pseudo stand-up routine is what works best for them. But the bottom line is people don’t watch these shows for the host – they watch to see if their favorite films or shows win and to see their favorite celebrities. I do believe cutting down these opening monologues to five minutes or less would be a game-changer.

  • No Shocking Upsets – The one thing the Globes were known for was doing the unexpected. You could always count on them making some of the most surprising and random choices in a few categories. That did not happen last night. Many wondered how this new voting body would proceed – would they stick with the old unpredictably or fall more in line with the critics and popular opinions? And now we know. As I mentioned in my TikTok video, I’m a bit torn. While I’m happy if this means that most of the corruption of the old HFPA is gone, I liked that the Globes were unexpected. They didn’t just fall in line with The Emmy Awards and other big shows. Because of this, we rarely saw any show or film sweep like we saw on Sunday night.

  • Oppenheimer Has All the Momentum – Of course, we know that Globes winners don’t always hold up come Oscar Sunday. However, for now, at least, I think it’s a safe bet to say Oppenheimer is looking very strong for an eventual Best Picture win. At the least, I’d say Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Original Score, and probably Best Supporting Actor are very likely.

  • Anatomy of a Fall Emerges, Past Lives Stumbles – Late last summer, if you had asked many to predict the films likely to dominate at this year’s Oscars, you probably would have heard Barbie and Oppenheimer, of course, Killers of the Flower Moon and Past Lives. Sunday night’s Golden Globes placed a huge question mark on the latter’s award chances. And today’s SAG Awards nominations announcement further solidified that question mark. More than Past Lives seemingly fading as a favorite, was the emergence of Anatomy of a Fall as a potential favorite to watch out for. At a minimum, I think they’re a lock for Best International Film (editing this because just remembered that Anatomy of a Fall is ineligible for Best International Film because for whatever reason France chose to submit The Taste of Things as their submission rather than Anatomy of a Fall).

  • Best Actress is a Two-Woman Race – Unsurprisingly, Globes solidified that this year’s Best Actress race is a two-way race between Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone. Similar to last year’s Globes, where Cate Blanchett won Actress – Drama and Michelle Yeoh won Actress – Comedy/Musical, Gladstone and Stone’s wins in the respective categories have solidified them as locks. It’s hard to tell right now which way this will end. However, subsequent ceremonies – Critics Choice, BAFTA, and SAG should make things a lot clearer by Oscar Sunday.

2024 Golden Globes Predictions – Movies

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And we have arrived at the movies portion of my predictions. Buckle in, as this one may be a little all over the place. And once again, I anticipate half of these being wrong. So, without further ado, here are my predictions for the movie categories for this year’s Golden Globes Awards.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

  • Oppenheimer
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Maestro
  • Past Lives
  • The Zone of Interest
  • Anatomy of a Fall

Prediction: Yeah, I’m going to play it safe and say Oppenheimer. I could see a potential Past Lives upset, but I think voters will stick with the predictable option. 

BEST PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY 

  • Barbie
  • Poor Things
  • American Fiction
  • The Holdovers
  • May December
  • Air

Prediction: This one is a lot harder to predict. Conventional wisdom would say Barbie seems the obvious choice. However, Poor Things is a huge critical darling. Torn, but I’ll say Barbie, just because of its cultural and monetary impact last year.

BEST DIRECTOR, MOTION PICTURE 

  • Bradley Cooper — “Maestro”
  • Greta Gerwig — “Barbie”
  • Yorgos Lanthimos — “Poor Things”
  • Christopher Nolan — “Oppenheimer”
  • Martin Scorsese — “Killers of the Flower Moon”
  • Celine Song — “Past Lives”

Prediction: I think Oppenheimer is going to have a big night, and so I’m predicting Christopher Nolan here. 

BEST SCREENPLAY, MOTION PICTURE

  • Barbie — Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach
  • Poor Things — Tony McNamara
  • Oppenheimer — Christopher Nolan
  • Killers of the Flower Moon — Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese
  • Past Lives — Celine Song
  • Anatomy of a Fall — Justine Triet, Arthur Harari

Prediction: I’m torn on whether voters will appreciate the originality of Poor Things or the adaptive work of Killers of the Flower Moon. I’ll go with Poor Things.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA 

  • Bradley Cooper — “Maestro”
  • Cillian Murphy — “Oppenheimer”
  • Leonardo DiCaprio — “Killers of the Flower Moon”
  • Colman Domingo — “Rustin”
  • Andrew Scott — “All of Us Strangers”
  • Barry Keoghan — “Saltburn”

Prediction: I think this may be Cillian Murphy’s to lose. However, I would not be entirely shocked or upset to see Bradley Cooper pull off the win. Either way, I think this win will set the stage for either the beginning of a sweep or shine a light on a possible favorite.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

  • Lily Gladstone — “Killers of the Flower Moon”
  • Carey Mulligan – “Maestro”
  • Sandra Hüller – “Anatomy of a Fall”
  • Annette Bening — “Nyad”
  • Greta Lee — “Past Lives”
  • Cailee Spaeny — “Priscilla”

Prediction: Without the presence of Emma Stone who has possibly the most buzz for the Best Actress category, this is likely to come down to Lily Gladstone or Carey Mulligan. I think Mulligan will take it. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

  • Fantasia Barrino – “The Color Purple”
  • Jennifer Lawrence – “No Hard Feelings”
  • Natalie Portman – “May December”
  • Alma Pöysti – “Fallen Leaves”
  • Margot Robbie – “Barbie”
  • Emma Stone – “Poor Things”

Prediction: Although I believe Emma Stone will be a heavy favorite to win the Oscar, I am going to go out on a big limb here and boldly predict that Fantasia will win. 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

  • Nicolas Cage — “Dream Scenario”
  • Timothée Chalamet — “Wonka”
  • Matt Damon — “Air”
  • Paul Giamatti — “The Holdovers”
  • Joaquin Phoenix — “Beau Is Afraid”
  • Jeffrey Wright — “American Fiction”

Prediction: This feels like a wide-open category. However, with all the positive buzz around The Holdovers, I am going to predict Paul Giamatti for the win. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MOTION PICTURE 

  • Willem Dafoe — “Poor Things”
  • Robert DeNiro — “Killers of the Flower Moon”
  • Robert Downey Jr. — “Oppenheimer”
  • Ryan Gosling — “Barbie”
  • Charles Melton — “May December”
  • Mark Ruffalo — “Poor Things”

Prediction: Charles Melton has been having some early pre-season critical success. I think that may continue. If not, I believe this may be the start of Robert Downey Jr.’s awards season run. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – MOTION PICTURE

  • Emily Blunt — “Oppenheimer”
  • Danielle Brooks — “The Color Purple”
  • Jodie Foster — “Nyad”
  • Julianne Moore — “May December”
  • Rosamund Pike — “Saltburn”
  • Da’Vine Joy Randolph — “The Holdovers”

Prediction: Globes have shown love for Rosamund Pike in the past, and this category tends to be one of their more unpredictable ones. That said, I think Da’Vine Joy Randolph will continue her early, pre-season run and win.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, MOTION PICTURE

  • Ludwig Göransson — “Oppenheimer”
  • Jerskin Fendrix — “Poor Things”
  • Robbie Robertson — “Killers of the Flower Moon”
  • Mica Levi — “The Zone of Interest”
  • Daniel Pemberton — “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
  • Joe Hisaishi — “The Boy and the Heron”

Prediction: Poor Things is such an inventive, out-of-the-ordinary film that it would seem the sure thing here. But a little voice is telling me that voters will stick to the predictable option of Oppenheimer. 

BEST PICTURE, NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE

  • “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon) — France
  • “Fallen Leaves” (Mubi) — Finland
  • “Io Capitano” (01 Distribution) — Italy
  • “Past Lives” (A24) — United States
  • “Society of the Snow” (Netflix) — Spain
  • “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — United Kingdom

Prediction: I have no idea how or why Past Lives is included in this category, but no matter the reason, it will likely win. 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG, MOTION PICTURE 

  • “Barbie” — “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas
  • “Barbie” — “Dance the Night” by Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
  • “She Came to Me” — “Addicted to Romance” by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa
  • “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — “Peaches” by Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, and John Spiker
  • “Barbie” — “I’m Just Ken” by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt
  • “Rustin” — “Road to Freedom” by Lenny Kravitz

Prediction: This will likely be the start of a clean sweep for Billie and Finneas for What Was I Made For. Of course, if voters lean more towards the quirky, fun and truly original, we may see another Barbie hit – I’m Just Ken – take the big prize.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, ANIMATED 

  • “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids)
  • “Elemental” (Disney)
  • “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
  • “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Universal Pictures)
  • “Suzume” (Toho Co.)
  • “Wish” (Disney)

Prediction: Because I haven’t seen many of these, I will err on the side of caution and go with the buzz and say either The Boy and the Heron or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. 

BEST CINEMATIC AND BOX-OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT

  • “Barbie” (Warner Bros.)
  • “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney)
  • “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate Films)
  • “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures)
  • “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
  • “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
  • “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Universal Pictures)
  • “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” (AMC Theatres)

Prediction: Hard to imagine an award show passing up the opportunity to blow more smoke up Taylor Swift’s ass, but I’m pretty sure this is an easy win for Barbie. 

2023 Academy Awards Predictions

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We made it. After months and months of predictions on who and what films would be nominated, with a few controversies along the way (hello Andrea Riseborough), to predictions on what films and actors will win, we’re finally at Oscar week. And in just a few days, all will be revealed. 

Will it be an Everything Everywhere All At Once sweep? Will Cate Blanchett win her third Oscar or will Michelle Yeoh make history as the first Asian woman to win Lead Actress? And will it be Austin Butler or Brendan Fraser or neither for Lead Actor? I have a few thoughts. Here are my final predictions for this year’s Academy Awards. 

BEST PICTURE 

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Elvis
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • The Fabelmans
  • Tár
  • Top Gun: Maverick
  • Triangle of Sadness
  • Women Talking

Will Win – Pack it up, it’s a done deal. Everything Everywhere All At Once will win. Yes, we’ve seen instances, no matter how rare, of the Producer’s Guild Award (PGA) winner not winning Best Picture – see 1917 losing to Parasite after winning PGA. But in all these years, there was a solid number two or three to the frontrunner film or a strong two-horse race. See CODA versus The Power of the Dog last year. Not the case this year. No film has solidly risen to challenge Everything Everywhere’s dominance. Hard to see them losing at the finish line. 

Could Win – Honestly couldn’t tell you. I guess there is a fantasy world where Top Gun: Maverick pulls out the come-from-behind storybook win or perhaps BAFTA may prove prophetic for Best Picture and All Quiet on the Western Front could win. My favorite upset would be The Banshees of Inisherin pulling out the stunning upset but yeah, don’t see it happening. 

BEST DIRECTOR

  • Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
  • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
  • Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) 
  • Todd Field (“Tár”) 
  • Ruben Östlund (“Triangle of Sadness”)

Will Win – Much like the PGA win, hard to bet against The Daniels after the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) win. Plus BAFTA proved irrelevant for this category, as they awarded Edward Berger the win, who is, of course, not nominated. 

Could Win – It seems hard to imagine that with The Fabelmans losing so much steam, Spielberg could pull off this win. Plus, you would think if he had any real shot in this category, DGA at least would have gone his way. I think the real possible upset in this category is Todd Field. There appears to be a lot of low-key passion for Tár by the Academy. 

BEST LEAD ACTOR 

  • Austin Butler (“Elvis”) 
  • Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
  • Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) 
  • Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) 
  • Bill Nighy (“Living”) 

Will Win – This one has certainly shaped up to be quite an interesting race. When award season began, many pundits were certain that this was going to be another season sweep, a la Will Smith last year, for Brendan Fraser. Not so much. Instead, the kid who started on Nickelodeon came in and shook things up. And now it’s seemingly a dead heat between Fraser and Austin Butler. So which one is taking it? Well, I’m going to go with the gut, and stats on this one and say, Austin Butler. The stats – BAFTA has correctly predicted the last eight Best Actor Oscar winners including two where someone else won SAG – Casey Affleck over Denzel Washington and Anthony Hopkins over Chadwick Boseman. Austin won BAFTA and Fraser won SAG. And the last time a lead actor won without their film being nominated for Best Picture was in 2009. The Whale is not nominated for Best Picture but Elvis is.

Could Win – There may be more members of the Academy moved by the narrative than I suspect and so Brendan Fraser’s apparent comeback narrative may be enough to take the win. I hope not because lovely as I think Brendan Fraser seems, I hated The Whale. 

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

  • Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) 
  • Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) 
  • Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”)
  • Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”) 
  • Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Will Win – I have believed Cate Blanchett will win her third Oscar for months and my mind has not changed. Yes, I’ve read all the arguments about Michelle Yeoh’s amazing narrative – first-time nominee in a long and respected career, best chance and possibly only chance to win a Lead Actress Oscar, would be history-making, etc. And still, I cannot shake the feeling that when it’s all said and done, a larger share of the Academy will ignore all the narrative and pick a woman whose talent they deeply respect, in a film they also appreciated a lot based on its nominations, and for a performance many believe is her greatest yet. 

Could Win – Michelle Yeoh, of course. And yes, for all the narrative reasons I noted above, as well as her possibly riding the Everything Everywhere momentum wave. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 

  • Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
  • Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”) 
  • Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”)
  • Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
  • Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

Will Win – Blessedly a fairly straightforward acting category. Ke Huy Quan is a lock to win this category. 

Could Win – I guess there is the possibility that a significant number of Academy members really love The Banshees of Inisherin and so Barry Keoghan’s upset win at BAFTA repeats at the Oscars. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

  • Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) 
  • Hong Chau (“The Whale”) 
  • Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 
  • Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Will Win – I feel like any of these five women’s names could be called on Sunday night and I would not be the least bit surprised. That’s how wide open this is. However, if I go with head and stats, I think Kerry Condon will win. Typically when the Supporting races are as wide open as this, the BAFTA winner tends to prevail, and Condon won a lot of pre-season critics’ awards. So her win would hardly be considered an upset. 

Could Win – Heart says, Angela Bassett. And I genuinely hope the heart wins out. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 

  • All Quiet on the Western Front,” Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell
  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Written by Rian Johnson
  • Living,” Written by Kazuo Ishiguro
  • Top Gun: Maverick,” Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
  • Women Talking,” Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Will Win – With Women Talking getting a surprise Best Picture nomination, followed by the film winning Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Writers’ Guild Awards (WGA), seems the safe bet to predict Sarah Polley will win the Oscar. 

Could Win – I understand the buzz around a potential win for All Quiet on the Western Front based on the fact that it is an adaptation of a beloved novel and the film overall has a lot of Academy love based on all the nominations it received. However, I can’t shake the feeling that if anyone but Sarah Polley wins here, it will be Kazuo Ishiguro for Living. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 

  • The Banshees of Inisherin,” Written by Martin McDonagh
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
  • The Fabelmans,” Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner
  • Tár,” Written by Todd Field
  • Triangle of Sadness,” Written by Ruben Östlund

Will Win – Hard to bet against Everything Everywhere All at Once, when so much of the love for the film is its original concept. Of course that’s less the actual script and more the overall story, but I suspect voters won’t make that distinction. And of course, it swept almost all the Guilds including yes, winning Original Screenplay at WGA.

Could Win – Personally, if I were a voting member of the Academy, my pick would be The Banshees of Inisherin and I do think it has the best chance of all the other nominees to possibly upset Everything Everywhere here. Aside from genuinely loving the film and its script, I would also just like to see Martin McDonagh win something on Oscar night. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • All Quiet on the Western Front”, James Friend
  • Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” Darius Khondji
  • Elvis,” Mandy Walker
  • Empire of Light,” Roger Deakins
  • Tár,” Florian Hoffmeister

Will Win – So a few weeks ago I would have said I’m locked in on All Quiet on the Western Front winning this category and I’m not changing my mind. Well, I was wrong and have indeed changed my mind. I now believe Elvis is going to win, which would be particularly awesome, as Mandy Walker, the cinematographer, would make history as the first woman to ever win in this category. 

Could Win – All that said, the reason I initially believe All Quiet was a lock is that the Academy’s love for war films in this category is a very real thing. Of course, since 1917 won barely a few years ago, it does feel a bit like, “been there, done that.” 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

  • All That Breathes
  • All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
  • Fire of Love
  • A House Made of Splinters
  • Navalny

Will Win – Navalny has all the momentum and significant guild wins in its corner right now. Hard to bet against it. 

Could Win – There is a lot of passion for All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, so an upset is possible. 

BEST FILM EDITING 

  • The Banshees of Inisherin,” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
  • Elvis,” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Paul Rogers
  • Tár,” Monika Willi
  • Top Gun: Maverick,” Eddie Hamilton

Will Win – As with most categories they’re nominated in, the safe bet here is Everything Everywhere, especially when you consider it is a film about traveling through multi-universes. 

Could Win – It could not have been easy editing all those flight sequences to make them look seamless, and for that and other reasons, I think Top Gun: Maverick has the best chance to upset here.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

  • All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) 
  • Argentina, 1985” (Argentina) 
  • Close” (Belgium)
  • EO” (Poland) 
  • The Quiet Girl” (Ireland) 

Will Win – All Quiet on the Western Front. I cannot think of an international film nominee that also got a Best Picture nomination and didn’t win this category. It’s done. 

Could Win – On the slight chance that complete madness ensues on Oscar night, there could be a potential upset by Argentina, 1985, which did win the Golden Globe. But yeah, not happening. 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

  • Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman,” Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
  • Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” Music and Lyrics by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
  • Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
  • Naatu Naatu” from “RRR,” Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose  
  • This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne 

Will Win – Naatu Naatu seems the obvious choice here, having won the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice. It’s also probably the most “original” of all the nominees. That said, considering this is the film’s single nomination despite having strong buzz early in award season, perhaps Academy voters may not love the film that much. 

Could Win – Personally, if I was a member of the Academy, my vote would go to Hold My Hand. I thought Lady Gaga perfectly captured the 80’s big-ballad vibe of the original film’s big song – Take My Breath Away – but managed to still make her version sound modern and current. 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • Babylon
  • Elvis
  • The Fabelmans

Will Win – Babylon has been sweeping this category at most precursor awards, so I’ll play it safe and predict they’re winning the ultimate prize. 

Could Win – How much love does the Academy have for Elvis? The answer to that question may result in its pulling the upset. Well, that and their love for the legendary Catherine Martin who won this category years ago for another Baz Luhrmann film – The Great Gatsby. 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • The Batman
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • Top Gun: Maverick

Will Win – Avatar, period. 

Could Win – No one. Avatar will win. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
  • Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
  • The Sea Beast
  • Turning Red

Will Win – Pinocchio has been one of the few locks all season long. That will hold up on Oscar night. 

Could Win – There is a lot of love for Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, so it could upset but I don’t see it happening. 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

  • Babylon,” Mary Zophres
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ruth Carter
  • Elvis,” Catherine Martin
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Shirley Kurata
  • Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” Jenny Beavan

Will Win – Catherine Martin could win two Oscars on Sunday because Elvis is very likely taking this one. 

Could Win – Depending on how obsessed Academy voters are with Everything Everywhere there is potential for it to upset here but very unlikely. 

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING 

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • The Batman
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • Elvis
  • The Whale

Will Win – Many believe this category may well determine the Best Actor race. If voters were more impressed with the 600-pound transformation of Brendan Fraser in The Whale then he wins Best Actor. But if they’re more impressed by Austin Butler’s transformation from young Elvis to aging, bloated Elvis, then Austin wins. Lucky then I picked Austin Butler to win Best Actor because I believe Elvis is winning this category. 

Could Win – Many would say The Whale but what the hell, for some chaos, I’d say The Batman could pull a surprise win here. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Babylon
  • The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • The Fabelmans

Will Win – There isn’t a solid lock in this category. Some weeks ago, I would have said Justin Hurwitz winning was a sure thing. But based on the Academy’s overall lukewarm response to Babylon, that’s no longer a given. All that said, I’m still not ready to write off Hurwitz. So Babylon it is. 

Could Win – Because this category isn’t a lock, there are many potential upsets but if I had to pick one, I’d say All Quiet on the Western Front. Unless the Academy decides to honor John Williams less for The Fabelmans and more for his stellar career. 

BEST SOUND

  • All Quiet on the Western Front
  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • The Batman
  • Elvis
  • Top Gun: Maverick

Will Win – I feel certain that this is Top Gun: Maverick’s best chance for an Oscar win. So Top Gun: Maverick it is. That and also the sound was amazing, which makes the film more than deserving.

Could Win – War-themed movies tend to do well in this category so I have to concede the possibility of All Quiet on the Western Front winning. 

2023 SAG Awards Predictions

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It is the final big one before the BIG ONE – aka, the Oscars. The Screen Actors Guild is ready to hand out their awards for the best film and television acting performances of 2022. 

Unlike some previous years where many of the film acting categories were locked by this point, that is not the case this year, making this year’s ceremony much more intriguing. One thing is certain, by the end of tomorrow night’s ceremony, we will have a much clearer picture of who is likely to take home Oscar gold on March 12. Here are my predictions for this year’s SAG awards. 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

  • Steve Carrell (The Patient)
  • Taron Egerton (Black Bird)
  • Sam Elliott (1883)
  • Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird)
  • Evan Peters (Dahmer)

Will Win – Evan Peters. Yes, there was controversy around the miniseries. However, what was never in dispute was Peters’ chillingly masterful performance. Not to mention that despite the controversy the streaming numbers for Monster were incredible. Before Wednesday debuted, it was the most-watched series on Netflix for 2022. 

Could Win – SAG has this annoying aspect where it does not include supporting categories. As a result, you will often find actors who have swept supporting categories at the Emmys or Golden Globes, competing in Lead at SAG, which is the case here for Paul Hauser. He has been on a roll these past two months, winning the Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice, for Supporting Actor. So it would not be too shocking to see him pull off an upset, as it is clear voters love his performance. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

  • Emily Blunt (The English)
  • Jessica Chastain (George and Tammy)
  • Julia Garner (Inventing Anna)
  • Niecy Nash Betts (Dahmer)
  • Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

Will Win – Amanda Seyfried is the safe bet here as she has yet to lose this category since last year’s Emmys. And her performance as Elizabeth Holmes is lauded across the board. 

Could Win – Do not sleep on Nicey Nash Betts here. The fact that she made it into this category is impressive enough, and she gives a career-defining performance in Monster. 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
  • Bill Hader (Barry)
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

Will Win – Jeremy Allen White seems the obvious winner here. He’s a fresh face in the category from a much-buzzed-about freshman show, whether or not some believe it is a comedy. Also, he is the only one in the category not in danger of splitting votes with a castmate. 

Could Win – It is more than possible that a guild of fellow actors could choose to reward a legendary actor like Martin Short or Steve Martin. Also, Bill Hader, surprisingly, has never won this award despite the critical love for Barry. With no Jason Sudeikis to battle against, this may be his moment. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)
  • Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
  • Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
  • Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)
  • Jean Smart (Hacks)

Will Win – I will be honest, I was surprised that only Quinta Brunson got in here for Abbott Elementary. Lovely as Quinta is, I think of her as more of the Jerry Seinfeld of Abbott Elementary. That her strength is as the writer/creator of the show versus the acting, where to be frank, most of the cast outshines her. So that said, I think SAG voters will stick to last year’s script and award Jean Smart her second consecutive Lead Actress award. 

Could Win – Well, Quinta, of course, depending on how much the voters love Abbot Elementary. It would be highly entertaining if Jenna Ortega were to pull off a surprising win here. 

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

  • Abbott Elementary
  • Barry
  • The Bear
  • Hacks
  • Only Murders in the Building

Will Win – This is where I believe Quinta will get her award, as part of the ensemble of Abbott Elementary, and deservingly so. Abbot Elementary boasts one of the most impressive company of actors – from Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, and Sheryl Lee Ralph – they all deliver every time. 

Could Win – Hard to say, as I think Abbott is the sure thing in this category. But perhaps Hacks or even Only Murders may pull off a surprise upset, with the Ted Lasso juggernaut not present this year.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

  • Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
  • Jason Bateman (Ozark)
  • Jeff Bridges (The Old Man)
  • Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
  • Adam Scott (Severance)

Will Win – SAG voters love Marty Byrde (aka Jason Batement in Ozark), as evidenced by his two SAG awards for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. So hard to bet against him here, as this was the show’s farewell season. 

Could Win – Bob Odenkirk has so often been an, “always a runner-up, never the winner,” in this category, that voters may decide it is time he finally has the winning moment. Of course it is never wise to sleep on a legendary actor like Jeff Bridges. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

  • Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
  • Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown)
  • Julia Garner (Ozark)
  • Laura Linney (Ozark)
  • Zendaya (Euphoria)

Will Win – One of the toughest categories, with three separate Emmy/Golden Globes winners in the category (once again, SAG does not do Supporting, which is where Julia Garner typically competes). Neither Zendaya nor Julia or Jennifer have lost an award they were nominated for in months. So who will the voters choose? Well, I may be way off base for this one, especially as Hollywood seems so in love with Coolidge, but I think Zendaya will take it. 

Could Win – Jennifer Coolidge, of course. 

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

  • Better Call Saul
  • The Crown
  • Ozark
  • Severance
  • The White Lotus

Will Win – Like Quinta Brunson, I believe this is where Jennifer Coolidge will win her award when The White Lotus is awarded Best Ensemble in a Drama Series. 

Could Win – Many of the nominees are strong enough to win. However, I would say Ozark is the obvious choice, as once again, it was the show’s farewell season and voters love the collective performances of the actors. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

  • Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
  • Hong Chau (The Whale)
  • Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin)
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
  • Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Will Win – A few months ago, Supporting Actress seemed a toss-up. Then Angela Bassett won Globes and Critic’s Choice, and it looked like she was on her way to a full sweep, culminating in an Oscar win. But then BAFTA happened last weekend, where Kerry Condon emerged victorious, which cannot be dismissed as Condon has numerous critics’ awards under her belt. All that said, I think SAG voters are sticking with Bassett. SAG voters love a narrative and they especially love awarding legendary actors who have perhaps not yet fully gotten their due – think Ruby Dee’s win in this same category for American Gangster. So, Bassett, it is. 

Could Win – Kerry Condon, of course. That said, SAG also does like to throw a curveball or two, so don’t be too shocked if Jamie Lee Curtis sneaks out the win. Especially since much of the narrative I noted above regarding Angela Bassett applies to Jamie Lee Curtis as well. 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

  • Paul Dano (The Fabelmans)
  • Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin)
  • Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin)
  • Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
  • Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse)

Will Win – Ke Huy Quan. BAFTA certainly seemed to throw a spoke in the wheel of what looked like a Quan awards season sweep. However, I do not see a repeat of Barry Keoghan’s win and think the Quan winning train will get back on track. 

Could Win – Either Barry Gleeson or Barry Keoghan. It depends on how much SAG voters love The Banshees of Inisherin and which of the two they love more. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

  • Cate Blanchett (Tár)
  • Viola Davis (The Woman King)
  • Ana de Armas (Blonde)
  • Danielle Deadwyler (Till)
  • Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Will Win – Many believe this is still a race here, again based on the narrative around Michelle Yeoh – an older actress of color where this may be her best performance and the best chance for an Oscar. I don’t agree. People have been saying for months this is a tight race between Cate and Michelle, but Cate has not lost yet. I think Cate Blanchett is a lock here and a lock to win her third Oscar come March 12. 

Could Win – Despite many believing this to be a race between Cate and Michelle, I can see SAG voters, as a possible makeup for the Oscar snub of both Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler, awarding Danielle the win. And that is not to say that Danielle would be an undeserving winner, but once again, SAG voters love a narrative. And every once in a while, they throw a surprising win that has no chance of repeating at the Oscars. Think Emily Blunt winning Supporting Actress for A Quiet Place. 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

  • Austin Butler (Elvis)
  • Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
  • Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
  • Bill Nighy (Living)
  • Adam Sandler (Hustle)

Will Win – This is probably the category that all eyes will be on. The reason is because it may be the difference between the Oscar race for Best Actor being all but over, if Austin Butler wins versus it still simmering, if Brendan Fraser wins. I know I have talked about how much SAG voters love a narrative, and Fraser has probably the best of all the nominees. Still, at its core, his performance was transformative, as was Austin’s, but in a movie that fewer people loved, as compared to the response for Elvis. So what do I think will happen? I’m tentatively leaning toward Austin Butler. I think as much as SAG voters may love Brendan, there has been an obvious tidal shift in Austin’s favor, and I think many voters will fall in line with that shift. 

Could Win – Brendan Fraser, of course. But it would be hilarious if this is the one that Colin Farrell wins, when everyone thought if any award was a sure thing for him, it was BAFTA? 

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

  • Babylon
  • The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • The Fabelmans
  • Women Talking

Will Win – Perhaps one of the toughest years in this category because so many of the nominees are deserving. The award will likely come down to the two award-season favorites – The Banshees of Inisherin and Everything Everywhere All at Once. If I consider history, I am going to say Everything Everywhere wins. One, because it is deserving and two, it is a film with a heavy Asian cast. Think Black Panther winning some years ago. 


Could Win –The Banshees of Inisherin. It is hard to dismiss a film that, like Everything Everywhere, has four acting nominees. That is as clear an indication as ever that it is a strong ensemble of actors.

2023 Oscar Nominations Reaction

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The nominations for this year’s Academy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning. Overall, the nominations went as expected in most categories. However, as is the case almost every year, there were a few notable absences and shocking surprises. None more so than in the Best Actress category. Keep reading for my breakdown of some of the major categories. 

BEST ACTRESS

Unquestionably the category that drew the biggest gasps and surprise on Tuesday morning. Here are the five women the Academy voted for: 

  • Cate Blanchet – Tár 
  • Michelle Williams – The Fableman 
  • Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • Andrea Riseborough – To Leslie 
  • Ana de Armas – Blonde 

And here are the five women many expected to receive the nomination: 

  • Cate Blanchett – Tár
  • Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • Viola Davis – The Woman King 
  • Danielle Deadwyler – Till 
  • Michelle Williams or Ana de Armas – The Fabelmans/Blonde 

In other words, many accepted that the fifth spot was a toss-up but not at the expense of both Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler. Many considered Michelle Williams and Ana de Armas as tentative. However, I disagreed about Ana de Armas. 

Many allowed their hatred and in some cases, those who didn’t even see the film, the negative public reaction to Blonde, to cloud their judgments. And in doing so, ignored all the glaringly obvious signs that Ana de Armas was more than a tentative possibility to be nominated. 

Because in reality, Ana has consistently shown up across various major Guilds and voting bodies – a strong indicator that an actor will likely be nominated. She received a nomination for the Globes, SAG, and BAFTA. Similarly, Viola was also a consistent presence across the various voting bodies. Her not being nominated is shocking. 

However, opposite Viola and Ana’s strong showing throughout the season was Michelle Williams, who missed out on SAG and BAFTA. She was the question mark heading into Tuesday’s announcement and in that vein, was a surprise, though not necessarily shocking, nominee. Because despite missing out on some key awards, Williams was a four-time Oscar nominee (now five-time) in a film that was guaranteed a Best Picture nomination, along with other key categories. Her inclusion was always a strong possibility. 

The real surprise and “upset” in this category was Andrea Riseborough’s nomination. A nomination that’s garnering some controversy, not only because many view it as the “black actresses were booted in favor of another white actress,” but also for how Riseborough appeared to get on voters’ radar. Within the last month or two, a growing groundswell of support from some big names in Hollywood built around the actress’ performance. 

With many of these big names – such as Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, fellow nominee Cate Blanchett, Edward Norton, and more – promoting support for Riseborough’s performance on social media, organizing Q&A with film media and voters, etc. While some are applauding the move, considering it a potential positive game-changer where a film will no longer need to have a big campaign budget behind it to get an Oscar nomination, others are calling foul. 

The argument is this was a clear case of an elitist group of Hollywood big names essentially trying to manipulate the Academy voting process. And before you scoff, the Academy recently put out a statement declaring their intent to investigate award campaigning guidelines, to confirm whether or not any were broken. They don’t directly mention Riseborough’s nomination, however, we can all read between the lines. It will be very interesting to see, if anything, comes from this. 

BEST ACTOR

The nominees are: 

  • Austin Butler – Elvis 
  • Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Brendan Fraser – The Whale 
  • Bill Nighy – Living 
  • Paul Mescal – Aftersun 

The complete opposite of the Best Actress category, the Best Actor nominees shaped up as many predicted. The fifth spot, as is often the case, was a toss-up, with some still hoping Tom Cruise would get in for Top Gun: Maverick, others predicting a complete outlier like Hugh Jackman for The Son or Jeremy Pope for The Inspector. 

However, in the final weeks before the announcement, most pundits acknowledged that the tide was shifting heavily in Paul Mescal’s favor. So really not a surprise he took the final spot. Fun fact, every actor in the category is a first-time nominee. 

BEST DIRECTOR

The nominees are: 

  • Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans 
  • Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • Todd Field – Tár
  • Martin McDonaugh – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Ruben Östlund – Triangle of Sadness 

Once again, nothing too shocking here as the four solid locks expected to get in did. The fifth spot was anyone’s guess. While many predicted Edward Berger for All Quiet on the Western Front or big names like James Cameron and Baz Lurhuman, the fact that Triangle of Sadness got a Best Picture nomination makes Östlund’s nomination less surprising. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

The nominees are:

  • Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 
  • Hong Chau – The Whale 
  • Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All At Once 

No surprise in this category. The only question mark going into Tuesday’s nomination announcement was whether or not both actresses from Everything Everywhere All At Once would be nominated. Specifically, would Stephanie Hsu be left off the list, in favor of Dolly DeLeon for her amazing performance in Triangle of Sadness? But as we saw with their leading 11 nominations, Academy voters were feeling the Everything Everywhere love. And that extended to celebrating both Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu’s performances. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 

The nominees are: 

  • Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Brian Tyree Henry – Causeway
  • Judd Hirsh – The Fabelmans 
  • Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once 

This category was a bit more wide open than the other acting categories. Perhaps the only solid locks for a nomination were Ke Huy Quan (who is likely going to win) and Brendan Gleeson. As such, there was no real shocking surprise in the list of nominees. 

Perhaps the most surprising nomination was Brian Tyree Henry’s, as he’d missed out on many of the precursors – no Globe, SAG, or BAFTA nomination. However, his performance in Causeway is critically lauded and was one of the most talked about performances in the early days of Award season. 

It was also a toss-up whether Judd Hirsh or Paul Dano would get in, both for The Fablemans. Dano had the more visible role in the film, while Hirsh, whose presence was minimal, had a “big moment” scene. Not to mention he’s a well-respected, legendary actor. So not a total surprise the voters went in his favor. 

BEST PICTURE 

The nominees are:

  • All Quiet on the Western Front 
  • Avatar: The Way of Water 
  • The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Elvis
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • The Fabelmans 
  • Tár
  • Top Gun: Maverick 
  • Triangle of Sadness 
  • Women Talking 

No big surprises, other than Women Talking getting nominated. Based on the few nominations it received overall throughout the Awards Season, some speculated that the film was unlikely to get a Best Picture nomination. Triangle of Sadness is also somewhat of a surprise. However, with its showing up in some big categories, like Best Director, it’s clear that the voters loved the film. 

As to who and what will ultimately win, hard to say. Other than a few categories, I would say let’s wait and see what happens at SAG and BAFTA. The two are likely to tell the tale. 

Oscars 2022 Recap – Best and Worst

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I almost felt like titling this post, “Best and Worst – And When I Say Worse, I mean THE ABSOLUTE WORST .”  But I thought that might be a tad too wordy. I honestly wasn’t sure I would even do this recap. Because the truth is, even before that moment, I wasn’t exactly jumping off of my couch in excitement for this year’s Oscar ceremony. 

Most of it was merely serviceable. However, underneath all the messiness and controversy, some bright and poignant moments emerged that were worth celebrating. So without further ado, here is my list of the best and worst of the 2022 Oscars.

BEST

  • CODA Makes History – Thirty-five years after Marlee Matlin made history as the first deaf actor to win the Lead Actress Oscar, a film featuring a cast of mostly deaf actors, including Matlin, won Best Picture. CODA’s win was historic for many reasons, including being the first film released by a streaming platform to win Best Picture. How angry do we think the execs at Netflix were – especially since their film, The Power of the Dog started the season as the heavy favorite? Pettiness aside, CODA’s win was a beautiful moment for diversity.

  • Points for Diversity – Speaking of diversity, there was much to celebrate among the night’s winners. Along with CODA’s history-making win, for the first time, we had back-to-back women winners in the Best Director category, as well as Questlove’s win for his brilliant documentary about the amazing, yet little-known 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.

  • The Hosts – I’ve certainly seen better, and there were definitely a few cringe-worthy moments (more on that below). However, for the most part, the trio of hosts held their own. And kudos to Amy Schumer, who I am rarely ever a fan of, for brilliantly steering the ship, in the aftermath of that very awkward moment.

  • The Reunions – My absolute favorite part of the night. In a brilliant show of what the Oscars should be about – a celebration of films and filmmaking, the producers reunited cast members of some of the most classic films. Such as, The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, and Juno. It was particularly heartwarming to see Rosie Perez, Woody Harrelson, and Wesley Snipes, for White Men Can’t Jump.

  • The Speeches – Award speeches can often vacillate between awkward and painfully cringe-worthy. However, every once in a while, there are a few memorable and heartfelt moments. Much of this year’s speeches fell in the latter category. And it was beautiful to see. From Troy Kotsur’s “grab the tissues” moment to Ariana DeBose’s empowering speech.

WORST

  • That Regina Hall Bit – I cannot believe how no one – Regina’s team, the show’s producers, or even a crew member – recognized how awkward and frankly, offensive it was to have her grope Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa as part of a comedic bit. Did no one realize the issue here? That in a post-MeToo era, many would point out the double standard of it not being okay if a male host had groped two female presenters as Hall did. The joke started okay but quickly devolved into an uncomfortable, cringe-worthy mess.

  • In Memoriam – I don’t get it. It cannot be so hard to put together a video montage of performers who have passed away. And yet, the Oscars manage to screw this up almost every year. The reason, of course, is because rather than keeping the focus on the individuals who’ve passed away, the producers are always trying to “jazz it up.” What in the Technicolor, acid-trippy hell was that mess on Sunday night? As a palate cleanser, I direct you to this year’s SAG Awards In Memoriam to see how it should be done.

  • We Don’t Talk About Bruno Performance – Yeah, yeah, yeah…everyone’s obsessed with the song. It’s all many can talk about (pun intended). Except it wasn’t nominated, which means we didn’t need to see it on Sunday night. Okay, I didn’t. Especially after eight categories were cut from the live show, ostensibly for “time.” But apparently, there was enough time to randomly shove in this performance with an even more random appearance by Megan Thee Stallion.

  • Edited Awards – In a ceremony that’s supposed to be about the celebration of film and filmmaking, the nominees for eight categories were essentially told theirs wasn’t important enough for the live show. Once again, this was all to keep the ceremony within the time limit. And yet, this year’s ceremony went even longer than last year’s. And in the end, they awkwardly shoved the categories into the live broadcast, to give the impression that it was happening live. There was no point in this. And let’s not have a repeat of it next year. These filmmakers deserved to have their moments be more than an afterthought, so we can randomly see DJ Khaled and once again, hear how we should not talk about Bruno.

  • Most of the Fashion – It’s great to have red carpet fashions back. It’d have been much nicer if so much of it wasn’t it so god awful. There were some decent moments – Zendaya, Regina Hall, the young actresses from King Richard, and Nicole Kidman. But overall, the looks ranged from meh to trying way too hard (looking at you, Kristen Stewart and Timothee Chalamet).

Yes, I did not include that moment. Because frankly, it has sucked up far too much airtime and attention from so many of the performers who deserved a better night than the shit show that the awards became because of one man’s ego and narcissism. So I am not giving it any more time and energy. After all, what is there to say other than it was a dick move and should not have happened – PERIOD.

So here’s to the end of another Oscar season. I look forward to next year’s where hopefully I enjoy far more of the films than I did this year. And that the show gets more right than wrong. Cheers!

2022 Academy Awards Predictions

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It’s officially Oscar weekend. The red carpet has been rolled out and after a year of a scaled-down, a mix of in-person and video attendance looks like the regular Oscar ceremony is back on. And yet, I must admit that this is the first Oscar ceremony in a while that I’m mostly “meh” about.

It may be a combination of things. One, my not loving or being particularly excited about any of the nominated films I saw. Two, not exactly being too eager to watch the ones I haven’t. And three, just the feeling that despite things seemingly getting back to “normal,” this award season still felt subdued and lacked the energy and excitement of previous years.

Whatever the case may be, I’ll still watch, of course, but I doubt I’ll be jumping up in my seat in excitement for any part of the night. That said, there are still some predictions to be made. Most of the categories this year seem well-sewn up, with a few exceptions that offer the possibility of an upset on Sunday night. As usual, I’m going to give my prediction on who and what will likely win. But also, who and what might win, in case the voters decide to shake things up.

BEST PICTURE

  • Belfast
  • CODA
  • Don’t Look Up
  • Drive My Car
  • Dune
  • King Richard
  • Licorice Pizza
  • Nightmare Alley
  • The Power of the Dog
  • West Side Story

Will Win: A few months ago, when award season kicked into high gear, this category seemed like a slam dunk for The Power of the Dog. However, a late-season surge from CODA suddenly put that inevitability into question. Particularly, the big upset by CODA at the Producers’ Guild of America (PGA). PGA, as many know, very regularly successfully predicts the eventual Best Picture winner.  I don’t see it this year. Call me stubborn, but I’m sticking to the early season favorite, and predicting The Power of the Dog will emerge victoriously.

Could Win: Well CODA, of course, for all the reasons I outlined above.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

  • Will Smith – King Richard
  • Andrew Garfield – Tick, Tick…Boom
  • Javier Bardem – Being the Ricardos
  • Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog
  • Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth

Will Win: Despite some very messy and awkward months last year where for some odd reason, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith wanted all of us to know how disastrous their marriage is, it didn’t stop his momentum for King Richard. Messiness aside, Will Smith has certainly had a long and fulfilling career, showing many facets of his talent. While I’m no huge fan, I can’t say his win this Sunday night, should it happen, will be unearned.

Could Win: It’s hard to imagine an upset here as Will Smith has dominated this award season. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, “remember last year, when everyone thought Chadwick Boseman would win.” And yes, that’s true but remember how Chadwick lost the BAFTA award to eventual winner Anthony Hopkins? Something that did not happen this year with Will Smith. So yeah, this one is a slam dunk this year. If, by some slim possibility an upset happens, I’d say Benedict Cumberbatch will be the likely spoiler.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

  • Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
  • Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
  • Kristen Stewart – Spencer
  • Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
  • Penelope Cruz – Parallel Mothers

Will Win: Early predictors suggested that Nicole Kidman would be adding a second Oscar to her already impressive awards collection. However, the tides have significantly changed, and this is looking likely to be a big night for Jessica Chastain for her bold and sincere performance of the late Tammy Faye Baker. Let’s face it, we know how Academy voters love a real-life transformation performance.

Could Win: Sticking to the fact that Academy voters love portrayals of real-life people, if there is an upset on Sunday night, it’s likely to go to Kidman. Although, how insane would it be if Kristen Stewart pulls off the “holy shit, did that just happen” upset. Yeah, let’s not even joke about such a crazy possibility.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

  • Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
  • Troy Kotsur – CODA
  • Jesse Plemons – The Power of the Dog
  • J.K. Simmons – Being the Ricardos
  • Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog

Will Win: Like Best Picture and Best Actress, early-season predictors suggested one thing.  However, recent weeks have proven something else. A few months ago, I would have said this was a lock for Kodi Smit-McPhee for his stellar performance in The Power of the Dog. However, all the momentum heading into Sunday night is with Troy Kotsur. The BAFTA win was a big one, all but solidifying that this is his to lose.

Could Win: Obviously, it’s Kodi Smit-McPhee who started the season with a lot of momentum. Unfortunately, he may be hurt not only by Kotsur’s late-season surge, but also the potential for splitting of votes between him and his Power of the Dog co-star, Jesse Plemons. But if there is a possibility of an upset, it’s going to be Smit-McPhee.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

  • Jessie Buckley – The Lost Daughter
  • Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
  • Judi Dench – Belfast
  • Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog
  • Aunjanue Ellis – King Ricard

Will Win: Another one of the slam dunk categories, as DeBose has won everything this award season. Kudos to her for taking an iconic part that won the original actress a Supporting Actress Oscar and making it her own.

Could Win: It’s hard to imagine an upset here, since as noted, DeBose has cleaned up all season. That said, the Supporting categories are where some of Oscar’s greatest upsets have taken place. If I had to pick a potential spoiler, it’d be Kirsten Dunst. She’s an actress that’s been in the industry for a very long time and in some instances, been underrated. Her performance in The Power of the Dog was heartbreaking and in some ways, a revelation.

BEST DIRECTOR

  • Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
  • Ryusuke Hamaguchibi – Drive My Car
  • Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
  • Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
  • Steven Spielberg – West Side Story

Will Win: This is a lock for Jane Campion, and deservedly so. Let’s just hope this time she prepares a speech so we’re spared a repeat of that embarrassing shit show she delivered at the Critic’s Choice Awards.

Could Win: Doubtful there will be an upset in this category. However, if Academy voters decide to keep the “old boys’ club” theme going, I guess Steven Spielberg can randomly win for his vanity project. But I doubt it.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • Belfast
  • Don’t Look Up
  • King Richard
  • Licorice Pizza
  • The Worst Person in the World

Will Win: This is a tough one. Conventional wisdom says Belfast is the likely winner – having won the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice. However, it lost the BAFTA to Licorice Pizza and we know how much the British Academy loves Kenneth Branagh, so that was a pretty big upset. And there’s the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA), always doing their own thing, where Don’t Look Up won. So which one takes the big prize Sunday night? I’m going to go with gut on this one and say Belfast.

Could Win: Well considering how topsy-turvy the category has been, I’d say just about all of the other nominees could win. But if Belfast doesn’t, look to Don’t Look Up or Licorice Pizza to be the likely winner.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • CODA
  • Drive My Car
  • Dune
  • The Lost Daughter
  • The Power of the Dog

Will Win: Much less chaotic than Original Screenplay, CODA seems the likely favorite in this category and I’m sticking with that prediction.

Could Win: Much like Best Picture, this category is likely to come down to two films – CODA or The Power of the Dog. So if the former does not win, look to Campion to add to her collection. Interestingly, The Power of the Dog was not nominated for a WGA.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

  • Encanto
  • Flee
  • Luca
  • The Mitchells vs. The Machines
  • Raya and the Last Dragon

Will Win: Seems like an obvious win for Encanto, one of the most buzzed-about films of the year, animated and otherwise. However, it’s also hard to ignore an animated film that shows up in other major categories, such as Best International Film and Best Documentary. I am, of course, talking about the history-making Flee. That said, I think in the end voters will swing Encanto’s way

Could Win: Most pundits predict The Mitchells vs. The Machines as the possible spoiler here. I don’t agree. Sticking to my comments above, I think Flee’s the likely spoiler here.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

  • Drive My Car
  • Flee
  • The Hand of God
  • Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
  • The Worst Person in the World

Will Win: The last few years have proven that it’s silly to bet against an international film that also shows up in the Best Picture category. Think Roma and Parasite. And that means this is likely a lock for Drive My Car. It also helps that it’s all but swept award season.

Could Win: There are two likely spoilers here – The Worst Person in the World and Flee. It’s unlikely but certainly possible.

BEST EDITING

  • Don’t Look Up
  • Dune
  • King Richard
  • The Power of the Dog
  • Tick, Tick…Boom

Will Win: This year’s editing category is a battle between two very different films – the big-budget, visually stunning Dune, and the intimate, heartfelt, King Richard. Since I believe much of the love for Dune will be showcased in the more technical categories, I’m going to say it’s the likely winner here. It’s a film that moviegoers and I suspect academy voters as well, loved looking at.

Could Win: As noted above, this is a two-way race. If voters swing away from Dune, look to King Richard to take the prize.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

  • Be Alive – King Richard
  • Dos Oruguitas – Encanto
  • Down to Joy – Belfast
  • No Time to Die – No Time to Die
  • Somehow You Do – Four Good Days

Will Win: Considering Billie Eilish has swept all the major precursor award shows and it’s been a while since a Bond song has lost this category, I’d say this one is a done deal.

Could Win: If there is an upset, unlikely as it may be, much as I know the Beyhive is hoping desperately for Queen Bey to get her Oscar, it’s more than likely we will see Lin Manuel Miranda become an EGOT winner.

Oscar Nominations 2022 – The Surprises, The Not-So Surprising and The Meh

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The nominees for this year’s Academy Awards were officially announced this week (see the full list here). And overall, it turned out much like many expected, with a few notable exceptions. Oh btw, if you’re feeling a bit like this award season has seemed all but nonexistent, it’s not just you.

Typically, by this point of the year, the Golden Globes, with all its fun and excitement, would have already taken place. And many, in the last decades have of course, considered the Globes the official start of Awards Season. Well, the Globes did happen last month. However, as the adage goes, “if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?”

Despite’s NBC’s announcement last year that it would not air the ceremony and a string of controversy surrounding the organization, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) stubbornly decided to hand out awards anyway. Even if it meant doing so during an untelevised and unattended ceremony.

So here we are – Oscar nominations announced, yet it still feels like we, or well I am, are still waiting for Award Season to kick into high gear. A great place to start, I guess, is to break down this week’s announcement. Keep reading for my overall impressions of this year’s Oscar nominees.

  • The Unsurprising – As expected, The Power of the Dog had a strong showing, leading all other films with a total of 12 nominations. Other unsurprising strong showings were Dune, with ten nominations, Belfast with seven nominations, and King Richard with six nominations.

  • The Surprises – It appears that the members of the Academy were not feeling the love for House of Gucci. Not even Lady Gaga, who many considered a sure thing for the Best Actress category, received a nomination. However, to many surprise, who did receive a Lead Actress nomination, was Kristen Stewart for her role in the critically divisive Spencer. After missing out on a Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) and BAFTA Awards nomination, many predicted that Stewart’s chances had fizzled. I wasn’t so sure. For whatever reason, call it a gut feeling, I knew she’d be nominated. No comment on what I think about her acting in general – the less said on that, the better.

  • The “I Didn’t See This Coming” – Contrary to popular opinion, most of this year’s snubs weren’t that surprising to me. However, there were a few names announced that were a surprise. Most notably, J.K. Simmons for Being the Ricardos and maybe even Javier Bardem, as well. But Simmons was the bigger surprise, as he’s not shown up for any of the big precursor awards. That said, J.K. Simmons is a previous winner, as is Bardem. And the Academy does sometimes tend to lean toward previous winners. I would also throw in Denis Villeneuve’s losing out on a Best Director nod, only because it’s clear the voters loved Dune.

  • The Meh – FYI, these nominees are meh to me. I accept that some may feel differently. Full disclosure, I’m not a fan of classic remakes, unless it adds something fresh and distinctive. For example, yes, A Star is Born was the fourth version of that film. But each film had unique characters and backstories of said characters. All this to say that I was underwhelmed by West Side Story and found its nominations for Best Picture and Best Director unnecessary. Frankly, I think Villeneuve would have been a more appealing addition to the category than Steven Spielberg. And just to be clear, I wholeheartedly acknowledge Spielberg’s brilliance as a director. However, I do not believe this remake of West Side Story, lovely as it was, added much to the greater filmmaking zeitgeist.

So who will win? Eh, who knows? As is often the case, the precursors will tell the tale. Having only the various critics’ awards to go on, and maybe the Globes, it’s looking like Netflix may finally nab the Best Picture crown with The Power of the Dog. But don’t sleep on Drive My Car, the surprise international film entry for both Best Director and Best Picture. We all saw what happened with Parasite a few years ago.