97th Academy Awards Predictions: December 14th Edition

A boatload of Oscar precursor nominations have rolled in since I last forecasted my predictions on December 1st from the Golden Globes to Critics Choice to AFI and the National Board of Review. As is usually the case, it causes certain performers and pictures to be much more assured in their position of getting in the Academy mix. Yet it can also muddy up the waters for others. A Real Pain missing Critics Choice was a surprising snub. Sing Sing performed poorly at the Globes. Blitz and Gladiator II are all but out of the Best Picture equation. I could go on and on but let’s focus on what’s changed in my projections for the major races since the dawn of December.

While my BP lineup remains the same, I came darn close to putting A Complete Unknown in over either Sing Sing or A Real Pain. It has a strong shot after getting Globe and Critics Choice nods in the big dance. I also flirted with putting Conclave at #1, but have The Brutalist still in first in a wider open field than normal in mid-December. The most significant climber is The Substance from 10th to 7th.

For the first time this year after multiple posts beginning in the spring, Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) is not listed in my director five. Jacques Audiard jumps back in for Emilia Pérez. I feel pretty good about my top 7 making the cut in the race. Obviously that’s problematic since only five can.

Despite no recognition from the Globes, Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) vaults into my Actress quintet though I was reluctant to drop Cynthia Erivo (Wicked).

While my Best Actor five is intact, Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown rises from 4th to 2nd. He has emerged as a genuine challenger for the gold (along with Ralph Fiennes in Conclave) to Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. Another development: after unexpectedly landing Globe and CCA noms, Hugh Grant (Heretic) is in Other Possibilities for the first time.

While my Supporting Actress field remains the same, I’m putting Yura Borisov (Anora) in Supporting Actor to the detriment of Conclave‘s Stanley Tucci, who missed CCA and the Globes.

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)

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

6. Wicked (PR: 6) (E)

7. The Substance (PR: 10) (+3)

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

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

10. A Real Pain (PR: 8) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

11. A Complete Unknown (PR: 15) (+4)

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

13. September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

14. All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Nosferatu (PR: 14) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Gladiator II

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 2) (E)

3. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Jacques Audiard, Emilie Pérez (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)

8. Jon M. Chu, Wicked (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)

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

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. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 4) (E)

5. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 8) (E)

9. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Kate Winslet, Lee (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (+2)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Hugh Grant, Heretic (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Kingsley Ben-Adir, Bob Marley: One Love

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 3) (E)

4. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Margaret Qualley, The Substance (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Joan Chen, Dídi

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

4. Yura Borisov, Anora (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 7) (E)

8. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 5) (-3)

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

10. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Jonathan Bailey, Wicked

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 Substance (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. September 5 (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Hard Truths (PR: 7) (E)

8. All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Saturday Night (PR: 6) (-3)

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

Dropped Out:

His Three Daughters

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+3)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

8. I’m Still Here (PR: 8) (E)

9. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Hit Man (PR: 6) (-4)

Dropped Out:

The Piano Lesson

Queer

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. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 4) (E)

5. Vermiglio (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Kneecap (PR: 6) (E)

7. Flow (PR: Not Ranked)

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

9. Universal Language (PR: 8) (-1)

10. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: 7) (-3)

Dropped Out:

Armand

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Wild Robot (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilites:

6. Chicken for Linda! (PR: 9) (+3)

7. Moana 2 (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Piece by Piece (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Transformers One (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Spellbound (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Will & Harper (PR: 3) (E)

4. Sugarcane (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (-4)

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

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

9. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

A New Kind of Wilderness

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Nickel Boys (PR: 5) (+2)

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

5. The Girl with the Needle (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (E)

8. Maria (PR: 6) (-2)

9. Challengers (PR: 9) (E)

10. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Anora

Blitz

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Wicked (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 6) (E)

7. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

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

9. The Brutalist (PR: 8) (-1)

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

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Conclave (PR: 6) (+3)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. September 5 (PR: Not Ranked)

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Challengers (PR: 8) (E)

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

10. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Sing Sing

Saturday Night

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Wicked (PR: 3) (E)

4. A Different Man (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Maria (PR: 6) (E)

7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 7) (E)

8. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 8) (E)

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

10. Emilia Pérez (PR: 10) (E)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. The Wild Robot (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

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

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

10. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Dune: Part Two – deemed ineligible

Saturday Night

Blitz

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 2) (E)

3. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 4) (+1)

4. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 3) (-1)

5. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilties:

6. “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl (PR: Not Ranked)

7. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (-1)

8. “Compress/Repress” from Challengers (PR: 10) (+2)

9. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 5) (-4)

10. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

“Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Wicked (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

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

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

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

10. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Wicked (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. The Brutalist (PR: Not Ranked)

5. A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (+4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-3)

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

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

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

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

Dropped Out:

Twisters

Conclave

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Wicked (PR: 3) (E)

4. Better Man (PR: 6) (+2)

5. Twisters (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Gladiator II (PR: 4) (-2)

7. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 8) (-1)

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

Dropped Out:

Nosferatu

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

11 Nominations

The Brutalist

9 Nominations

Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

Conclave, Wicked

6 Nominations

Anora, The Substance

4 Nominations

Gladiator II, Nosferatu, Sing Sing

3 Nominations

Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

Better Man, A Complete Unknown, The Girl with the Needle, Maria, The Seed of the Sacred Fig

1 Nomination

Challengers, Dahomey, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, Hard Truths, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, Queer, The Six Triple Eight, Sugarcane, Twisters, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Will & Harper

30th Critics’ Choice Awards Nomination Predictions

Chelsea Handler returns to host the 30th Critics’ Choice Awards occurring January 12th and tomorrow brings the nominations. The ceremony can often be a reliable barometer for the Oscars. In the last two years, it agreed on Picture and Director with the Academy and went 5 for 8 in the acting derbies.

At CCA, there are 10 Best Film contenders and then 6 in the other races. Here’s my projections along with a runner-up selection for all competitions. I’ll have a recap up tomorrow with how I did and overall thoughts!

Best Film

Anora, The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, Sing Sing, The Substance, Wicked

Runner- Up: September 5

Best Director

Sean Baker (Anora), Edward Berger (Conclave), Jon M. Chu (Wicked), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two)

Runner-Up: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez)

Best Ensemble

Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, Emilia Pérez, Sing Sing, Wicked

Runner-Up: Saturday Night

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofia Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Angelina Jolie (Maria), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Mikey Madison (Anora), Demi Moore (The Substance)

Runner-Up: Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths)

Best Actor

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)

Runner-Up: Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)

Best Supporting Actress

Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), Ariane Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

Runner-Up: Selena Gomez (Emila Pérez)

Best Supporting Actor

Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice), Stanley Tucci (Conclave), Denzel Washington (Gladiator II)

Runner-Up: Yura Borisov (Anora)

Best Original Screenplay

Anora, The Brutalist, Challengers, A Real Pain, September 5, The Substance

Runner-Up: Saturday Night

Best Adapted Screenplay

Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys, The Room Next Door, Sing Sing, Wicked

Runner-Up: Emilia Pérez

Best Foreign Film

All We Imagine as Light, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, Kneecap, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Vermiglio

Runner-Up: The Girl with the Needle

Best Animated Feature

Flow, Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, Transformers One, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Wild Robot

Runner-Up: Piece by Piece

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, Nickel Boys

Runner-Up: Nosferatu

Best Costume Design

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II, Maria, Nosferatu, Wicked

Runner-Up: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Editing

Anora, The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, The Substance

Runner-Up: Wicked

Best Makeup and Hair

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, A Different Man, Dune: Part Two, Nosferatu, The Substance, Wicked

Runner-Up: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Production Design

The Brutalist, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, Gladiator II, Nosferatu, Wicked

Runner-Up: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Score

The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, The Wild Robot

Runner-Up: Wicked

Best Song

“Compress/Repress” from Challengers; “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez; “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper; “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot; “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing; “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez

Runner-Up: “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl

Best Visual Effects

Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Twisters, Wicked

Runner-Up: Gladiator II

Best Comedy

Anora, Deadpool & Wolverine, Hit Man, A Real Pain, Saturday Night, Thelma

Runner-Up: My Old Ass

Best Young Actor

Nykiya Adams (Bird), Mark Eidelstein (Anora), Elliot Heffernan (Blitz), Maisy Stella (My Old Ass), Izaac Wang (Dídi), Alisha Weir (Abigail)

Runner-Up: Cailey Fleming (IF)

That works out to these numbers with The Brutalist leading with 11 and 4 movies tying with 10 nominations apiece:

11 Nominations

The Brutalist

10 Nominations

Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, Wicked

8 Nominations

Anora

7 Nominations

The Substance

6 Nominations

Challengers

4 Nominations

A Real Pain

3 Nominations

Gladiator II, Nosferatu, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

The Apprentice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Maria, Nickel Boys

1 Nomination

82nd Golden Globes Awards Nominations Reaction

Nominations for perhaps the most recognizable Oscar precursor show were unveiled this morning. We now know the pictures and personnel contending for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, airing January 5th with Nikki Glaser hosting.

There are always surprises to be found with unexpected additions and subtractions in the cinematic races and that held true. I went 74 for 92 in my predictions. Of the 15 feature film categories, I went 6/6 in five of them.

As I projected, Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez led the way with 10 nominations followed by The Brutalist‘s seven and Conclave‘s 6. Let’s break down each competition with how I did and some commentary on where I see the races currently.

Best Motion Picture (Drama)

Nominees: The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys, September 5

How I Did: 5/6

September 5 gets in over Sing Sing. Perhaps the biggest shocker of the day is Sing Sing only generating one nomination for its lead Colman Domingo in Actor (Drama). Nickel Boys and September 5‘s noms mark their sole mentions. The Brutalist is probably out front but I wouldn’t sleep on Conclave.

Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

Nominees: Anora, Challengers, Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, The Substance, Wicked

How I Did: 6/6

Pérez could emerge here considering the haul this morning though Anora and Wicked (to a slightly lesser degree) are possibilities.

Best Director

Nominees: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Sean Baker (Anora), Edward Berger (Conclave), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light)

How I Did: 4/6

I did not have Berger (thought he was my runner-up) or Kapadia. Instead, I predicted Jon M. Chu (Wicked) and Denis Villeneuve for Dune: Part Two. The latter is a surprising omission three years after he missed the cut at Oscar. Corbet is the favorite in my estimation even if it doesn’t take Motion Picture (Drama).

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama)

Nominees: Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), Angelina Jolie (Maria), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Kate Winslet (Lee)

How I Did: 4/6

Anderson (my runner-up) and Torres are in contention over Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths and Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun. Jean-Baptiste is racking up critics awards and her omission is a bit unexpected. If Ronan can’t make it here, her Oscar odds are in serious trouble. This could come down to Jolie vs. Kidman. Fun fact: none of the pictures represented here are up for Best Drama (the only acting category where that is the case).

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama)

Nominees: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)

How I Did: 6/6

No surprises here as Brody, Chalamet, and Fiennes are vying for the statue.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical/Comedy)

Nominees: Amy Adams (Nightbitch), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofia Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Mikey Madison (Anora), Demi Moore (The Substance), Zendaya (Challengers)

How I Did: 5/6

Runner-up Adams is in over June Squibb (Thelma). Madison has the edge though I wouldn’t discount Erivo, Gascón, or Moore for the upset.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical/Comedy)

Nominees: Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Hugh Grant (Heretic), Gabriel LaBelle (Saturday Night), Jesse Plemons (Kinds of Kindness), Glen Powell (Hit Man), Sebastian Stan (A Different Man)

How I Did: 4/6

LaBelle and Plemons in with Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool & Wolverine) out. I don’t really think there’s a frontrunner though Eisenberg and Powell are maybe in the lead with Grant as a legit threat.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez), Ariana Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

How I Did: 6/6

Frankly I’m a little shocked I went 6 for 6 as there’s lots of contenders in this derby. Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson) is a snub many are pointing out. As for the winner, this is Grande vs. Saldaña.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Yura Borisov (Anora), Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice), Denzel Washington (Gladiator II)

How I Did: 4/6

Culkin is getting lots of critics prize love while Pearce and Washington are threats. I didn’t have Norton or Strong and instead went with Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing) and Stanley Tucci (Conclave). I still think both of those performers could get into the Oscar dance.

Best Screenplay

Nominees: Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, The Substance

How I Did: 5/6

Had Sing Sing instead of A Real Pain as Anora looks to nab this one.

Best Animated Motion Picture

Nominees: Flow, Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, Moana 2, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Wild Robot

How I Did: 6/6

This went as planned and The Wild Robot looks to capture this prize with Flow (a critics darling) looking to disrupt that plan.

Best Foreign Language Motion Picture

Nominees: All We Imagine as Light, Emilia Pérez, The Girl with the Needle, I’m Still Here, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Vermiglio

How I Did: 5/6

Logic says Perez, but Kapadia’s directing nod opens for the door for Light.

Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Nominees: Alien: Romulus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Gladiator II, Inside Out 2, Twisters, Wicked, The Wild Robot

How I Did: 6/8

Went with Despicable Me 4 and Dune: Part Two and not Romulus and The Wild Robot. Dune missing is head scratching. This would be a good place to honor Wicked though Deadpool is the year’s largest grosser.

Best Score

Nominees: The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, The Wild Robot

How I Did: 6/6

This looks kinda wide open to me at the moment, but The Brutalist might be the slight favorite.

Best Song

Nominees: “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl, “Compress/Repress” from Challengers, “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez, “Forbidden Road” from Better Man, “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot, “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez

How I Did: 3/6

The blasted Song category represents my worst performance as “Beautiful” and “Compress” and “Forbidden” make the playlist over “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper, “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing, and “Piece by Piece” from the same titled feature. Betting odds favor Pérez and I’d go with “El Mal” though “Sky” is a possibility.

I’ll have winner predictions shortly before the January 5th ceremony and here’s a breakdown of all the features nominated.

10 Nominations

Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

The Brutalist

6 Nominations

Conclave

5 Nominations

Anora, The Substance

4 Nominations

Challengers, A Real Pain, Wicked, The Wild Robot

3 Nominatons

A Complete Unknown

2 Nominations

All We Imagine as Light, The Apprentice, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, The Last Showgirl

1 Nomination

Alien: Romulus, Babygirl, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Better Man, Deadpool & Wolverine, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Heretic, Hit Man, Kinds of Kindness, Lee, Maria, Memoir of a Snail, Moana 2, Nickel Boys, Nightbitch, Queer, The Room Next Door, Saturday Night, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, September 5, Sing Sing, Twisters, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

82nd Golden Globe Awards Nomination Predictions

The 82nd Golden Globe Awards will come our way in a month on January 5th with Nikki Glaser handling hosting duties. Nominations are out this coming Monday (12/09). Readers of the blog know that I do a whole lotta Oscar speculating. That’s not the case with the GG’s but I’m giving you take on who and what will be nominated.

For the Globes, there are six nominees in each race with the exception of Cinematic and Box Office Achievement where there’s 8. I’ll give my picks along with a runner-up. Some quick notes: the Globes divide their Picture and lead acting derbies into Drama and Musical/Comedy. The designations below are the reported slots where films and performers are contending. Yes, there’s interesting choices with Heretic in comedy. On the flip side, if A Complete Unknown had submitted in Musical/Comedy, Timothée Chalamet might be the easy frontrunner in Best Actor.

Next week I’ll have a recap up with how I did and my early frontrunners for winners!

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

ALTERNATE – The Room Next Door

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Anora

Challengers

Emilia Pérez

A Real Pain

The Substance

Wicked

ALTERNATE – A Different Man

Best Director

Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker, Anora

Jon M. Chu, Wicked

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two

ALTERNATE – Edward Berger, Conclave

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths

Angelina Jolie, Maria

Nicole Kidman, Babygirl

Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun

Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door

Kate Winslet, Lee

ALTERNATE – Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig, Queer

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes, Conclave

Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

ALTERNATE – John David Washington, The Piano Lesson

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comed

Cynthia Erivo, Wicked

Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison, Anora

Demi Moore, The Substance

June Squibb, Thelma

Zendaya, Challengers

ALTERNATE – Amy Adams, Nightbitch

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Hugh Grant, Heretic

Michael Keaton, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Glen Powell, Hit Man

Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool & Wolverine

Sebastian Stan, A Different Man

ALTERNATE – Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night

Best Supporting Actress

Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez

Ariana Grande, Wicked

Felicity Jones, The Brutalist

Margaret Qualley, The Substance

Isabella Rossellini, Conclave

Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

ALTERNATE – Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson

Best Supporting Actor

Yura Borisov, Anora

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing

Guy Pearce, The Brutalist

Stanley Tucci, Conclave

Denzel Washington, Gladiator II

ALTERNATE – Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

Best Screenplay

Anora

The Brutalist

Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Sing Sing

The Substance

ALTERNATE – A Real Pain

Best Animated Feature

Flow

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Moana 2

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

ALTERNATE – Piece by Piece

Best Non-English Language Film

All We Imagine as Light

Emilia Pérez

The Girl with the Needle

I’m Still Here

Kneecap

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

ALTERNATE – Universal Language

Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Deadpool & Wolverine

Despicable Me 4

Dune: Part Two

Gladiator II

Inside Out 2

Twisters

Wicked

ALTERNATE – Moana 2

Best Score

The Brutalist

Challengers

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

The Wild Robot

ALTERNATE – The Room Next Door

Best Song

“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez

“Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper

“Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot

“Like a Bird” from Sing Sing

“Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez

“Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece

ALTERNATE – “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl

That means I have these movies generating these numbers of nominations:

10 Nominations

Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

The Brutalist

6 Nominations

Conclave

5 Nominations

Anora, Sing Sing, The Substance, Wicked

4 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

3 Nominations

Challengers, A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, Gladiator II, Inside Out 2

1 Nomination

All We Imagine as Light, The Apprentice, Babygirl, Despicable Me 4, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Hard Truths, Heretic, Hit Man, I’m Still Here, Kneecap, Lee, Maria, Memoir of a Snail, Moana 2, Nickel Boys, The Outrun, Piece by Piece, Queer, The Room Next Door, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Thelma, Twisters, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Will & Harper

97th Academy Awards Predictions: December 1st Edition

As December dawns, my first Oscar predictions in two weeks have substantial changes for us to mull over. It begins with Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance as I have put it in my Best Picture top ten where it had yet to be listed. I still have reservations about including it. This is not the type of genre material that Academy voters usually go for. However, it has its vocal admirers and is one of the most buzzed about pictures of 2024.

The love for The Substance doesn’t stop there. Fourteen days ago, I had it pegged for only a single nomination in Makeup and Hairstyling. Now I have it nabbing five other mentions: Picture, Director, Actress, Original Screenplay, and Film Editing.

My BP inclusion for The Substance knocks out Steve McQueen’s Blitz. In fact, Blitz has fallen the most in my estimation in recent days. Two weeks ago, I had it achieving five nods. Now I have it only managing a Best Sound mention.

In Director, Fargeat’s rise puts Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez) on the outside looking in. There are two newbies in Best Actress: the aforementioned Demi Moore and Cynthia Erivo from the massively successful Wicked. Their additions subtract Saoirse Ronan (The Outrun) and Amy Adams (Nightbitch).

Speaking of Wicked, Ariana Grande is now in my Supporting Actress quintet and that takes out… Saoirse Ronan for Blitz. That means that I went from projecting Ronan as a double nominee to none.

There are no changes in my Actor and Supporting Actor lineups. I will note that the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has started industry screenings while the review embargo hasn’t lifted. The early buzz indicates that Timothée Chalamet is looking solid for a nom while its chances elsewhere are shakier.

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

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)

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

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

8. A Real Pain (PR: 7) (-1)

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

10. The Substance (PR: 13) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

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

12. Blitz (PR: 10) (-2)

13. Gladiator II (PR: 11) (-2)

14. Nosferatu (PR: 14) (E)

15. A Complete Unknown (PR: 15) (E)

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 2) (E)

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

4. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

7. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)

8. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 8) (E)

9. Jon M. Chu, Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Robert Eggers, Nosferatu

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. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 7) (+3)

5. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (PR: 9) (+4)

Other Possibilities:

6. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Kate Winslet, Lee (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

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: 2) (E)

3. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 6) (E)

7. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 9) (+2)

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

9. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Kinglsey Ben-Adir, Bob Marley: One Love (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Paul Mescal, Gladiator II

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Ariana Grande, Wicked (PR: 6) (+4)

3. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 3) (E)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Margaret Qualley, The Substance (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 10) (E)

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 1) (E)

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

3. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 5) (+2)

4. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Yura Borisov, Anora (PR: 6) (E)

7. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (E)

10. Jonathan Bailey, Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside

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 Substance (PR: 6) (+2)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. September 5 (PR: 7) (-1)

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

10. His Three Daughters (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

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

5. The Room Next Door (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Hit Man (PR: 8) (+2)

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-1)

8. I’m Still Here (PR: 5) (-3)

9. The Piano Lesson (PR: 9) (E)

10. Queer (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

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. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 5) (+1)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Kneecap (PR: 6) (E)

7. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Universal Language (PR: 7) (-1)

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

10. Armand (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Grand Tour

Best Animated Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Wild Robot (PR: 1) (E)

2. Inside Out 2 (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Flow (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Transformers One (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Moana 2 (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Chicken for Linda! (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Savages

Spellbound

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (E)

3. Will & Harper (PR: 4) (+1)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Dahomey (PR: 6) (-2)

9. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: 8) (-1)

10. A New Kind of Wilderness (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Separated

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Conclave (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-4)

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

9. Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Wicked (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

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

10. Conclave (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Emila Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)

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

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

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

5. A Different Man (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Maria (PR: 6) (E)

7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 7) (E)

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

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

10. Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (-2)

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. The Wild Robot (PR: 4) (+1)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)

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

8. Saturday Night (PR: 8) (E)

9. Nickel Boys (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Gladiator II

Nosferatu

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (+1)

3. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 7) (+4)

4. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. “Harper & Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 5) (-1)

7. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 6) (-1)

8. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 8) (E)

9. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 10) (+1)

10. “Compress/Repress” from Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

“Beyond” from Moana 2

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

9. Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (-1)

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

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+3)

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Twisters (PR: 7) (E)

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

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

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

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

5. Twisters (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Better Man (PR: 6) (E)

7. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 8) (+1)

8. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 7) (-1)

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

10. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

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

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

The Brutalist

8 Nominations

Conclave, Emilia Pérez

7 Nominations

Wicked

6 Nominations

Sing Sing, The Substance

5 Nominations

Anora, Gladiator II

4 Nominations

Nosferatu

3 Nominations

Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

Maria, The Seed of the Sacred Fig

1 Nomination

Black Box Diaries, Blitz, A Complete Unknown, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, Queer, The Room Next Door, The Six Triple Eight, Sugarcane, Twisters, Union, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Will & Harper

97th Academy Awards Predictions: November 17th Edition

My first Oscar predictions in two weeks and it’s about what narratives I’m buying and which ones I’m selling. For example, I’m currently not sold that Paramount’s September 5 is the contender that some other prognosticators think it is.

On the flip side, I am starting to buy that Conclave is on the rise. The Focus Features effort from Edward Berger is performing well at the box office for an adult skewering drama. I think it has to a shot to win the big prize and that’s why you’ll see it elevated in multiple categories.

While my BP and directorial and Best Actress lineups are unchanged as far as hopefuls, Daniel Craig (Queer) returns to my Actor quintet at the expense of Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice). In Supporting Actor, it is the same five but Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) is perched atop the list for the first time. In Supporting Actress, I’m banking on Isabella Rossellini potentially riding that Conclave goodwill and that leaves Ariana Grande (Wicked) on the outside looking in.

You can read all the movement below and the next update should arrive on Thanksgiving weekend!

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)

6. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (E)

7. A Real Pain (PR: 7) (E)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

11. Gladiator II (PR: 11) (E)

12. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 12) (E)

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

14. Nosferatu (PR: 15) (+1)

15. A Complete Unknown (PR: 13) (-2)

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 2) (E)

3. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 5) (+2)

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

5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

9. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Robert Eggers, Nosferatu (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Steve McQueen, Blitz

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

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

9. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (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. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (+1)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 7) (+1)

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

8. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (-3)

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

10. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 2) (-2)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Ariana Grande, Wicked (PR: 5) (-1)

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

8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (E)

9. Margaret Qualley, The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

5. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 3) (-2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Yura Borisov, Anora (PR: 7) (+1)

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

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

9. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (E)

10. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

John Magaro, September 5

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: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. September 5 (PR: 8) (+1)

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

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

10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)

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. I’m Still Here (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

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

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Universal Language (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Dahomey (PR: Not Ranked)

9. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: 6) (-3)

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

Dropped Out:

Armand

Best Animated Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Wild Robot (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

4. Flow (PR: 4) (E)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Savages (PR: 8) (E)

9. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Spellbound (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Most Precious of Cargoes

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (E)

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 4) (-5)

10. Separated (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Gaucho Gaucho

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

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

5. Nosferatu (PR: 8) (+3)

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)

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

9. Gladiator II (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Anora (PR: 6) (-4)

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Wicked (PR: 1) (E)

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

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

10. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)

5. Conclave (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (E)

7. Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)

8. The Substance (PR: 8) (E)

9. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Saturday Night

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (+3)

4. A Different Man (PR: 3) (-1)

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

Other Possibilities:

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

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

8. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked)

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

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

Dropped Out:

Joker: Folie à Deux

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

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

2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)

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

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

5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

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

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

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

9. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Blitz

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)

4. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (+1)

5. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 4) (-2)

7. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 8) (+1)

8. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 9) (+1)

9. “Beyond” from Moana 2 (PR: 10) (+1)

10. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 7) (-3)

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

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

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

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

Other Possibilities:

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

7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)

8. Emilia Pérez (PR: 10) (+2)

9. Maria (PR: 9) (E)

10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

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

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

3. Wicked (PR: 4) (E)

4. Blitz (PR: 4) (E)

5. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)

Other Possibilities:

6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)

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

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

9. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)

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

Dropped Out:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

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. Wicked (PR: 7) (+3)

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

Other Possibilities:

6. Better Man (PR: 6) (E)

7. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 5) (-2)

8. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 9) (+1)

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

10. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Here

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

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

Emilia Pérez

9 Nominations

The Brutalist, Conclave

6 Nominations

Wicked

5 Nominations

Anora, Blitz, Gladiator II, Nosferatu, Sing Sing

3 Nominations

A Real Pain, The Wild Robot

2 Nominations

I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Will & Harper

1 Nomination

Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Maria, Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, Queer, Saturday Night, The Substance, Sugarcane, Twisters, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

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: 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

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