97th Academy Awards Predictions: November 3rd Edition

My votes are in for my latest Oscar predictions at the 97th Academy Awards and I’ve elected to elevate Wicked into my BP top ten with Gladiator II sliding out. This is based on buzz for early screenings and I will readily admit that sometimes those viewings can elicit exaggerated reactions. We’ll see if Wicked sticks around in a way that Gladiator II didn’t (the two pics both open November 22nd).

In other movement, Edward Berger (Conclave) is back in my directorial quintet with RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys) on the outside looking in. The five spot in Best Actor switches to Sebastian Stan playing a certain 45th POTUS with Daniel Craig (Queer) slipping. Ariana Grande’s witchy Wicked work enters the Supporting Actress derby with Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) falling to sixth place. In Supporting Actor, on the other hand, Conclave’s Stanley Tucci re-enters with Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) now out. You can peruse all the activity below!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Anora (PR: 2) (E)

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

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

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

7. A Real Pain (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Blitz (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (E)

10. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

11. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (-3)

12. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 11) (-1)

13. A Complete Unknown (PR: 13) (E)

14. The Substance (PR: 15) (+1)

15. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Room Next Door

September 5

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (E)

8. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Robert Eggers, Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Ridley Scott, Gladiator II

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 6) (E)

7. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 9) (E)

10. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 8) (E)

9. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

John David Washington, The Piano Lesson

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 3) (E)

4. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 4) (E)

5. Ariana Grande, Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Fernanda Montenegro, I’m Still Here

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 2) (E)

3. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Yura Borisov, Anora (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 7) (-2)

10. John Magaro, September 5 (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Saturday Night (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Hard Truths (PR: 8) (+2)

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

8. September 5 (PR: 4) (-4)

9. The Substance (PR: 9) (E)

10. Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

His Three Daughters

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nickel Boys (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Room Next Door (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. I’m Still Here (PR: 8) (+1)

8. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Hit Man (PR: 7) (-2)

10. The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

4. Vermiglio (PR: 4) (E)

5. Universal Language (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Grand Tour (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Armand (PR: 10) (E)

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 3) (E)

4. Flow (PR: 4) (E)

5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 5 (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Moana 2 (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Savages (PR: 8) (E)

9. Piece by Piece (PR: 7) (-2)

10. The Most Precious of Cargoes (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Orion and the Dark

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. No Other Land (PR: 1) (E)

2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 4) (+2)

3. Will & Harper (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 8) (+4)

5. Union (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Daughters (PR: 3) (-3)

7. Sugarcane (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: 6) (-3)

10. Gaucho Gaucho (PR: 10) (E)

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Blitz (PR: 4) (E)

5. Conclave (PR: 10) (+5)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Nosferatu (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Maria (PR: 6) (-3)

10. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (-2)

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Maria (PR: 4) (E)

5. Nosferatu (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Blitz (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Brutalist (PR: 7) (E)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 9) (E)

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (+1)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (+1)

8. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Challengers (PR: 10 (E)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Gladiator II

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Substance (PR: 4) (+2)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wicked (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 5) (-4)

10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (E)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Wild Robot (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sing Sing (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Gladiator II (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+1)

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

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “El Mal” from Emila Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 3) (+1)

3. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+4)

4. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 5) (+1)

5. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (-3)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 4) (-2)

7. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 8) (+1)

8. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 6) (-2)

9. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 9) (E)

10. “Beyond” from Moana 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

“Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (E)

3. Wicked (PR: 7) (+4)

4. Blitz (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Brutalist (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. Maria (PR: 9) (E)

10. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (E)

3. Wicked (PR: 5) (+2)

4. Blitz (PR: 4) (E)

5. Twisters (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-3)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. A Complete Unknown (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (E)

10. Civil War (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

The Brutalist

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Twisters (PR: 4) (E)

5. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 10) (+5)

Other Possibilities:

6. Better Man (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 9) (E)

10. Here (PR: 5) (-5)

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

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez

8 Nominations

Conclave

6 Nominations

Wicked

5 Nominations

Anora, Blitz, Gladiator II, Sing Sing

3 Nominations

A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

Maria, Nickel Boys, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Twisters

1 Nomination

The Apprentice, Better Man, Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, A Different Man, Flow, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, Nightbitch, No Other Land, Nosferatu, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, The Room Next Door, Saturday Night, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, The Substance, Union, Universal Language, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Will & Harper

97th Academy Awards Predictions: October 20th Edition

It’s been two weeks since I’ve updated my predictions in the feature-length categories and developments have occurred. Steve McQueen’s Blitz opened the London Film Festival and its Oscar stock took a hit. While I still have it being nominated in five categories including Picture and Supporting Actress (Saoirse Ronan), it falls out of my high five in Director and Original Screenplay, among others.

Another significant screening was the industry’s first look at Gladiator II a month before it debuts. With the caveat that these previews are often hyperbolic, the 24 years in the making sequel’s fortunes improved. I now have it contending for seven statues including Best Picture. Its rise causes The Room Next Door to drop out of my 10 BP hopefuls. Denzel Washington also re-enters my Supporting Actor picks with Stanley Tucci (Conclave) now on the outside looking in.

In Director, Blitz‘s McQueen is out in favor of RaMell Ross of Nickel Boys. I’ve put Daniel Craig back in my Actor quintet at the expense of Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice (which opened to dismal box office).

You can read all the movement below!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)

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

6. Conclave (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (-1)

10. A Real Pain (PR: 10) (E)

Other Possibilities:

11. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 14) (+3)

12. The Room Next Door (PR: 9) (-3)

13. A Complete Unknown (PR: 13) (E)

14. September 5 (PR: 12) (-2)

15. The Substance (PR: 15) (E)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)

5. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 2) (-6)

9. Ridley Scott, Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 7) (-3)

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 9) (E)

10. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Nicholas Hoult, Juror No. 2

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 3) (E)

4. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 4) (E)

5. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Fernanda Montenegro, I’m Still Here (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Toni Collette, Juror No. 2

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 6) (+3)

4. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 7) (-2)

10. John Magaro, September 5 (PR: 10) (E)

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. September 5 (PR: 6) (+2)

5. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Hard Truths (PR: 7) (-1)

9. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

10. His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Dídi

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (+1)

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

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 6) (+2)

5. The Room Next Door (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Hit Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. I’m Still Here (PR: 8) (E)

9. The Piano Lesson (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Queer

A Complete Unknown

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

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

5. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Universal Language (PR: 4) (-2)

7. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Grand Tour (PR: 6) (-2)

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

10. Armand (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Cloud

Flow

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)

3. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 3) (E)

4. Flow (PR: 4) (E)

5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Piece by Piece (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Savages (PR: 8) (E)

9. Orion and the Dark (PR: 6) (-3)

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Wohirrim (PR: 10) (E)

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. No Other Land (PR: 1) (E)

2. Will & Harper (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. Black Box Diaries (PR: 3) (-1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: Not Ranked)

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

8. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 7) (-1)

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

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

Dropped Out:

Apocalypse in the Tropics

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+3)

4. Blitz (PR: 2) (-2)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (+1)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 10) (+1)

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

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (+5)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Blitz (PR: 3) (-3)

7. The Brutalist (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (E)

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 4) (+3)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Conclave (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Nickel Boys (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

September 5

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Substance (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (E)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Wild Robot (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Challengers (PR: 8) (E)

9. Blitz (PR: 9) (E)

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Room Next Door

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 9) (+8)

2. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (+3)

3. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-1)

4. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 3) (-1)

5. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 6) (E)

7. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (-6)

8. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 8) (E)

9. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 7) (-2)

10. “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

“Folie à Deux” from Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (+1)

3. The Brutalist (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Blitz (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Nosferatu (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Conclave (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (+2)

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Blitz (PR: 2) (-2)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Civil War (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (-1)

10. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Visusal Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Twisters (PR: 7) (+3)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Better Man (PR: 8) (+1)

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

9. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

And that all works out to these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

Gladiator II

6 Nominations

Anora, Sing Sing

5 Nominations

Blitz, Conclave

3 Nominations

Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, Wicked

2 Nominations

Maria, Nosferatu, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper

1 Nomination

The Apprentice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Better Man, Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Queer, The Room Next Door, September 5, The Substance, Twisters, Union, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

97th Academy Awards Predictions: October 6th Edition

At the 92nd Academy Awards that occurred in February 2020, Joker led the way with 11 nominations and 2 victories for Joaquin Phoenix in Actor and the Original Score. At the 97th ceremony, the story will be much different. Joker: Folie à Deux debuted yesterday. It currently has matching 32% ratings with critics and audiences and a D Cinemascore grade (the worst of 2024 and lower than Megalopolis).

A couple of months ago, Deux was seen as a repeat possibility in Best Picture and for Phoenix and costar Lady Gaga. Now I think it’s a legitimate question as to whether Joker gets any nominations at all. Even with the poor word-of-mouth and incoming subpar box office numbers, some tech races are still viable. However, I would not surprised if it totally blanks. That’s what I’m projecting at the moment.

We have a change in Best Picture with The Room Next Door back in over Saturday Night. There’s been a consistent 5 in Best Actor for weeks, but that’s interrupted with Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) sliding in with Daniel Craig (Queer) falling to sixth. In Supporting Actress, Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) rises over Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez).

Speaking of Pérez, there’s uncertainty whether it will contend for Original or Adapted Screenplay. I’ve had it in the former and it now moves to the latter.

You can read all the movement below!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (E)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+1)

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

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (+1)

9. The Room Next Door (PR: 11) (+2)

10. A Real Pain (PR: 10) (E)

Other Possibilities:

11. Saturday Night (PR: 8) (-3)

12. September 5 (PR: 14) (+2)

13. A Complete Unknown (PR: 13) (E)

14. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 12) (-2)

15. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Nosferatu

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 7 (E)

8. Mohammad Rasolouf, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 9) (E)

10. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Jason Reitman, Saturday Night

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 6) (E)

7. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 7) (E)

8. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (E)

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Nicholas Hoult, Juror No. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 3) (E)

4. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 4) (E)

5. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Toni Collette, Juror No. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 6) (E)

7. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (E)

9. Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson (PR: Not Ranked)

10. John Magaro, September 5 (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Drew Starkey, Queer

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 3) (+1)

3. A Real Pain (PR: 2) (-1)

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

5. Saturday Night (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. September 5 (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Hard Truths (PR: 8) (+1)

8. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (-1)

9. His Three Daughters (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Dídi (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Emilia Pérez – moved to Adapted Screenplay

The Substance

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Room Next Door (PR: 4) (E)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from Original Screenplay

Other Possibilities:

6. Dune: Part Two (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Hit Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Queer (PR: 6) (-3)

10. A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

The Piano Lesson

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

4. Universal Language (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Vermiglio (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Grand Tour (PR: 4) (-2)

7. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 7) (E)

8. Kneecap (PR: 8) (E)

9. Cloud (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Flow (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Dahomey

Caught by the Tides

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 3) (E)

3. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 4) (+1)

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

5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 5 (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Orion and the Dark (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (-3)

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 10) (E)

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. No Other Land (PR: 1) (E)

2. Will & Harper (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Black Box Diaries (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Daughters (PR: 2) (-2)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Union (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 7) (E)

8. Dahomey (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Gaucho Gaucho (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Separated

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (+1)

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

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

5. Maria (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (E)

8. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (-4)

9. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Nickel Boys (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Wicked (PR: 5) (+3)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Brutalist (PR: 6) (E)

7. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-5)

8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Brutalist (PR: 6) (+1)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sing Sing (PR: 7) (+!)

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

8. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Challengers (PR: 10) (+1)

10. September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wicked (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Substance (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (-2)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (+5)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Wild Robot (PR: 6) (E)

7. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-4)

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

9. Blitz (PR: 10) (+1)

10. The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 4) (+1)

4. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 10) (+6)

5. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 8) (+2)

7. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (-1)

8. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 5) (-3)

9. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 9) (E)

10. “Folie à Deux” from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

“Harley and Joker Waltz” from Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-1)

5. The Brutalist (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Wicked (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (+1)

9. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

10. joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 5) (-5)

Dropped Out:

Nosferatu

Twisters

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Here (PR: 4) (E)

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Better Man (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 10) (+1)

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

That equates to these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

11 Nominations

The Brutalist

10 Nominations

Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez

9 Nominations

Blitz

6 Nominations

Anora, Conclave, Sing Sing

3 Nominations

Gladiator II, Maria, Nosferatu, A Real Pain

2 Nominations

The Apprentice, Nickel Boys, The Room Next Door, Wicked, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper

1 Nomination

Better Man, Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Saturday Night, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, The Substance, Sugarcane, Universal Language, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

97th Academy Awards Predictions: September 28th Edition

When I did my forecast for the 96th Academy Awards around the same late September time frame last year, it yielded nine of the ten eventual Best Picture nominees. The only miss was not having The Zone of Interest in the hopefuls and I had it ranked 11th in other possibilities. It is also worth noting that eventual winner Oppenheimer was ranked #1.

For Best Director, it was four of five with Christopher Nolan correctly atop my chart. Four of five was also the score for Best Actress and Actor and I had victors Emma Stone (Poor Things) and Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) in first. For the supporting races, both were 3 out of five. In Supporting Actress, Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) was listed in second while Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) was projected highest in Supporting Actor. In the Screenplay derbies, it was 3 of 5 in each with Adapted recipient American Fiction and Original top finisher Anatomy of a Fall both listed 4th of 5.

That history lesson illustrates that the script for the previous Oscars had largely been written several months before nominations were unveiled. Will the 97th ceremony follow a similar pattern?

It sure doesn’t seem like it. I maintain that there’s no clear frontrunner for BP while Oppenheimer was definitely in that position a year ago. Solid to fair cases could be made for Blitz, The Brutalist, Anora, Emilia Pérez, Sing Sing, or Dune: Part Two to take gold. There’s also no slam dunks thus far in the acting competitions whereas Downey Jr. was kind of a no-brainer at this juncture and Murphy, Stone, and Randolph were in the 1 or 2 positions in their races.

That makes it all the more intriguing as the 2024 season plays out. The big news this week was that TIFF People’s Choice Winner The Life of Chuck will not open until summer 2025. Therefore you’ll see it drop from contention everywhere I had it listed as a possibility below. Last week, I only had Chuck actually being nominated in Adapted Screenplay. It is replaced by Dune.

I considered elevating the unseen Blitz back to first position in BP, but am giving it to The Brutalist still by a hair. It was announced this week that the latter will release on December 20th via A24. There is one change in BP as I’m putting in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain for its initial top 10 appearance at the expense of The Room Next Door.

This week I’m also shutting the door on Tilda Swinton in Best Actress for The Room Next Door with Nightbitch‘s Amy Adams returning to the quintet. I went back and forth about whether to include Adams or Babygirl‘s Nicole Kidman.

You can all view all the movement below!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (E)

5. Sing Sing (PR: 5) (E)

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Saturday Night (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (-1)

10. A Real Pain (PR: 15) (+5)

Other Possibilities:

11. The Room Next Door (PR: 10) (-1)

12. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 14) (+2)

13. A Complete Unknown (PR: 12) (-1)

14. September 5 (PR: 13) (-1)

15. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Life of Chuck

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 6) (E)

7. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (E)

9. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 9) (E)

10. Jason Reitman, Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Pedro Almodóvar, The Room Next Door

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 6) (E)

7. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 8) (E)

9. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (E)

7. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 8) (E)

9. Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Paul Mescal, Gladiator II

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 4) (E)

5. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (E)

8. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (E)

10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 10) (E)

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 6) (E)

7. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 10) (+2)

9. John Magaro, September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Drew Starkey, Queer (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Mark Hamill, The Life of Chuck

Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. A Real Pain (PR: 5) (+3)

3. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Saturday Night (PR: 4) (E)

5. Blitz (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (E)

8. Hard Truths (PR: 9) (+1)

9. September 5 (PR: 10) (+1)

10. The Substance (PR: 8) (-2)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Room Next Door (PR: 4) (E)

5. Dune: Part Two (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Queer (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Hit Man (PR: 8) (+1)

8. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (+1)

9. The Piano Lesson (PR: 10) (+1)

10. I’m Still Here (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Life of Chuck

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

4. Grand Tour (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Vermiglio (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Universal Language (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Dahomey (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Caught by the Tides (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

All We Imagine as Light

Pedro Páramo

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)

3. Flow (PR: 3) (E)

4. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (E)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

8. Orion and the Dark (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: Not Ranked)

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. No Other Land (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. Will & Harper (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Black Box Diaries (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Dahomey (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Union (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Separated (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin

Skywalkers: A Love Story

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Gladiator II (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Nickel Boys (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Conclave

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (+2)

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

4. Blitz (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Wicked (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Brutalist (PR: 9) (+3)

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

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (E)

9. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (+2)

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

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

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Brutalist (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Sing Sing (PR: 7) (E)

8. Conclave (PR: 8) (E)

9. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Nickel Boys

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wicked (PR: 7) (+3)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Substance (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Maria (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (E)

9. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (+1)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

The Room Next Door

The Life of Chuck

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. “Harley and Joker Waltz” from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 3) (E)

4. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (+2)

5. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 4) (-2)

7. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 7) (E)

8. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: Not Ranked)

9. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 10) (+1)

10. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

“Relentless” from Diane Warren: Relentless

“We’re Back” from Moana 2

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Conclave (PR: 10) (+4)

7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Wicked (PR: 6) (-1)

9. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 9) (E)

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

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

5. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (E)

7. Wicked (PR: 7) (E)

8. The Brutalist (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Twisters (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Civil War

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Wicked (PR: 7) (E)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. Better Man (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 9) (-1)

And that adds up to these numbers generating these numbers of nominations:

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

Blitz

9 Nominations

The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez

6 Nominations

Sing Sing

5 Nominations

Anora, Conclave, Gladiator II

4 Nominations

Nosferatu

3 Nominations

A Real Pain, Saturday Night

2 Nominations

Joker: Folie à Deux, Maria, Nickel Boys, Wicked, Will & Harper

1 Nomination

The Apprentice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Dahomey, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, Grand Tour, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Kneecap, Memoir of a Snail, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Queer, The Room Next Door, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Wild Robot

97th Academy Awards Predictions: September 21st Edition

The Venice, Telluride, and Toronto Film Festivals have all concluded and the Oscar landscape is looking a bit clearer for the 97th edition of the ceremony. Per usual with the festivals, there are films that rise and those that fall. No film rose more than Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist from Venice, but Toronto gave us a shocker in the form of Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck. The sci-fi flick based on a Stephen King novella took People’s Choice at the Canadian event. 15 of the last 16 victors of that prize have received a Best Picture nomination including the past 12 in a row. We still don’t know which distributor will buy Chuck and it’s not confirmed to be out this year. For that matter, we also don’t know for a fact that A24’s The Brutalist will make the ’24 calendar. For now I’m assuming both will. That means I’m elevating Chuck from unranked to #11 in my BP possibilities on the outside just looking in.

There was a significant announcement that Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore will be both be campaigned in lead actress for The Room Next Door. That means Swinton enters my quintet in that category with Amy Adams (Nightbitch) dropping. With Swinton leaving supporting, Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez) resurfaces there. It has also been confirmed that Saoirse Ronan will vie for Actress with The Outrun and Supporting Actress in Blitz. I continue to list her a double nominee.

We have a change in Supporting Actor as I’m putting Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) in with Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) falling out of the projected five.

For the last few months, I’ve included 25 BP contenders and 15 for Director, the four acting derbies, and the two screenplay competitions. As I typically do around this time of year, I will condense this to 15 BPs and 10 in the others. Got all that? Good!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 5) (+1)

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

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Saturday Night (PR: 8) (-1)

10. The Room Next Door (PR: 10) (E)

Other Possibilities:

11. The Life of Chuck (PR: Not Ranked)

12. A Complete Unknown (PR: 11) (-1)

13. September 5 (PR: 16) (+3)

14. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 12) (-2)

15. A Real Pain (PR: 13) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Queer

Nosferatu

The Apprentice

All We Imagine as Light

Joker: Folie à Deux

The Piano Lesson

Wicked

Juror No. 2

His Three Daughters

A Different Man

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 3) (E)

5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 9) (+2)

8. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Pedro Almodóvar, The Room Next Door (PR: 11) (+1)

Dropped Out:

Jason Reitman, Saturday Night

James Mangold, A Complete Unknown

Ridley Scott, Gladiator II

Luca Guadagnino, Queer

Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from supporting

Other Possibilities:

6. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door

Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl

Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters

June Squibb, Thelma

Zendaya, Challengers

Florence Pugh, We Live in Time

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (E)

7. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night

Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness

Ethan Herisse, Nickel Boys

John David Washington, The Piano Lesson

Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 2) (E)

3. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 11) (+3)

9. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door – moved to lead actress

Lesley Manville, Queer

Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown

Toni Collette, Juror No. 2

Fernanda Montenegro, I’m Still Here

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Mark Hamill, The Life of Chuck (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 8) (E)

9. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 7) (-3)

Dropped Out:

Drew Starkey, Queer

Harris Dickinson, Blitz

Mark Eidelstein, Anora

Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside

Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson

John Lithgow, Conclave

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. Blitz (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (+1)

5. A Real Pain (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (E)

8. The Substance (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Hard Truths (PR: 10) (+1)

10. September 5 (PR: 13) (+3)

Dropped Out:

His Three Daughters

Dídi

Kinds of Kindness

A Different Man

Juror No. 2

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Room Next Door (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Life of Chuck (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Dune: Part Two (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Hit Man (PR: 7) (-1)

9. A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (-1)

10. The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

I’m Still Here

Gladiator II

Nightbitch

Inside Out 2

Nosferatu

The Wild Robot

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

4. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Grand Tour (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Universal Language (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 7) (E)

8. Caught by the Tides (PR: 8) (E)

9. Pedro Páramo (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Simon of the Mountain

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)

3. Flow (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 4) (E)

5. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (E)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Orion and the Dark (PR: 10) (+1)

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 8) (-2)

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. No Other Land (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Will & Harper (PR: 3) (+1)

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

4. Sugarcane (PR: 4) (E)

5. Black Box Diaries (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Union (PR: 7) (E)

8. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Skywalkers: A Love Story (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Blitz (PR: 3) (E)

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Maria (PR: Not Ranked)

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

8. Anora (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (-3)

10. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

The Room Next Door

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

4. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-1)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (E)

9. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Saturday Night (PR: 10 (E)

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Blitz (PR: 1) (E)

2. Anora (PR: 2) (E)

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 6) (+3)

4. The Brutalist (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Sing Sing (PR: 4) (-3)

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

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

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

5. The Substance (PR: 9) (+4)

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

4. Gladiator II (PR: 6) (+2)

5. The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+2)

9. The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Life of Chuck (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Queer

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. “Harley and Joker Waltz” from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)

4. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 4) (E)

5. “Relentless” from Diane Warren: Relentless (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 5) (-1)

7. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 6) (-1)

8. “We’re Back” from Moana 2 (PR: 7) (-1)

9. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: Not Ranked)

10. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

“The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight

“Why Am I Here” from Shirley

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Wicked (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

5. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Civil War (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Brutalist (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

A Complete Unknown

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Twisters (PR: 4) (E)

5. Here (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Blitz (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Better Man (PR: 9) (-1)

That equates to these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

10 Nominations

The Brutalist, Dune: Part Two

9 Nominations

Emilia Pérez

8 Nominations

Blitz

6 Nominations

Sing Sing

5 Nominations

Anora, Gladiator II

4 Nominations

Conclave, Nosferatu

3 Nominations

Maria, The Room Next Door, Saturday Night

2 Nominations

Joker: Folie à Deux, Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

1 Nomination

All We Imagine as Light, The Apprentice, Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, Diane Warren: Relentless, A Different Man, Flow, Grand Tour, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, The Life of Chuck, Memoir of a Snail, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Piece by Piece, Queer, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, The Substance, Sugarcane, Twisters, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Wicked, Will & Harper

97th Academy Awards Predictions: September 14th Edition

To say there’s been plenty of news since my last predictions post on 09/03 is quite an understatement. It’s been confirmed that Clint Eastwood’s thriller Juror No. 2 will release in this calendar year. You’ll see that reflected below though I don’t have the movie or Toni Collette (in Supporting Actress) or the screenplay actually projected for nominations.

Then there is, of course, more screenings from the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. While Nightbitch is probably out of Best Picture contention, TIFF screenings suggest Amy Adams could still be a threat to make the Actress quintet. She’s back in my five. I had to make room anyway since Lady Gaga (Joker: Folie à Deux) appears to be a supporting play and not lead. I hesitated to put Adams back in as Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) are serious threats. For that, so are Julianne Moore (The Room Next Door) and Demi Moore (The Substance). It’s getting crowded in Actress.

Speaking of Joker, the mixed reaction from Cannes causes it to drop from 11th to 20th in my BP rankings.

There are gains for The Brutalist as it rises from 3rd to 1st in the BP derby. The announcement that A24 picked up it up for distribution might mean it’s now their #1 campaign. If so, that could have a detrimental effect on Sing Sing. That helps explain Adrien Brody getting to first in Best Actor over Colman Domingo. Clarence Maclin from Sing Sing stays at #1 in Supporting Actor over The Brutalist‘s Guy Pearce though I considered making that switch. And now Brady Corbet now sitting atop the charts in Director. Blitz had previously held the #1 positions in BP and Director but they slip to #2.

In Supporting Actress, two changes as Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) and Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door) are in and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) and Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez) are on the outside looking in.

And for the one change in BP, Venice’s Golden Lion winner The Room Next Door is in the 10 with A Complete Unknown falling out.

Please note that this update is the first time where Dune: Part Two is not the nomination leader. It’s now tied with 9 with Blitz and Emilia Pérez while The Brutalist sits with 10.

You can read all the movement below!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 3) (+2)

2. Blitz (Previous Ranking: 1) (-1)

3. Anora (PR: 5) (+2)

4. Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-2)

5. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (-1)

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (E)

10. The Room Next Door (PR: 15) (+5)

Other Possibilities:

11. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (-2)

12. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 13) (+1)

12. A Real Pain (PR: 11) (-1)

14. Gladiator II (PR: 16) (+2)

15. Queer (PR: 14) (-1)

16. September 5 (PR: 23) (+7)

17. Nosferatu (PR: 17) (E)

18. The Apprentice (PR: 22) (+4)

19. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 19) (E)

20. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 11) (-9)

21. The Piano Lesson (PR: 18) (-3)

22. Wicked (PR: 21) (-1)

23. Juror No. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

24. His Three Daughters (PR: Not Ranked)

25. A Different Man (PR: 25) (E)

Dropped Out:

Nightbitch

Maria

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 3) (+2)

2. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jacques Audiard, Emila Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 9) (E)

10. Jason Reitman, Saturday Night (PR: 11) (+1)

11. Pedro Almodóvar, The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked)

12. James Mangold, A Complete Unknown (PR: 10) (-2)

13. Ridley Scott, Gladiator II (PR: 15) (+2)

14. Luca Guadagnino, Queer (PR: 13) (-1)

15. Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (PR: 14) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)

5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 6) (E)

7. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 12) (+2)

11. Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl (PR: 15) (+4)

12. Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters (PR: 11) (-1)

13. June Squibb, Thelma (PR: 13) (E)

14. Zendaya, Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Florence Pugh, We Live in Time (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux – moved to supporting

Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 3) (+2)

2. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (E)

7. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 12) (+2)

11. Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

12. Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Ethan Herisse, Nickel Boys (PR: 13) (E)

14. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 14) (E)

15. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 15) (E)

Dropped Out:

André Holland, The Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 2) (E)

3. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 7) (+4)

4. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (E)

9. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from lead Actress

10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 10) (-1)

12. Lesley Manville, Queer (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown (PR: 12) (-1)

14. Toni Collette, Juror No. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Fernanda Montenegro, I’m Still Here (PR: 15) (E)

Dropped Out:

Kathy Burke, Blitz

Elizabeth Olsen, His Three Daughters

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)

3. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)

4. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 4) (E)

5. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (E)

7. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Drew Starkey, Queer (PR: 12) (+3)

10. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Harris Dickinson, Blitz (PR: 10) (-1)

12. Mark Eidelstein, Anora (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (E)

14. Ray Fisher, The Piano Lesson (PR: Not Ranked)

15. John Lithgow, Conclave (PR: 15) (+1)

Dropped Out:

Stephen Graham, Blitz

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (+3)

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

4. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Saturday Night (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 9) (+2)

8. His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (E)

9. The Substance (PR: 12) (+3)

10. Hard Truths (PR: 7) (-3)

11. Dídi (PR: 10) (-1)

12. Kinds of Kindness (PR: 14) (+2)

13. September 5 (PR: 11) (-2)

14. A Different Man (PR: 15) (+1)

15. Juror No. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Challengers

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Room Next Door (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Hit Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (+1)

9. The Piano Lesson (PR: 8) (-1)

10. I’m Still Here (PR: Not Ranked)

11. Gladiator II (PR: 13) (+2)

12. Nightbitch (PR: 10) (-2)

13. Inside Out 2 (PR: 12) (-1)

14. Nosferatu (PR: 15) (+1)

15. The Wild Robot (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

The Fire Inside

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)

4. Grand Tour (PR: 4) (E)

5. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Universal Language (PR: 8) (+2)

7. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Caught by the Tides (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Kneecap (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Simon of the Mountain (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Count of Monte Cristo

Cloud

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)

3. Flow (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 4) (E)

5. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Piece by Piece (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

8. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Savages (PR: 6) (-3)

10. Orion and the Dark (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Daughters (PR: 1) (E)

2. No Other Land (PR: 4) (+2)

3. Will & Harper (PR: 5) (+2)

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

5. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (-4)

7. Union (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (PR: 9) (E)

10. Skywalkers: A Love Story (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (+4)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Joker: Folie á Deux (PR: 3) (-3)

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

8. Gladiator II (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Queer

Maria

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Wicked (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (+1)

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

5. Blitz (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: Not Ranked)

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

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Queer

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Blitz (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. The Brutalist (PR: 7) (+4)

4. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Saturday Night (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (-4)

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Nickel Boys (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Conclave (PR: 5) (-4)

10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 7) (+3)

5. Maria (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Wicked (PR: 6) (E)

7. Joker: Folie á Deux (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)

9. The Substance (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Gladiator II (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

3. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Wild Robot (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Gladiator II (PR: 5) (-1)

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

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 2) (-6)

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

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Challengers

Blitz

Nickel Boys

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 3) (+1)

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

4. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 5) (+1)

5. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: Not Ranked)

7. “We’re Back” from Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

8. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked)

9. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: Not Ranked)

10. “Why Am I Here?” from Shirley (PR: 8) (-1)

Dropped Out:

TBD from Joker: Folie à Deux

“Compress/Repress” from Challengers

“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from Twisters

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (+1)

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

5. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+4)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Conclave (PR: 9) (E)

10. Maria (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+3)

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 9) (+4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Nosferatu (PR: 8) (+2)

7. A Complete Unknown (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 4) (-4)

9. Wicked (PR: 6) (-3)

10. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Civil War

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Blitz (PR: 10) (+4)

7. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 7) (E)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Better Man (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Alien: Romulus

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

10 Nominations

The Brutalist

9 Nominations

Blitz, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

Sing Sing

5 Nominations

Anora, Gladiator II

4 Nominations

Conclave, Nosferatu

3 Nominations

The Room Next Door, Saturday Night

2 Nominations

Maria, Nickel Boys, Queer, A Real Pain, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper

1 Nomination

All We Imagine as Light, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, Diane Warren: Relentless, A Different Man, Flow, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Grand Tour, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, Piece by Piece, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, Sugarcane, Twisters, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Wicked

Oscar Predictions – Joker: Folie à Deux

There are some genuine awards related surprises as it pertains to the Venice Film Festival debut for Joker: Folie à Deux today. It is not shocking that the Todd Phillips sequel to his billion plus 2019 grosser is garnering wildly divergent reactions. So did the original. I’m talking about some unexpected housekeeping items. For one, Lady Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn is said to be a clear Supporting Actress play and not lead. In my updated Oscar predictions post yesterday, I slotted her for the first time (at #5) in Actress. That will obviously change. Another tidbit is that despite Deux being a musical, there doesn’t appear to be any original songs for consideration. I’ve listed a TBD tune in my quintet of forecasted contenders for several weeks. That, too, will be corrected when I updated Academy projections shortly (probably Sunday).

Prior to its October 4th stateside premiere (exactly five years after part one), the follow-up has premiered in Italy just like the last one did. The first Joker started its Oscar run by taking the Golden Lion (equivalent to Best Picture) in Venice. It ended up receiving a ceremony high 11 nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards including Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and several tech races. Joaquin Phoenix received the gold statue in Best Actor eleven years after Heath Ledger won Supporting Actor as the same character in The Dark Knight. The Original Score by Hildur Guõnadóttit was also victorious.

Phoenix is back as the iconic comic book villain along with Gaga, a returning Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener supporting. Even more so than what took place a half decade ago, Folie appears to be drawing even more divisive word-of-mouth. The Metacritic score is 54 based on nearly 25 reviews thus far. Some are calling it brilliant while others are saying this is a huge misfire.

The Academy is unlikely to show the same affection that they did with Joker. BP, Director, and Actor seem improbable. I’ve yet to include Deux in my top 10 picks for BP and that doesn’t appear to be changing. Down the line races like Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, and Original Score (from Hildur again) could occur. Yet the Academy might just ignore this altogether or maybe throw it a bone in one or two of the aforementioned categories.

Back to Gaga. She was nominated in Actress for 2018’s A Star is Born and was expected to be up for 2021’s House of Gucci. She didn’t make the cut for Gucci. Supporting Actress could include heavy hitters like Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez from Emilia Pérez, Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys), and Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door), among others whose films have yet to be unveiled. Gaga is getting good ink as Quinn, but there may not be room for her to get in the door. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

97th Academy Awards Predictions: September 3rd Edition

You can’t judge a movie by its trailer, but you can alter your Oscar Predictions and such is the case with Nightbitch. For many weeks, I’ve had Amy Adams perched atop my Best Actress list. The six-time nominee has to get the gold sometime right? After today’s first look, I don’t think this is the vehicle. Perhaps the Toronto Film Festival (where this screens in days) will prove me wrong.

Speaking of festivals, you might have heard that Telluride just concluded as Venice is at its midpoint. As both events tend to do, the awards landscape has been altered due to their premieres. Some pics and performers have risen while others have fallen.

The biggest winner at the time of this publication seems to be Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist from Venice. The three hour plus Holocaust survivor drama vaults 20 spots from #23 to #3 in my Best Picture rankings with Corbet in for his direction and Adrien Brody returning to the Actor derby. Mr. Brody knocks out Sebastian Stan in A Different Man. Speaking of Stan, he will also be vying for attention as Donald Trump in The Apprentice. It was confirmed this week that it will be released in October.

Another benefactor, this one from Telluride, is Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night. The solid reaction in Colorado puts it (barely) in my BP hopefuls along with Original Screenplay and Film Editing recognition.

The inclusion of these two newbies knocks out two others that didn’t fare quite as well in their unveilings – Queer and The Piano Lesson. They are both still listed in Other Possibilities but are no longer picks to make the big dance.

Three of the four acting races have new #1s. While Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) is still first in Actor (with Ralph Fiennes from Conclave and Adrien Brody hot on his heels), the aforementioned Adams plummets in Actress. In her place? Mikey Madison from Anora though Angelina Jolie (Maria) and Karla Sofia Gascón are close behind. Lady Gaga (Joker: Folie à Deux) makes her first appearance in the quintet. Please note that Folie will screen in Venice tomorrow so we’ll know more then (keep an eye on the blog for its individual predictions post).

In Supporting Actress, my previous #1 Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) slides three positions with Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez) moving up. Her costar Selena Gomez is now in my five as well and that takes out Tilda Swinton in The Room Next Door. I will say deciding between Gomez and Swinton for the 5 spot was basically a coin flip.

The news for Samuel L. Jackson (The Piano Lesson) and his chances are worse. He goes from 1st to 9th with Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing) back at one. Guy Pearce in The Brutalist, who would be a first-time nominee, rockets from 15th to 2nd in the race and Stanley Tucci (Conclave) reenters over his costar John Lithgow.

You can read all the movement – and there is plenty of movement indeed – below and my next update will likely come Sunday as more Venice titles screen and Toronto begins!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

1. Blitz (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)

2. Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)

3. The Brutalist (PR: 23) (+20)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (-1)

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

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Nickel Boys (PR: 8) (E)

9. A Complete Unknown (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Saturday Night (PR: 12) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

11. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 13) (+2)

12. A Real Pain (PR: 20) (+8)

13. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 11) (-2)

14. Queer (PR: 7) (-7)

15. The Room Next Door (PR: 14) (-1)

16. Gladiator II (PR: 17) (+1)

17. Nosferatu (PR: 15) (-2)

18. The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (-9)

19. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 22) (+3)

20. Nightbitch (PR: 14) (-6)

21. Wicked (PR: 21) (E)

22. The Apprentice (PR: Not Ranked)

23. September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

24. Maria (PR: 18) (-6)

25. A Different Man (PR: 24) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Hard Truths

The End

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 1) (E)

2. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

4. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 6) (E)

7. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 8) (E)

9. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 5) (-4)

10. James Mangold, A Complete Unknown (PR: 10) (E)

11. Jason Reitman, Saturday Night (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 14) (+2)

13. Luca Guadagnino, Queer (PR: 7) (-6)

14. Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Ridley Scott, Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Pedro Almodóvar, The Room Next Door

Malcolm Washington, The Piano Lesson

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 3) (+2)

2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)

3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 1) (-6)

8. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door (PR: 6) (-4)

11. Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (-2)

13. June Squibb, Thelma (PR: 11) (-2)

14. Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (-1)

15. Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl (PR: 14) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Florence Pugh, We Live in Time

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 11) (+8)

4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)

5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 2) (-3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: Not Ranked)

7. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (E)

8. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 5) (-3)

9. André Holland, The Actor (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness (PR: 13) (+2)

12. Paul Mescal. Gladiator II (PR: 14) (+2)

13. Ethan Herisse, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (-7)

14. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 8) (-6)

15. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 15) (E)

Dropped Out:

Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 4) (+2)

3. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 3) (E)

4. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 1) (-3)

5. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (E)

9. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (E)

10. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 6) (-4)

11. Lesley Manville, Queer (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Kathy Burke, Blitz (PR: 13) (E)

14. Elizabeth Olsen, His Three Daughters (PR: 15) (+1)

15. Fernanda Montenegro, I’m Still Here (PR: 10) (-5)

Dropped Out:

Valeria Golino, Maria

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 15) (+13)

3. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 5) (+2)

4. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 4) (E)

5. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: Not Ranked)

7. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 7) (E)

8. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 12) (+4)

9. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 1) (-8)

10. Harris Dickinson, Blitz (PR: 10) (E)

11. Mark Eidelstein, Anora (PR: 14) (+3)

12. Drew Starkey, Queer (PR: 8) (-4)

13. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (E)

14. Stephen Graham, Blitz (PR: 9) (-5)

15. John Lithgow, Conclave (PR: 3) (-12)

Dropped Out:

Hamish Linklater, Nickel Boys

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Real Pain (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Saturday Night (PR: 6) (+2)

5. The Brutalist (PR: 14) (+9)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-3)

7. Hard Truths (PR: 5) (-2)

8. His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (+1)

9. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Dídi (PR: 10) (E)

11. September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

12. The Substance (PR: 15) (+3)

13. Challengers (PR: 12) (-1)

14. Kinds of Kindness (PR: 13) (-1)

15. A Different Man (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The End

Maria

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)

2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (E)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 5) (+1)

5. The Room Next Door (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Hit Man (PR: 10) (+3)

8. The Piano Lesson (PR: 7) (-1)

9. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (E)

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

11. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 11) (E)

12. Inside Out 2 (PR: 12) (E)

13. Gladiator II (PR: 14) (+1)

14. The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (-1)

15. Nosferatu (PR: 15) (E)

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: Not Ranked)

3. I’m Still Here (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Grand Tour (PR: 3) (-1)

5. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Count of Monte Cristo (PR: 4) (-2)

7. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Universal Language (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Cloud (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Caught by the Tides (PR: 6) (-4)

Dropped Out:

Evil Does Not Exist

Simon of the Mountain

Uprising

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)

3. Flow (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 4) (E)

5. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Savages (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 7 (E)

8. Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Orion and the Dark (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Most Precious of Cargoes

Transformers One

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Daughters (PR: 1) (E)

2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. No Other Land (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Will & Harper (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 3) (-3)

7. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Skywalkers: A Love Story (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Apocalypse in the Tropics (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Union

Gaucho Gaucho

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. Blitz (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 3) (E)

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Gladiator II (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Anora (PR: 8) (E)

9. Queer (PR: 5) (-4)

10. Maria (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Conclave

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

4. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (E)

5. Blitz (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Maria (PR: 10) (+4)

7. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Queer (PR: 9) (E)

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Blitz (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Anora (PR: 3) (E)

4. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (E)

9. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Challengers (PR: 5) (-5)

Dropped Out:

A Complete Unknown

Queer

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)

3. A Different Man (PR: 3) (E)

4. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 4) (E)

5. Maria (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

6. Wicked (PR: 6) (E)

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

8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Sasquatch Sunset

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 2) (E)

3. Sing Sing (PR: 7) (+4)

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Conclave (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Queer (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Challengers (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Nickel Boys (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Nosferatu

Here

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)

2. TBD from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 2) (E)

3. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

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

5. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 8) (+2)

7. “We’re Back” from Moana 2 (PR: 7) (E)

8. “Why Am I Here” from Shirley (PR: 9) (+1)

9. “Compress/Repress” from Challengers (PR: 10) (+1)

10. “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from Twisters (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

TBD from Wicked

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-1)

5. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Wicked (PR: 6) (E)

7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (E)

8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 5) (-3)

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

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Queer

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

4. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (+2)

5. A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Nosferatu (PR: 8) (E)

9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Civil War (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

A Quiet Place: Day One

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)

3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 9) (+2)

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

9. Alien: Romulus (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Blitz (PR: 6) (-4)

And that works out to these pictures generating these numbers of nominations:

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

9 Nominations

Blitz

8 Nominations

Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

The Brutalist

6 Nominations

Gladiator II, Joker: Folie à Deux, Sing Sing

5 Nominations

Anora, Conclave

4 Nominations

Nosferatu

3 Nominations

A Complete Unknown, Nickel Boys, Saturday Night

2 Nominations

Maria, A Real Pain

1 Nomination

Black Box Diaries, Daughters, Diane Warren: Relentless, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Grand Tour, Here, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Piece by Piece, Queer, The Room Next Door, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Sugarcane, Twisters, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Wicked, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper

Oscar Predictions: Nickel Boys

Based on Colson Whitehead’s 2019 bestseller, the 1960s set racial drama Nickel Boys has been unveiled at Telluride before its October 25th limited theatrical bow. From RaMell Ross (best known for the Oscar nominated 2018 documentary Hale County This Morning, Evening), Boys will stream on Amazon Prime after the awards qualifying run. Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Fred Hechinger, Hamish Linklater, and Daveed Diggs star.

Some early reaction from Colorado indicates this is one of the year’s best. That’s not across the board. The pic is apparently told from first person perspective and the style is being lauded and criticized depending on the write-up. Surprisingly, initial reviews are not spending much time on the cast. I’ve had Ellis-Taylor (a 2021 Supporting Actress nominee for King Richard) listed at #1 in my Supporting Actress nominees for a few weeks. She could still get in depending on the competition, but she may drop out of my projected quintet altogether (update later today on this blog!). Newcomer Herisse faces long odds in Actor due to growing competition and no other performers seem primed to receive chatter.

Boys could still have enough vocal admirers that Best Picture is doable along with Adapted Screenplay and even the cinematography despite some gripes. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Would The Supremes Have Gotten Oscar Love?

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat hopes to find love from home viewers in its Hulu debut this weekend. The fact that it’s not in theaters came as an unexpected announcement from Searchlight Pictures (under the Disney umbrella) a few weeks back. Based on a 2013 novel from Edward Kelsey Moore, the decades spanning drama features Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, and Uzo Aduba as lifelong friends. Costars include Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Russell Hornsby. Tina Mabry directs.

On paper, The Supremes looks like the type of crowdpleaser that might have appealed to awards voters. However, Searchlight went the streaming route. The strategy makes more sense as of the past few days. Earl’s sports a so-so 68% Rotten Tomatoes score at press time. Critics are kind to the performances of Ellis-Taylor (a Supporting Actress nominee for King Richard in 2021), Lathan, and Aduba (Emmy winner for Orange is the New Black).

Yet the reviews likely would have prevented this from generating much Oscar chatter. Searchlight also has other contenders that they’ll focus on. This includes the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown with Timothée Chalamet, Nightbitch with a potential Academy bait turn from Amy Adams, and A Real Pain which has already received Supporting Actor talk for Kieran Culkin.

If anyone had a shot from Supremes, it would be Ellis-Taylor. She would appear to have another bite at the apple with the upcoming Nickel Boys (also based on a bestseller) in the supporting field. As I always say, my Oscar Prediction posts will continue. They will not continue with this picture, per Searchlight.

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