99th Academy Awards Predictions: May 30th Edition

It’s been over three weeks since I’ve updated my Oscar predictions in the six major categories of Picture, Director, and the four acting races. A little thing called the Cannes Film Festival happened in between. In the past few cycles, you can usually count on 2-3 films screened in the French Riviera to eventually make the Best Picture cut at the Academy Awards.

Some features like Na Hong-jin’s Hope and James Gray’s Paper Tiger saw their fortunes take a hit. I would say there are four titles that standing the best chance at finding themselves in the Oscar mix: Cristian Mingiu’s Fjord (which won the Palme d’Or), Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Fatherland from Pawel Pawlkowski, and especially The Black Ball from Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. You can read my detailed prediction posts on the those Cannes titles and more on the blog from the past few days. There’s others that could gain momentum including Minotaur, Coward, and Club Kid.

Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day didn’t screen at Cannes, but is readying release on June 12th. Influencers who’ve seen it are highly positive. That said, it is a wise practice to wait until the real review embargo lapses to get a clear picture of its awards viability. For now, I have the movie, Spielberg, and Emily Blunt just on the outside looking in.

The horror flick Obsession drew rave critical reactions and fantastic box office numbers that are continuing to grow. This has truly opened the door for Inde Navarrette to snag an acting nod and, in a best case scenario, BP inclusion (still seems like a long shot but you never know). It’s a legit question as to whether Navarrette competes in lead Actress or Supporting Actress. For now, I’m slotting her as a possibility (though not yet a nominee) in the former. Focus Features will clear it up as some point though it might be a while.

You can read all the movement below and I’ll have the next update available in mid-June!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Odyssey (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)

2. Project Hail Mary (PR: 2) (E)

3. Digger (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (-1)

5. The Black Ball (PR: Not Ranked)

6. Fjord (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Dune: Part Three (PR: 8) (+1)

8. No One Cares (PR: 6) (-2)

9. The Social Reckoning (PR: 9) (E)

10. Cry to Heaven (PR: 12) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

11. Disclosure Day (PR: Not Ranked)

12. All of a Sudden (PR: 10) (-2)

13. Fatherland (PR: 7) (-6)

14. Sense and Sensibility (PR: 17) (+2)

15. A Place in Hell (PR: 13) (-2)

16. Werwulf (PR: 15) (-1)

17. The Adventures of Cliff Booth (PR: 25) (+8)

18. Jack of Spades (PR: 20) (+2)

19. Behemoth! (PR: 23) (+4)

20. Being Heumann (PR: 21) (+1)

21. The Entertainment System is Down (PR: 19) (-2)

22. Michael (PR: 24) (+2)

23. Josephine (PR: 17) (-6)

24. Saturn Return (PR: 18) (-6)

25. Obsession (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Hope

Paper Tiger

A Long Winter

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey (PR: 1) (E)

2. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger (PR: 2) (E)

3. Martin McDonagh, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (E)

4. Javier Calva and Javier Ambrossi, The Black Ball (PR: Not Ranked)

5. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Cristian Mingiu, Fjord (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Tom Ford, Cry to Heaven (PR: 11) (+4)

8. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Three (PR: 8) (E)

9. Pawel Pawlikowski, Fatherland (PR: 6) (-3)

10. Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day (PR: Not Ranked)

11. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, All of a Sudden (PR: 7) (-4)

12. Jesse Eisenberg, No One Cares (PR: 9) (-3)

13. Aaron Sorkin, The Social Reckoning (PR: 12) (-1)

14. Georgia Oakley, Sense and Sensibility (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Robert Eggers, Werwulf (PR: 13) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Na Hong-jin, Hope

James Gray, Paper Tiger

Greg Kwedar, Saturn Return

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Renate Reinsve, Fjord (PR: 1) (E)

2. Julianne Moore, No One Cares (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Mikey Madison, The Social Reckoning (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Michelle Williams, A Place in Hell (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Virginie Efira, All of a Sudden (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sandra Hüller, Fatherland (PR: 2) (-4)

7. Emily Blunt, Disclosure Day (PR: Not Raked)

8. Cynthia Erivo, Prima Facie (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Inde Navarrette, Obsession (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Sandra Hüller, Rose (PR: 8) (-2)

11. Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sense and Sensibility (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Ruth Madeley, Being Heumann (PR: 9) (-3)

13. Sophie Okonedo, Clarissa (PR: 10) (-3)

14. Mason Reeves, Josephine (PR: 11) (-3)

15. Rachel Brosnahan, Saturn Return (PR: 13) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Penélope Cruz, Bunker

Lily Gladstone, The Memory Police

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Tom Cruise, Digger (PR: 1) (E)

2. Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sebastian Stan, Fjord (PR: 3) (E)

4. John Malkovich, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 4) (E)

5. Matt Damon, The Odyssey (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nicholas Hoult, Cry to Heaven (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Jaafar Jackson, Michael (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Dominic Sessa, Tony (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Pedro Pascal, Behemoth! (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Rami Malek, The Man I Love (PR: 14) (+4)

11. Robert Pattinson, Primetime (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part Three (PR: 15) (+3)

13. John Turturro, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York City (PR: 10) (-3)

14. Hanns Zischler, Fatherland (PR: 5) (-9)

15. Javier Bardem, The Beloved (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Jeremy Allen White, The Social Reckoning

Adam Driver, Paper Tiger

Josh O’Connor, Jack of Spades

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mariana Di Girolamo, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sandra Hüller, Digger (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anne Hathaway, The Odyssey (PR: 7) (+4)

4. Tao Okamoto, All of a Sudden (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Penélope Cruz, The Black Ball (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Parker Posey, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (-3)

7. Sandra Hüller, Project Hail Mary (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Daisy Edgar-Jones, A Place in Hell (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Halle Bailey, No One Cares (PR: 4) (-5)

10. Esmé Creed-Miles, Sense and Sensibility (PR: 11) (+1)

11. Elizabeth Debicki, The Adventures of Cliff Booth (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Adele, Cry to Heaven (PR: Not Ranked)

13. Penélope Cruz, The Invite (PR: 14) (+1)

14. Lesley Manville, Jack of Spades (PR: 10) (-4)

15. Scarlett Johansson, Paper Tiger (PR: 9) (-6)

Dropped Out:

Kirsten Dunst, The Entertainment System is Down

Caitriona Balfe, A Long Winter

Gemma Chan, Josephine

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Paul Giamatti, No One Cares (PR: 1) (E)

2. John Goodman, Digger (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sam Rockwell, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (E)

4. Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Steve Buscemi, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jeremy Strong, The Social Reckoning (PR: 6) (E)

7. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Cry to Heaven (PR: 15) (+8)

8. Jesse Plemons, Digger (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Colman Domingo, Michael (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Tom Holland, The Odyssey (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Owen Cooper, Cry to Heaven (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Channing Tatum, Josephine (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Andrew Scott, A Place in Hell (PR: 8) (-5)

14. Mark Ruffalo. Being Heumann (PR: 12) (-2)

15. Antonio Banderas, Tony (PR: 14) (-1)

Dropped Out:

David Oyelowo, Clarissa

Oscar Predictions: Pressure

Recounting the meteorological challenges leading up to the D-Day invasion, Pressure arrives in multiplexes this weekend from director Anthony Maras. Andrew Scott stars as Scottish Captain James Stagg with Brendan Fraser portraying General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis also provide support.

The film’s footprint is fairly small for a summer feature with a reported theater count of around 1500. Plenty of reviews say it’s worth the watch with 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a more subdued 68 on Metacritic. This is the type of project that might normally hit the festival circuit or be a fall release. The fact that it’s neither is a signal that StudioCanal is unlikely to push this in an awards campaign. Despite some nice notices for Scott (and others saying Fraser is miscast), don’t forecast it for the Academy’s radar. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

May 29-31 Box Office Predictions

Blogger’s Update (05/28): Some revisions as weekday numbers for Obsession now have me thinking it will gain from its sophomore frame and place second with Mandalorian now dipping to third. Additionally, my projection for Backrooms continues to rise and I’m now putting it at $57 million, up from $54 million.

Horror flick Backrooms looks to open at the front of the charts while Nate Bargatze’s comedy The Breadwinner and World War II drama Pressure with Andrew Scott and Brendan Fraser seek impressive earnings. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the trio of newcomers here:

Based on a popular YouTube web series, Backrooms from Kane Parsons has a wide range of possibility. A worst case scenario could put it in second place behind the second frame of The Mandalorian and Grogu. There’s also the potential for an overperformance topping approaching $60 million. My mid 50s projection puts it in first with ease.

That’s because The Mandalorian got off to a so-so start (more on that below) and I suspect it’s headed for a precipitous fall in the high 60s.

Obsession, after a remarkable sophomore weekend hold, may only slide slightly for a third place showing. That could leave The Breadwinner well behind in fourth in the low teens though Bargatze’s fanbase may turn out enough for a better than anticipated premiere. Comedies are tricky. It might also struggle to make $10 million.

As for Pressure, with a reported theater count of around 1800, my $4.9 million forecast would put it outside of the top five.

Here’s how I have that high five shaking out:

1. Backrooms

Predicted Gross: $57 million

2. Obsession

Predicted Gross: $29.5 million

3. The Mandalorian and Grogu

Predicted Gross: $25.6 million

4. Michael

Predicted Gross: $13 million

5. The Breadwinner

Predicted Gross: $12.1 million

Box Office Results (May 22-25)

The Mandalorian and Grogu never appeared to have the excitement that greets Star Wars series entries and the numbers proved that over Memorial Day weekend. The continuation of the Disney+ show landed with the lowest opening of any franchise pic since the Mouse House took over distribution beginning in 2015 with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Opening slightly under 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Friday to Sunday three-day take was $81.6 million, just over my $80.3 million prediction. When counting Monday, it grew to $98 million and that managed to top my $94.7 million take. While those grosses would be pleasing for most summer titles, that’s simply not the case here.

Obsession was arguably a bigger story this weekend as it grew 39% over its first frame. This is pretty much unheard of for any picture and especially in the horror genre. The Friday to Sunday earnings of $23.9 million and $31.9 million over the four-day easily surpassed my respective projections of $17.5 million and $22.9 million and the two-week total rose to $62 million.

Michael went from to 1st to 3rd with $20.6 million (three-day) and $27.1 million (four-day), ahead of my $18.8 million and $23.9 million guesstimates. The music biopic has now amassed $321 million in five weeks.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 was fourth with $12.7 million over the traditional weekend and $16.2 million with Monday added. The comedy sequel took in more than my $9.7 million and $12.6 million estimates and it has $199 million in the bank after four weeks,.

The Sheep Detectives held impressively in fifth with $9.2 million from Friday to Sunday (I said $7 million) and $12.3 million counting Monday (I went with $8.9 million). The three-week gross is $46 million for the summer sleeper.

Scary movie Passenger managed to outdo my predictions with $8.7 million (Fri-Sun) and $10.3 million (Fri-Mon). While I went lower respectively with $6.3 million and $7.3 million, the 6th place newcomer was overshadowed by Obsession. Unlike that movie, a hefty sophomore drop is probably coming.

Mortal Kombat II was seventh with $6 million over the three-day. My guess? $6 million! Its $7.6 million four-day slightly edged my $7.2 million call and the three-week total is $74 million.

Finally, absurdist comedy I Love Boosters from Boots Riley kicked off in 8th with $3.7 million from Friday to Sunday. My guess? $3.7 million! Like Kombat, the $4.7 million four-day barely exceeded my $4.5 million prediction.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

Pressure Box Office Prediction

StudioCanal’s Pressure hopes to serve as counterprogramming for adult filmgoers when it lands in theaters May 29th. Focused on the lead-up to D-Day, the World War II drama stars Andrew Scott as Captain James Stagg and Brendan Fraser as then General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The supporting cast includes Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis.

I’m a little surprised the distributor didn’t opt to open this over the Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps they thought competition was too much. It is reported that the screen count is approximately 1800 next weekend and that’s low for a summer release.

Last year’s Nuremberg debuted on around 1800 and made just shy of $4 million out of the gate. That might be Pressure‘s initial frame is pointed and I’ll give it a bit over.

Pressure opening weekend prediction: $4.9 million

For my Backrooms prediction, click here:

For my The Breadwinner prediction, click here:

99th Academy Awards Predictions: May 6th Edition

My second helping of ranked Oscar predictions for next year’s 99th ceremony can be called the pre-Cannes estimates. That festival in the French Riviera kicks off May 12th and runs through May 23rd. It will be our first look at several potential contenders: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Pawel Pawlikowski’s Fatherland, Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord, Na Hong-jin’s Hope, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, and The Man I Love from Ira Sachs to name a few. Keep an eye on the blog for my individual posts exploring the viability of the screening pictures.

The Academy made some news of its own by announcing rule changes. The most significant is that actors can be nominated twice in the same category. There’s been recent examples of when this could have resulted in a performer getting two nods. I would say most recently that Sebastian Stan could have benefited. He was nominated in lead Actor for The Apprentice and a double shot was possible via A Different Man. Going back a ways, Kate Winslet won Best Actress in 2008 for The Reader and might have seen her name pop again for Revolutionary Road. In 2006, Kate’s Titanic mate Leonardo DiCaprio was in contention for Blood Diamond. He could have easily landed another shot via The Departed.

In International Feature Film, the criteria has always been that a submitting nation can choose just one entrant for consideration. While that rule holds, the Academy has added another path to get in. If a picture wins a qualifying international festival (such as Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Sundance, Venice), it is now a contender. This would have helped Anatomy of a Fall in 2023 since France did not choose it as their representative picture, but it emerged victorious for the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

Since my last update in mid-April, Michael opened to gigantic box office and mediocre reviews. While the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is high, critical griping could cripple its viability at the Oscars. However, I wouldn’t completely rule out the acclaimed work of Jaafar Jackson and Colman Domingo. Best Picture? Probably a bridge too far despite the gaudy numbers.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 also hit multiplexes. While Meryl Streep was a Best Actress nominee 20 years ago for the original, a second at-bat seems like a reach. The sequel could materialize, however, in Costume Design and/or Original Song where Lady Gaga has a track. Those categories won’t be forecasted until a few weeks down the line.

We also learned that Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew from Greta Gerwig will not be out (on Netflix) until 2027. I had it on the outside looking in at #11. It drops from contention this time around.

You can read all the speculation below and my next update will arrive as Cannes concludes!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Odyssey (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)

2. Project Hail Mary (PR: 2) (E)

3. Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (E)

4. Digger (PR: 5) (E)

5. Fjord (PR: 6) (E)

6. No One Cares (PR: 6) (E)

7. Fatherland (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Dune: Part Three (PR: 10) (+2)

9. The Social Reckoning (PR: 9) (E)

10. All of a Sudden (PR: 7) (-3)

Other Possibilities:

11. Hope (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Cry to Heaven (PR: 16) (+4)

13. A Place in Hell (PR: 12) (-1)

14. Paper Tiger (PR: 21) (+7)

15. Werwulf (PR: 18) (+3)

16. Sense and Sensibility (PR: 23) (+7)

17. Josephine (PR: 17) (E)

18. Saturn Return (PR: 22) (+4)

19. The Entertainment System is Down (PR: 14) (-5)

20. Jack of Spades (PR: 24) (+4)

21. Being Heumann (PR: 15) (-6)

22. A Long Winter (PR: 13) (-9)

23. Behemoth! (PR: 25) (+2)

24. Michael (PR: 20) (-4)

25. The Adventures of Cliff Booth (PR: 19) (-6)

Dropped Out:

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey (PR: 1) (E)

2. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Digger (PR: 2) (E)

3. Martin McDonagh, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Cristian Mingiu, Fjord (PR: 3) (+1)

5. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Pawel Pawlikowski, Fatherland (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, All of a Sudden (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Three (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Jesse Eisenberg, No One Cares (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Na Hong-jin, Hope (PR: Not Ranked)

11. Tom Ford, Cry to Heaven (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Aaron Sorkin, The Social Reckoning (PR: 13) (+1)

13. Robert Eggers, Werwulf (PR: 14) (+1)

14. James Gray, Paper Tiger (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Greg Kwedar, Saturn Return (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Greta Gerwig, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

Ruben Östlund, The Entertainment System is Down

David Fincher, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Renate Reinsve, Fjord (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sandra Hüller, Fatherland (PR: 4) (+2)

3. Julianne Moore, No One Cares (PR: 3) (E)

4. Mikey Madison, The Social Reckoning (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Michelle Williams, A Place in Hell (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Virginie Efira, All of a Sudden (PR: 6) (E)

7. Cynthia Erivo, Prima Facie (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Sandra Hüller, Rose (PR: 11) (+3)

9. Ruth Madeley, Being Heumann (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Sophie Okonedo, Clarissa (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Mason Reeves, Josephine (PR: 8) (-3)

12. Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sense and Sensibility (PR: 14) (+2)

13. Rachel Brosnahan, Saturn Return (PR: 13) (E)

14. Penélope Cruz, Bunker (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Lily Gladstone, The Memory Police (PR: 12) (-3)

Dropped Out:

Amy Adams, At the Sea

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Tom Cruise, Digger (PR: 1) (E)

2. Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sebastian Stan, Fjord (PR: 4) (+1)

4. John Malkovich, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Hanns Zischler, Fatherland (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Matt Damon, The Odyssey (PR: 6) (E)

7. Dominic Sessa, Tony (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Jaafar Jackson, Michael (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Nicholas Hoult, Cry to Heaven (PR: 9) (E)

10. John Turturro, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (PR: 15) (+5)

11. Jeremy Allen White, The Social Reckoning (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Adam Driver, Paper Tiger (PR: Not Ranked)

13. Josh O’Connor, Jack of Spades (PR: Not Ranked)

14. Rami Malek, The Man I Love (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part Three (PR: 11) (-4)

Dropped Out:

Robert Aramayo, I Swear

Pedro Pascal, Behemoth!

Brad Pitt, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

Charles Melton, Saturn Return

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mariana di Girolamo, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Sandra Hüller, Digger (PR: 6) (+4)

3. Parker Posey, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 1) (-2)

4. Halle Bailey, No One Cares (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Daisy Edgar-Jones, A Place in Hell (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Tao Okamato, All of a Sudden (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Anne Hathaway, The Odyssey (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Sandra Hüller, Project Hail Mary (PR: 8) (E)

9. Scarlett Johannson, Paper Tiger (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Lesley Manville, Jack of Spades (PR: Not Ranked)

11. Esmé Creed-Miles, Sense and Sensibility (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Kirsten Dunst, The Entertainment System is Down (PR: 12) (E)

13. Caitriona Balfe, A Long Winter (PR: 9) (-4)

14. Penélope Cruz, The Invite (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Gemma Chan, Josephine (PR: 13) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Wunmi Mosaku, The Social Reckoning

Frances McDormand, Jack of Spades

Elizabeth Debicki, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Paul Giamatti, No One Cares (PR: 1) (E)

2. John Goodman, Digger (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sam Rockwell, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 3) (E)

4. Steve Buscemi, Wild Horse Nine (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jeremy Strong, The Social Reckoning (PR: 6) (-1)

7. Colman Domingo, Michael (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Andrew Scott, A Place in Hell (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Tom Holland, The Odyssey (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Jesse Plemons, Digger (PR: 11) (+1)

11. Channing Tatum, Josephine (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Mark Ruffalo, Being Heumann (PR: 9) (-3)

13. David Oyelowo, Clarissa (PR: 13) (E)

14. Antonio Banderas, Tony (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Cry to Heaven (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Daniel Brühl, The Entertainment System is Down

Riz Ahmed, Digger

    99th Academy Awards Predictions: April 19th Edition

    Barely a month beyond the 98th edition of the Academy Awards, we have arrived at my first ranked predictions for the 99th ceremony. We begin with six major categories – Best Picture, Director, and the four acting derbies.

    I gave you my first ranked glimpses for the previous telecast around the same time last year in these same races. How did that impossibly early forecast turn out? I correctly called four of the eventual ten BP nominees with Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, and Sinners. Winner One Battle After Another as well as Bugonia, F1, and Frankenstein were listed in Other Possibilities. So 80% of the BP contenders were identified with The Secret Agent and Train Dreams not being mentioned in April 2025.

    In Best Director, three of the five filmmakers were predicted: Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), and Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value). Statue recipient Paul Thomas Anderson from One Battle and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet) were in Other Possibilities.

    As for Best Actress, Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) swept the season and was in my predicted quintet. So was Sentimental Value‘s Renate Reinsve while Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) and Emma Stone (Bugonia) were in Other Possibilities. Only Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) wasn’t listed. In Best Actor, Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) was in my quintet. Three others – winner Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) were Other Possibilities with Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) as the sole thespian not identified.

    My projected Supporting Actress five rightly named Teyana Taylor (One Battle) with Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value) as a possibility. Fanning’s costar Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass, Wumni Mosaku (Sinners), and the victorious Amy Madigan (Weapons) were not found among my possibilities. In Supporting Actor, Stellan Skarsgård from Value was in my five with winner Sean Penn (One Battle) and Delroy Lindo (Sinners) as possibilities. Battle‘s Benicio del Toro and Frankenstein‘s Jacob Elordi were not to be found yet.

    Let’s get some caveats out of the way. Some of the performers listed in lead will end up in supporting and vice versa. As an example, I figured Paul Mescal (Hamnet) would go lead for that film last year, but he was slotted in supporting. He ended up not being nominated but likely came close. For instance in this year’s listings, I don’t know if Sam Rockwell will be lead or supporting for Wild Horse Nine but my hunch says the latter at press time. The distributor will eventually clear that up.

    We will see pictures push to 2027. When I did my initial projections a year ago for 2025, Michael and The Rivals of Amziah King were thought to be releases for that calendar frame. Both are being put out in ’26. I have Michael still as a potential nominee in some competitions. Not so at this time for Rivals.

    And now the most important forewarning. Some movies you find below will turn out to be non-contenders. My inaugural look at the 98th Oscars listed Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt at #1 in Best Picture, Director, Actress (Julia Roberts), #4 in Supporting Actress (Ayo Edebiri), and #2 in Supporting Actor (Andrew Garfield). After its Venice festival premiere, the mixed to negative reaction drastically changed its narrative. It ended up with zero nominations. My April 2025 #1’s in the supporting fields – Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good) and Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly) – did not make final cut either.

    So take this speculation as what it is – speculative. The picture and Best Picture will become clearer in time. That said, a reminder that 80% of the BP nominees were mentioned a year ago in addition to 100% of the directors and 80% of the lead acting hopefuls could be found in the initial post. On the flip side, nearly all of my acting picks for a nomination are coming from projected BP nominees and the percentage probably won’t be quite that high.

    When Sinners came out last year, it was a box office juggernaut with widespread critical acclaim. Yet I wondered whether the spring release could mean it would fall by the wayside months down the line. That’s why I named it in Other Possibilities for Picture, Director, Actor, and Supporting Actor. What happened months down the line? A record-setting 16 nominations with Jordan winning Actor. I won’t make the same mistake with Project Hail Mary. It has been out for weeks and already looks like a strong contender in Picture, Director, Actor, and possibly Supporting Actress. Another note – it’s not often (or maybe ever) you see a performer mentioned four times. That’s the case at the moment with the busy Sandra Hüller who is a legit threat twice in lead Actress and supporting.

    You can expect these posts to hit the blog every couple of weeks until it becomes weekly. This should occur when festival season goes into overdrive in last summer/early fall.

    BEST PICTURE

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. The Odyssey

    2. Project Hail Mary

    3. Wild Horse Nine

    4. Digger

    5. Fjord

    6. No One Cares

    7. All of a Sudden

    8. Fatherland

    9. The Social Reckoning

    10. Dune: Part Three

    Other Possibilities:

    11. Narnia: The Magican’s Nephew

    12. A Place in Hell

    13. A Long Winter

    14. The Entertainment System is Down

    15. Being Heumann

    16. Cry to Heaven

    17. Josephine

    18. Werwulf

    19. The Adventures of Cliff Booth

    20. Michael

    21. Paper Tiger

    22. Saturn Return

    23. Sense and Sensibility

    24. Jack of Spades

    25. Behemoth!

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey

    2. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger

    3. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary

    4. Martin McDonagh, Wild Horse Nine

    5. Cristian Mingiu, Fjord

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, All of a Sudden

    7. Pawel Pawlikowski, Fatherland

    8. Jesse Eisenberg, No One Cares

    9. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Three

    10. Greta Gerwig, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

    11. Ruben Östlund, The Entertainment System is Down

    12. Tom Ford, Cry to Heaven

    13. Aaron Sorkin, The Social Reckoning

    14. Robert Eggers, Werwulf

    15. David Fincher, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

    BEST ACTRESS

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Renate Reinsve, Fjord

    2. Mikey Madison, The Social Reckoning

    3. Julianne Moore, No One Cares

    4. Sandra Hüller, Fatherland

    5. Michelle Williams, A Place in Hell

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Virginie Efira, All of a Sudden

    7. Ruth Madeley, Being Heumann

    8. Mason Reeves, Josephine

    9. Sophie Okenedo, Clarissa

    10. Cynthia Erivo, Prima Facie

    11. Sandra Hüller, Rose

    12. Lily Gladstone, The Memory Police

    13. Rachel Brosnahan, Saturn Return

    14. Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sense and Sensibility

    15. Amy Adams, At the Sea

    BEST ACTOR

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Tom Cruise, Digger

    2. Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary

    3. John Malkovich, Wild Horse Nine

    4. Sebastian Stan, Fjord

    5. Hanns Zischler, Fatherland

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Matt Damon, The Odyssey

    7. Robert Aramayo, I Swear

    8. Dominic Sessa, Tony

    9. Nicholas Hoult, Cry to Heaven

    10. Jafaar Jackson, Michael

    11. Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part Three

    12. Pedro Pascal, Behemoth!

    13. Brad Pitt, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

    14. Charles Melton, Saturn Return

    15. John Turturro, The Only Pickpocket Living in New York

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Parker Posey, Wild Horse Nine

    2. Mariana Di Girolamo, Wild Horse Nine

    3. Halle Bailey, No One Cares

    4. Anne Hathaway, The Odyssey

    5. Tao Okamoto, All of a Sudden

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Sandra Hüller, Digger

    7. Daisy Edgar-Jones, A Place in Hell

    8.. Sandra Hüller, Project Hail Mary

    9. Caitriona Balfe, A Long Winter

    10. Scarlett Johansson, Paper Tiger

    11. Wunmi Mosaku, The Social Reckoning

    12. Kirsten Dunst, The Entertainment System is Down

    13. Gemma Chan, Josephine

    14. Frances McDormand, Jack of Spades

    15. Elizabeth Debicki, The Adventures of Cliff Booth

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Paul Giamatti, No One Cares

    2. John Goodman, Digger

    3. Sam Rockwell, Wild Horse Nine

    4. Colman Domingo, Michael

    5. Jeremy Strong, The Social Reckoning

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Steve Buscemi, Wild Horse Nine

    7. Andrew Scott, A Place in Hell

    8. Tom Holland, The Odyssey

    9. Mark Ruffalo, Being Heumann

    10. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, A Long Winter

    11. Jesse Plemons, Digger

    12. Channing Tatum, Josephine

    13. David Oyelowo, Clarissa

    14. Daniel Brühl, The Entertainment System is Down

    15. Riz Ahmed, Digger

    79th BAFTA Nominations Predictions

    Nominations for the 79th BAFTAs (the British equivalent of the Oscars) are out tomorrow prior to the February 22nd ceremony hosted by Alan Cumming. Unlike previous years, BAFTA nods are hitting after the Academy’s picks which were out last week.

    For a blogger who concentrates primarily on the Oscar derby, it makes this announcement a tad anticlimactic since I’m not weighing them against what I anticipate will occur on Oscar nom morning. Nevertheless I’m giving you my forecast for all feature-length races with an alternate named in each. For the directing and acting competitions, BAFTA goes with six nominees. For Outstanding British Film, it is ten. There are four in Animated Film and Children’s & Family Film. In all others (including Best Film), we’re talking five. Got all that? Good. Let’s get to it!

    Best Film

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Alternate – Bugonia

    Best Director

    Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

    Ryan Coogler, Sinners

    Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia

    Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

    Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

    Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

    Alternate – Kaouther Ben Hania, The Voice of Hind Rajab

    Best Actress

    Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

    Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

    Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

    Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

    Andrea Riseborough, Dragonfly

    Emma Stone, Bugonia

    Alternate – Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

    Best Actor

    Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

    Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

    Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

    Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

    Harry Melling, Pillion

    Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

    Alternate – Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams

    Best Supporting Actress

    Odessa A’Zion, Marty Supreme

    Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass. Sentimental Value

    Amy Madigan, Weapons

    Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

    Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

    Emily Watson, Hamnet

    Alternate – Brenda Blethyn, Dragonfly

    Best Supporting Actor

    Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

    Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

    Paul Mescal, Hamnet

    Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

    Alexander Skarsgård, Pillion

    Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

    Alternate – Andrew Scott, Blue Moon

    Best Original Screenplay

    Blue Moon

    I Swear

    Marty Supreme

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Alternate – It Was Just an Accident

    Best Adapted Screenplay

    Bugonia

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Pillion

    Alternate – Train Dreams

    Best Animated Film

    Arco

    Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle

    KPop Demon Hunters

    Zootopia 2

    Alternate – Elio

    Best Documentary

    Apocalypse in the Tropics

    Mr. Nobody Against Putin

    Ocean with David Attenborough

    The Perfect Neighbor

    2000 Meters to Andrivka

    Alternate – Becoming Led Zeppelin

    Best Film Not in the English Language

    It Was Just an Accident

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sirāt

    The Voice of Hind Rajab

    Alternate – No Other Choice

    Best Casting

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Sirāt

    Alternate – Marty Supreme

    Best Cinematography

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Train Dreams

    Alternate – Frankenstein

    Best Costume Design

    Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Sinners

    Wicked: For Good

    Alternate – Marty Supreme

    Best Editing

    Bugonia

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Alternate – F1

    Best Make Up & Hair

    Frankenstein

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    The Smashing Machine

    Wicked: For Good

    Alternate – Bugonia

    Best Original Score

    Bugonia

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Alternate – Marty Supreme

    Best Production Design

    Bugonia

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Sinners

    Wicked: For Good

    Alternate – One Battle After Another

    Best Sound

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    F1

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Wicked: For Good

    Alternate – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

    Best Special Visual Effects

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    F1

    Frankenstein

    The Lost Bus

    Superman

    Alternate – Wicked: For Good

    Outstanding British Film

    28 Years Later

    Ballad of a Small Player

    The Ballad of Wallis Island

    The Choral

    Die, My Love

    Hamnet

    H is for Hawk

    I Swear

    Pillion

    Warfare

    Alternate – Steve

    Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer

    My Father’s Shadow

    Ocean with David Attenborough

    Pillion

    Urchin

    Wasteman

    Alternate – The Ceremony

    Best Children’s & Family Film

    Arco

    Grow

    How to Train Your Dragon

    Zootopia 2

    Alternate – Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

    That works out to these movies nabbing these numbers in terms of nominations:

    14 Nominations

    One Battle After Another

    13 Nominations

    Hamnet, Sinners

    8 Nominations

    Sentimental Value

    7 Nominations

    Bugonia, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme

    5 Nominations

    Pillion

    4 Nominations

    Wicked: For Good

    2 Nominations

    Arco, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Blue Moon, F1, I Swear, Ocean with David Attenborough, Sirāt, Zootopia 2

    1 Nomination

    Apocalypse in the Tropics, Ballad of a Small Player, The Ballad of Wallis Island, The Choral, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, Die, My Love, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, Dragonfly, Grow, H is for Hawk, How to Train Your Dragon, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, It Was Just an Accident, KPop Demon Hunters, The Lost Bus, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, My Father’s Shadow, The Perfect Neighbor, The Secret Agent, The Smashing Machine, Superman, Train Dreams, 28 Years Later, 2000 Meters to Andrivka, Urchin, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Warfare, Wasteman, Weapons

    98th Academy Awards: FINAL Oscar Nomination Predictions

    After months of prognosticating and scores of individual prediction posts pontificating on the Oscar chances of various motion pictures, nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be unveiled early Thursday morning.

    The window for Academy members to make their picks just ended Friday and it could all be about momentum. Movies like The Secret Agent and Frankenstein seem to have it while it’s possible that It Was Just an Accident and especially mega-sequels Wicked: For Good and Avatar: Fire and Ash have lost it.

    My ranked predictions are done. Below you will find my FINAL picks for all feature-length categories along with runner-up and second runner-up selections.

    I will note that, last year, I went 9 for 10 in my Best Picture forecast and 4 for 5 in Director. Somewhat shockingly, I managed to go 20 for 20 in the acting derbies and 89 for 105 overall. Here’s how I envision Thursday morning shaking out and you can count on a recap post with how I performed that evening. Let’s get to it!

    BEST PICTURE

    Bugonia

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    It Was Just an Accident

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Train Dreams

    Runner-Up: Sirāt

    Second Runner-Up: F1

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

    Ryan Coogler, Sinners

    Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident

    Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

    Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

    Runner-Up: Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

    Second Runner-Up: Kieber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent

    BEST ACTRESS

    Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

    Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

    Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

    Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

    Emma Stone, Bugonia

    Runner-Up: Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

    Second Runner-Up: Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee

    BEST ACTOR

    Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

    Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

    Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

    Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

    Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

    Runner-Up: Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

    Second Runner-Up: Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Odessa A’Zion, Marty Supreme

    Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

    Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass, Sentimental Value

    Amy Madigan, Weapons

    Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

    Runner-Up: Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

    Second Runner-Up: Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

    Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

    Paul Mescal, Hamnet

    Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

    Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

    Runner-Up: Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly

    Second Runner-Up: Andrew Scott, Blue Moon

    BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

    It Was Just an Accident

    Marty Supreme

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Runner-Up: Sorry, Baby

    Second Runner-Up: Weapons

    BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

    Bugonia

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Train Dreams

    Runner-Up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

    Second Runner-Up: No Other Choice

    BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

    It Was Just an Accident

    No Other Choice

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sirāt

    Runner-Up: Left-Handed Girl

    Second Runner-Up: The Voice of Hind Rajab

    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

    Arco

    Elio

    KPop Demon Hunters

    Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

    Zootopia 2

    Runner-Up: In Your Dreams

    Second Runner-Up: Endless Cookie

    BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

    Apocalypse in the Tropics

    Cover-Up

    My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow

    The Perfect Neighbor

    2000 Meters to Andrivka

    Runner-Up: The Alabama Solution

    Second Runner-Up: Come See Me in the Good Light

    BEST CASTING

    Frankenstein

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    The Secret Agent

    Sinners

    Runner-Up: Hamnet

    Second Runner-Up: Sentimental Value

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Train Dreams

    Runner-Up: Marty Supreme

    Second Runner-Up: F1

    BEST COSTUME DESIGN

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    Sinners

    Wicked: For Good

    Runner-Up: Hedda

    Second Runner-Up: One Battle After Another

    BEST FILM EDITING

    F1

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Runner-Up: Frankenstein

    Second Runner-Up: Sentimental Value

    BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

    Frankenstein

    Kokuho

    Sinners

    The Smashing Machine

    Wicked: For Good

    Runner-Up: One Battle After Another

    Second Runner-Up: The Ugly Stepsister

    BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Sirāt

    Runner-Up: Marty Supreme

    Second Runner-Up: F1

    BEST ORIGINAL SONG

    “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless

    “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters

    “I Lied to You” from Sinners

    “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light

    “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams

    Runner-Up: “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good

    Second Runner-Up: “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” from Sinners

    BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    Sinners

    Wicked: For Good

    Runner-Up: One Battle After Another

    Second Runner-Up: Avatar: Fire and Ash

    BEST SOUND

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    F1

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Sirāt

    Runner-Up: Frankenstein

    Second Runner-Up: Wicked: For Good

    BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    F1

    Frankenstein

    Superman

    Wicked: For Good

    Runner-Up: Sinners

    Second Runner-Up: The Lost Bus

    And that means I’m predicting that these movies will end up with these numbers in terms of nominations:

    13 Nominations

    One Battle After Another, Sinners

    10 Nominations

    Frankenstein, Hamnet

    9 Nominations

    Marty Supreme

    7 Nominations

    Sentimental Value

    5 Nominations

    The Secret Agent

    4 Nominations

    It Was Just an Accident, Train Dreams, Wicked: For Good

    3 Nominations

    Bugonia, F1, Sirāt

    2 Nominations

    Avatar: Fire and Ash, KPop Demon Hunters

    1 Nomination

    Apocalypse in the Tropics, Arco, Blue Moon, Come See Me in the Good Light, Cover-Up, Diane Warren: Relentless, Elio, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kokuho, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, No Other Choice, The Perfect Neighbor, The Smashing Machine, Superman, 2000 Meters to Andrivka, Weapons, Zootopia 2

    98th Academy Awards Predictions: January 13th Edition

    It has been nearly a month (!) since my last Oscar predictions on December 17th and a whole lotta activity has happened since. The Critics Choice and Golden Globe Awards aired. SAG Actor noms and BAFTA long lists were unveiled. The Directors and Producers Guild gave us their contenders. And we arrive at my penultimate picks for the 98th Academy Awards. You can expect my final predictions on Sunday or Monday.

    So what’s changed since the week before Christmas? Well, you have to read below for that!

    Best Picture

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Hamnet (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Marty Supreme (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Frankenstein (PR: 7) (+2)

    6. Sentimental Value (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Bugonia (PR: 10) (+3)

    8. The Secret Agent (PR: 8) (E)

    9. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 6) (-3)

    10. Train Dreams (PR: 9) (-1)

    Other Possibilities:

    11. Wicked: For Good (PR: 11) (E)

    12. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 15) (+3)

    13. Sirāt (PR: 13) (E)

    14. Weapons (PR: Not Ranked)

    15. F1 (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Jay Kelly

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Director

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Ryan Coogler, Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Chloé Zhao, Hamnet (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Kieber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Oliver Laxe, Sirāt (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Clint Bentley, Train Dreams

    Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice

    Best Actress

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Jessie Buckley, Hamnet (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (PR: 3) (+1)

    3. Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value (PR: 2) (-1)

    4. Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Emma Stone, Bugonia (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Jennifer Lawrence, Die, My Love (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Tessa Thompson, Hedda

    Best Actor

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Michael B. Jordan, Sinners (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Jesse Plemons, Bugonia (PR: 7) (+1)

    7. Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams (PR: 6) (-1)

    8. George Clooney, Jay Kelly (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Jeremy Allen White, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (PR: 9) (-1)

    Best Supporting Actress

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Amy Madigan, Weapons (PR: 5) (+3)

    3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass, Sentimental Value (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (-2)

    5. Odessa A’Zion, Marty Supreme (PR: 7) (+2)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value (PR: 4) (-2)

    7. Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. Gwyneth Paltrow, Marty Supreme (PR: 6) (-2)

    9. Emily Blunt, The Smashing Machine (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Regina Hall, One Battle After Another (PR: 8) (-2)

    Best Supporting Actor

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein (PR: 5) (+2)

    4. Sean Penn, One Battle After Another (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Paul Mescal, Hamnet (PR: 4) (-1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Delroy Lindo, Sinners (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Andrew Scott, Blue Moon (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Miles Caton, Sinners (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. William H. Macy, Train Dreams (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    Josh O’Connor, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

    Best Original Screenplay

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 2) (+1)

    2. Sentimental Value (PR: 1) (-1)

    3. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Marty Supreme (PR: 4) (E)

    5. The Secret Agent (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Sorry, Baby (PR: 8) (+2)

    7. Blue Moon (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Weapons (PR: 10) (+2)

    9. Jay Kelly (PR: 6) (-3)

    10. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (PR: 9) (-1)

    Best Adapted Screenplay

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Hamnet (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Bugonia (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Train Dreams (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Frankenstein (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. No Other Choice (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Nuremberg (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Pillion (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Life of Chuck (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    Hedda

    Best International Feature Film

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. The Secret Agent (PR: 3) (+2)

    2. Sentimental Value (PR: 2) (E)

    3. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 1) (-2)

    4. Sirāt (PR: 4) (E)

    5. No Other Choice (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. The Voice of Hind Rajab (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Left-Handed Girl (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Belén (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Sound of Falling (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. All That’s Left of You (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    The President’s Cake

    Best Animated Feature

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. KPop Demon Hunters (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Zootopia 2 (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Arco (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Elio (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. In Your Dreams (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Scarlet (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. Endless Cookie (PR: 8) (E)

    9. A Magnificent Life (PR: 7) (-2)

    10. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (PR: 10) (E)

    Best Documentary Feature

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. The Perfect Neighbor (PR: 1) (E)

    2. 2000 Meters to Andrivka (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Cover-Up (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 7) (+2)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Come See Me in the Good Light (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Mr. Nobody Against Putin (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. The Alabama Solution (PR: 6) (-2)

    9. Seeds (PR: 8) (-1)

    10. Cutting Through Rocks (PR: 10) (E)

    Best Casting

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 2) (+1)

    2. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (-1)

    3. Marty Supreme (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Sentimental Value (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Hamnet (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. The Secret Agent (PR: 8) (+2)

    7. Frankenstein (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Wicked: For Good (PR: 6) (-2)

    9. Sirāt (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Weapons (PR: 10) (E)

    Bst Cinematography

    1. Sinners (PR: 1) (E)

    2. One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Frankenstein (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Train Dreams (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Hamnet (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Marty Supreme (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Nouvelle Vague (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. Sirāt (PR: 10) (+2)

    9. Bugonia (PR: 9) (E)

    10. F1 (PR: 7) (-3)

    Best Costume Design

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 3) (+1)

    3. Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (-1)

    4. Hamnet (PR: 4) (E)

    5. One Battle After Another (PR: 7) (+2)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Marty Supreme (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Hedda (PR: 5) (-2)

    8. Kiss of the Spider Woman (PR: 8) (E)

    9. The Testament of Ann Lee (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Bugonia

    Best Film Editing

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Marty Supreme (PR: 3) (E)

    4. F1 (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Sentimental Value (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Hamnet (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Frankenstein (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. The Secret Agent (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Bugonia (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 7) (-3)

    Dropped Out:

    Sirāt

    No Other Choice

    Best Makeup and Hairstyling

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Sinners (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. The Smashing Machine (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Kokuho (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. One Battle After Another (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. The Ugly Stepsister (PR: 10) (+3)

    8. Marty Supreme (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. The Alto Knights (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Nuremberg (PR: 8) (-2)

    Best Original Score

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 1) (E)

    2. One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Frankenstein (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Hamnet (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Sirāt (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. F1 (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Bugonia (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Train Dreams (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Hedda (PR: 10) (E)

    Dropped Out:

    Jay Kelly

    Best Original Song

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (PR: 1) (E)

    2. “I Lied to You” from Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” from Sinners (PR: 7) (E)

    8. “Our Love” from The Ballad of Wallis Island (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. “Highest 2 Lowest” from Highest 2 Lowest (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. “No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good (PR: 8) (-2)

    Dropped Out:

    “Drive” from F1

    “Dream As One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash

    Best Production Design

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Hamnet (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Wicked: For Good (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 6) (E)

    7. One Battle After Another (PR: 7) (E)

    8. The Secret Agent (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Bugonia (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Testament of Ann Lee (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    The Phoenician Scheme

    Hedda

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps

    Best Sound

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. F1 (PR: 2) (+1)

    2. Sinners (PR: 1) (-1)

    3. One Battle After Another (PR: 5) (+2)

    4. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Sirāt (PR: 7) (+2)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Wicked: For Good (PR: 4) (-2)

    7. Frankenstein (PR: 6) (-1)

    8. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Superman (PR: 10) (E)

    Best Visual Effects

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 1) (E)

    2. F1 (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Frankenstein (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Superman (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. The Lost Bus (PR: 9) (+4)

    Other Possibilties:

    6. Sinners (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Wicked: For Good (PR: 6) (-1)

    8. Tron: Ares (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. Jurassic World: Rebirth (PR: 8) (-1)

    10. The Electric State (PR: 10) (E)

    And that equates to these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

    14 Nominations

    One Battle After Another

    13 Nominations

    Sinners

    10 Nominations

    Hamnet

    9 Nominations

    Frankenstein, Sentimental Value

    7 Nominations

    Marty Supreme

    5 Nominations

    Wicked: For Good

    4 Nominations

    It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Train Dreams

    3 Nominations

    Bugonia, F1, Sirāt

    2 Nominations

    Avatar: Fire and Ash, KPop Demon Hunters

    1 Nomination

    Apocalypse in the Tropics, Arco, Blue Moon, Cover-Up, Diane Warren: Relentless, Elio, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kokuho, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, The Lost Bus, My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, No Other Choice, The Perfect Neighbor, The Smashing Machine, Superman, 2000 Meters to Andrivka, Weapons, Zootopia 2

    98th Academy Awards Predictions: December 17th Edition

    This week’s biggest announcement about the Oscars in general is that the telecast is moving to YouTube in 2029. The most notable development for the 98th ceremony was the release of the shortlists. There are several categories slimmed down from anywhere to 10-20 possibilities – International Feature Film, Documentary Feature, the new Casting race, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Original Song, Sound, and Visual Effects.

    We have winners and losers to discuss from those contenders. The Testament of Ann Lee was blanked and it was expected to show up in competitions like Cinematography and the musical fields. Jay Kelly underperformed. It made the list of 20 Score hopefuls, but it didn’t get into Casting (where I’ve had it predicted for a nomination). The Lee and Kelly struggles are enough for me to drop Amanda Seyfried (Lee) from my Actress five and Adam Sandler (Kelly) from my Supporting Actor quintet. Both could still make it, but I’m more skeptical. The beneficiaries are Emma Stone (Bugonia) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein) as they return to their lineups. I am now also giving the 2nd Netflix BP slot to Train Dreams instead of Kelly. In Best Actor, however, I’m dropping Joel Edgerton in Train Dreams from my five in favor of Michael B. Jordan in Sinners.

    On the other hand, Wicked: For Good landed 8 shortlist mentions (tying with Sinners). Does that help its chances for a BP nom where I dropped it out of my 10 six days ago? That’s arguable. I’d certainly say it doesn’t hurt and I toyed with putting it back in. As you’ll see, it’s almost there in 11th.

    It was also a banner day for Sirât, the Spanish drama that landed a surprise 5 shortlist mentions. I’m not projecting it though the idea of the film getting a BP nod is not out of the question.

    The other news earlier this week was the review embargo lifting for Avatar: Fire and Ash. For the most part, it is being called the weakest of the trilogy. I’d say its fortunes took a tumble in BP though it’s still in the conversation.

    Let’s take a look at all the movement below!

    Best Picture

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Hamnet (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Marty Supreme (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Sentimental Value (PR: 5) (E)

    6. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Frankenstein (PR: 7) (E)

    8. The Secret Agent (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Train Dreams (PR: 11) (+2)

    10. Bugonia (PR: 9) (-1)

    Other Possibilities:

    11. Wicked: For Good (PR: 12) (+1)

    12. Jay Kelly (PR: 10) (-2)

    13. Sirât (PR: Not Ranked)

    14. No Other Choice (PR: 14) (E)

    15. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 13) (-2)

    Dropped Out:

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Director

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Ryan Coogler, Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Chloé Zhao, Hamnet (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Kieber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Clint Bentley, Train Dreams (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia

    Best Actress

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Jessie Buckley, Hamnet (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Emma Stone, Bugonia (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Jennifer Lawrence, Die, My Love (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Tessa Thompson, Hedda (PR: 9) (-1)

    Best Actor

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent (PR: 4) (+1)

    4. Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Michael B. Jordan, Sinners (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Jesse Plemons, Bugonia (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. George Clooney, Jay Kelly (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. Jeremy Allen White, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Lee Byung-hun, No Other Choice

    Best Supporting Actress

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleass, Sentimental Value (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Amy Madigan, Weapons (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Gwyneth Paltrow, Marty Supreme (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Odessa A’Zion, Marty Supreme (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. Regina Hall, One Battle After Another (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners (PR: 8) (-1)

    10. Emily Blunt, The Smashing Machine (PR: 10) (E)

    Best Supporting Actor

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Sean Penn, One Battle After Another (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Paul Mescal, Hamnet (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Delroy Lindo, Sinners (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Adam Scott, Blue Moon (PR: 8) (E)

    9. William H. Macy, Train Dreams (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Josh O’Connor, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Jeremy Strong, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

    Best Original Screenplay

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sentimental Value (PR: 2) (+1)

    2. Sinners (PR: 1) (-1)

    3. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Marty Supreme (PR: 4) (E)

    5. The Secret Agent (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Jay Kelly (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. Blue Moon (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. Sorry, Baby (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Weapons (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Adapted Screenplay

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Hamnet (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Bugonia (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Train Dreams (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Frankenstein (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. No Other Choice (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Nuremberg (PR: 9) (+1)

    9. The Life of Chuck (PR: 10) (+1)

    10. Hedda (PR: 8) (-2)

    Best International Feature Film

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sentimental Value (PR: 2) (E)

    3. The Secret Agent (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Sirât (PR: 5) (+1)

    5. No Other Choice (PR: 4) (-1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. The Voice of Hind Rajab (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Left-Handed Girl (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Belén (PR: 10) (+2)

    9. The President’s Cake (PR: 9) (E)

    10. Sound of Falling (PR: 8) (-2)

    Best Animated Feature

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. KPop Demon Hunters (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Zootopia 2 (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Arco (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Elio (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. In Your Dreams (PR: 6) (E)

    7. A Magnificent Life (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. Endless Cookie (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Scarlet (PR: 7) (-2)

    10. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    Boys Go to Jupiter

    Best Documentary Feature

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. The Perfect Neighbor (PR: 1) (E)

    2. 2000 Meters to Andrivka (PR: 2) (E)

    3. My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow (PR: 6) (+3)

    4. Cover-Up (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Come See Me in the Good Light (PR: Not Ranked)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. The Alabama Solution (PR: 9) (+3)

    7. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 5) (-2)

    8. Seeds (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Mr. Nobody Against Putin (PR: 7) (-2)

    10. Cutting Through Rocks (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk

    Orwell 2 + 2 = 5

    Best Casting

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Marty Supreme (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Sentimental Value (PR: 6) (+2)

    5. Hamnet (PR: 4) (-1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Wicked: For Good (PR: 8) (+2)

    7. Frankenstein (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. The Secret Agent (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Sirât (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Weapons (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Jay Kelly

    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

    Blue Moon

    Best Cinematography

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 1) (E)

    2. One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Frankenstein (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Train Dreams (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Hamnet (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (-1)

    7. F1 (PR: 9) (+2)

    8. Nouvelle Vague (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. Bugonia (PR: 8) (-1)

    10. Sirât (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Jay Kelly

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Costume Design

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Sinners (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Hamnet (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Hedda (PR: 9) (+4)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Marty Supreme (PR: 6) (E)

    7. One Battle After Another (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. Kiss of the Spider Woman (PR: 5) (-3)

    9. Bugonia (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Testament of Ann Lee (PR: 7) (-3)

    Dropped Out:

    Snow White

    Best Film Editing

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. One Battle After Another (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Marty Supreme (PR: 3) (E)

    4. F1 (PR: 5) (+1)

    5. Sentimental Value (PR: 6) (+1)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Hamnet (PR: 4) (-2)

    7. It Was Just an Accident (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Frankenstein (PR: 10) (+2)

    9. Sirât (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. No Other Choice (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    Jay Kelly

    Best Makeup and Hairstyling

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (E)

    3. The Smashing Machine (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Sinners (PR: 4) (E)

    5. One Battle After Another (PR: 9) (+4)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Kokuho (PR: Not Ranked)

    7. Marty Supreme (PR: Not Ranked)

    8. Nuremberg (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. The Alto Knights (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Ugly Stepsister (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Bugonia

    28 Years Later

    Weapons

    Wolf Man

    Kiss of the Spider Woman

    Best Original Score

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 1) (E)

    2. One Battle After Another (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Hamnet (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Frankenstein (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Sirât (PR: 9) (+3)

    7. F1 (PR: 7) (E)

    8. Jay Kelly (PR: 6) (-2)

    9. Train Dreams (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Hedda (PR: 10) (E)

    Dropped Out:

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Original Song

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters (PR: 1) (E)

    2. “I Lied to You” from Sinners (PR: 2) (E)

    3. “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good (PR: 3) (E)

    4. “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless (PR: 4) (E)

    5. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light (PR: 9) (+4)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams (PR: 6) (E)

    7. “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” from Sinners (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. “No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good (PR: 7) (-1)

    9. “Drive” from F1 (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. “Dream As One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 10) (E)

    Dropped Out:

    “Clothed by the Sun” from The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Production Design

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Frankenstein (PR: 1) (E)

    2. Sinners (PR: 4) (+2)

    3. Wicked: For Good (PR: 2) (-1)

    4. Hamnet (PR: 3) (-1)

    5. Marty Supreme (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 6) (E)

    7. One Battle After Another (PR: 8) (+1)

    8. The Phoenician Scheme (PR: 10) (+2)

    9. Hedda (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (PR: 9) (-1)

    Dropped Out:

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Best Sound

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Sinners (PR: 1) (E)

    2. F1 (PR: 2) (E)

    3. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 3) (E)

    4. Wicked: For Good (PR: 4) (E)

    5. One Battle After Another (PR: 5) (E)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Frankenstein (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Sirât (PR: Not Ranked)

    8. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (PR: 8) (E)

    9. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. Superman (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    Warfare

    The Testament of Ann Lee

    Marty Supreme

    Best Visual Effects

    Predicted Nominees:

    1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (PR: 1) (E)

    2. F1 (PR: 3) (+1)

    3. Superman (PR: 2) (-1)

    4. Frankenstein (PR: 4) (E)

    5. Sinners (PR: Not Ranked)

    Other Possibilities:

    6. Wicked: For Good (PR: 6) (E)

    7. Tron: Ares (PR: 10) (+3)

    8. Jurassic World: Rebirth (PR: Not Ranked)

    9. The Lost Bus (PR: Not Ranked)

    10. The Electric State (PR: Not Ranked)

    Dropped Out:

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps

    Mickey 17

    How to Train Your Dragon

    And that leaves these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

    14 Nominations

    One Battle After Another, Sinners

    10 Nominations

    Hamnet

    9 Nominations

    Frankenstein, Sentimental Value

    8 Nominations

    Marty Supreme

    6 Nominations

    Wicked: For Good

    4 Nominations

    It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent

    3 Nominations

    Bugonia, F1, Train Dreams

    2 Nominations

    Avatar: Fire and Ash, Come See Me in the Good Light, KPop Demon Hunters

    1 Nomination

    Arco, Blue Moon, Cover-Up, Diane Warren: Relentless, Elio, Hedda, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, No Other Choice, The Perfect Neighbor, Sirât, The Smashing Machine, Superman, 2000 Meters to Andrivka, Weapons, Zootopia 2