In 2002, the horse drawn animated adventure Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron managed a Best Animated Feature nomination (ultimately losing to Spirited Away). Nearly two decades ago, the pic received mostly positive reviews with a 70% Rotten Tomatoes rating and decent box office. Since then, a Netflix series focused on the main character led to Spirit Untamed, which opens in theaters today. It features the voices of some familiar faces like Jake Gyllenhaal and Julianne Moore
So how are its odds to race to awards voters ballots? Not good. Untamed has mostly stalled with critics and its Tomato meter is a mere 44%. We already have solid contenders to make the final cut (Raya and the Last Dragon and The Mitchells vs. The Machines) and there’s plenty more on deck for the second half of the year including the soon to be released Luca from Pixar.
Bottom line: I can’t imagine Dreamworks Animation will mount a spirited campaign for this one. Gyllenhaal’s only equestrian related Oscar contender should remain Brokeback Mountain. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…
As we wait to hear the Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards this Sunday evening (hint: it’s Soul), we have a fresh possibility for the competition next year. Formerly titled Connected, Netflix premieres The Mitchells vs. the Machines on April 30. The computer animated sci-fi comedy comes from director Michael Rianda and is produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (the team behind 2019’s Oscar recipient Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Lego Movie franchise). Actors doing voice work include Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric Andre, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Conan O’Brien, and Olivia Colman.
The Sony Pictures release was originally slated for theatrical release before the COVID-19 pandemic switched it to streaming. Reviews out today are nearly across the board positive with a current 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. It is early in the year and there’s eight more months of animated hopefuls to come. Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon is already out and could easily make the final cut. Pixar’s Luca (out this summer) is certainly one to keep an eye on. However, Mitchells has already established itself as a contender in the 2021 mix.
My latest round of Oscar estimates keeps my predicted number of Best Picture nominees at the full 10 – with a change. It’s News of the World back in and Promising Young Woman on the outside looking in.
In the other major categories, my picks remain the same with some movement in the rankings. Most notably, in the Supporting Actress field, I am putting Amanda Seyfried’s work in Mank back at #1 over Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy.
You can read all the developments below and I’ll be back at it next weekend!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. Nomadland (PR: 2)
3. Mank (PR: 3)
4. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 4)
5. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 5)
6. One Night in Miami (PR: 6)
7. Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 9)
8. The Father (PR: 8)
9. Minari (PR: 7)
10. News of the World (PR: 11)
Other Possibilities:
11. Promising Young Woman (PR: 10)
12. Sound of Metal (PR: 13)
13. Soul (PR: 12)
14. First Cow (PR: 14)
15. Malcolm & Marie (PR: 15)
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Chloe Zhao, Nomadland (PR: 1)
2. David Fincher, Mank (PR: 2)
3. Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 3)
4. Spike Lee, Da 5 Bloods (PR: 4)
5. Florian Zeller, The Father (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Lee Isaac Chung, Minari (PR: 7)
7. Regina King, One Night in Miami (PR: 8)
8. George C. Wolfe, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 6)
9. Shaka King, Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 9)
10. Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman (PR: 10)
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 1)
2. Frances McDormand, Nomadland (PR: 2)
3. Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman (PR: 4)
4. Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman (PR: 3)
5. Zendaya, Malcolm & Marie (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sophia Loren, The Life Ahead (PR: 9)
7. Amy Adams, Hillbilly Elegy (PR: 6)
8. Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit (PR: 7)
9. Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday (PR: 8)
10. Kate Winslet, Ammonite (PR: 10)
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 1)
2. Anthony Hopkins, The Father (PR: 2)
3. Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods (PR: 4)
4. Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal (PR: 3)
5. Gary Oldman, Mank (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Kingsley Ben-Adir, One Night in Miami (PR: 6)
7. Steven Yeun, Minari (PR: 7)
8. Tom Hanks, News of the World (PR: Not Ranked)
9. John David Washington, Malcolm & Marie (PR: 10)
10. Ben Affleck, The Way Back (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Amanda Seyfried, Mank (PR: 2)
2. Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy (PR: 1)
3. Olivia Colman, The Father (PR: 3)
4. Ellen Burstyn, Pieces of a Woman (PR: 5)
5. Youn Yuh-jung, Minari (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (PR: 6)
7. Helena Zengel, News of the World (PR: 9)
8. Saoirse Ronan, Ammonite (PR: 7)
9. Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Olivia Cooke, Sound of Metal
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 1)
2. Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami (PR: 3)
3. Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 2)
4. Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods (PR: 4)
5. Paul Raci, Sound of Metal (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mark Rylance, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 6)
7. Bill Murray, On the Rocks (PR: 8)
8. David Strathairn, Nomadland (PR: 7)
9. Glynn Turman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 9)
10. Frank Langella, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 10)
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 1)
2. Mank (PR: 4)
3. Promising Young Woman (PR: 2)
4. Minari (PR: 3)
5. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 7)
7. Soul (PR: 6)
8. Sound of Metal (PR: 9)
9. Malcolm & Marie (PR: 8)
10. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (PR: 10)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Nomadland (PR: 1)
2. One Night in Miami (PR: 2)
3. The Father (PR: 4)
4. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 3)
5. First Cow (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. News of the World (PR: 7)
7. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (PR: 6)
8. The White Tiger (PR: 8)
9. Hillbilly Elegy (PR: 9)
10. French Exit (PR: 10)
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Soul (PR: 1)
2. Wolfwalkers (PR: 2)
3. Over the Moon (PR: 3)
4. Onward (PR: 4)
5. Earwig and the Witch (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Croods: A New Age (PR: 7)
7. The Willoughbys (PR: 6)
8. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (PR: 8)
9. Demon Slayer (PR: 10)
10. Trolls World Tour (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (formerly Connected)
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Totally Under Control (PR: 3)
2. Time (PR: 1)
3. Dick Johnson Is Dead (PR: 4)
4. The Dissident (PR: 2)
5. All In: The Fight for Democracy (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Boys State (PR: 6)
7. Collective (PR: 7)
8. Crip Camp (PR: 8)
9. Welcome to Chechnya (PR: 9)
10. The Truffle Hunters (PR: 10)
Best International Feature Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Another Round (PR: 1)
2. Quo Vadis, Aida? (PR: 2)
3. Night of the Kings (PR: 3)
4. A Sun (PR: 6)
5. I’m No Longer Here (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Dear Comrades! (PR: 5)
7. Collective (PR: 4)
8. My Little Sister (PR: 8)
9. Two of Us (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Notturno (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Never Gonna Snow Again
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Mank (PR: 2)
2. Nomadland (PR: 1)
3. News of the World (PR: 3)
4. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 4)
5. Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Tenet (PR: 6)
7. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 9)
8. Minari (PR: 7)
9. The Midnight Sky (PR: Not Ranked)
10. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Malcolm & Marie
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 1)
2. Mank (PR: 2)
3. Emma (PR: 4)
4. Mulan (PR: 3)
5. The Personal History of David Copperfield (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. News of the World (PR: 5)
7. The United States vs. Billie Holiday (PR: 7)
8. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 10)
9. The Glorias (PR: 9)
10. Ammonite (PR: 8)
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 1)
2. Mank (PR: 2)
3. Nomadland (PR: 3)
4. The Father (PR: 4)
5. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. News of the World (PR: 7)
7. Tenet (PR: 9)
8. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 10)
9. One Night in Miami (PR: 8)
10. Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 6)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 1)
2. Hillbilly Elegy (PR: 2)
3. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (PR: 6)
4. Mank (PR: 3)
5. Birds of Prey (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mulan (PR: 8)
7. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 10)
8. Pinocchio (PR: 5)
9. The United States vs. Billie Holiday (PR: 7)
10. Emma (PR: 9)
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. Soul (PR: 1)
2. Mank (PR: 2)
3. News of the World (PR: 3)
4. The Midnight Sky (PR: 5)
5. Minari (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Tenet (PR: 8)
7. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 6)
8. Hillbilly Elegy (PR: 7)
9. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 9)
10. Ammonite (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
One Night in Miami
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami (PR: 1)
2. “Seen” from The Life Ahead (PR: 2)
3. “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 4)
4. “Rocket to the Moon” from Over the Moon (PR: 3)
5. “Turntables” from All In: The Fight for Democracy (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Only the Young” from Miss Americana (PR: 6)
7. “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 10)
8. “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (PR: 8)
9. “The Wuhan Flu” from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (PR: 9)
10. “Free” from The One and Only Ivan (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
“Wear Your Crown” from The Prom
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Mank (PR: 1)
2. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 2)
3. Emma (PR: 5)
4. News of the World (PR: 4)
5. Tenet (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mulan (PR: 3)
7. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 10)
8. The Midnight Sky (PR: 6)
9. The Personal History of David Copperfield (PR: 8)
10. Judas and the Black Messiah (PR: 7)
Best Sound
Predicted Nominees:
1. Sound of Metal (PR: 1)
2. Tenet (PR: 2)
3. Mank (PR: 3)
4. News of the World (PR: 6)
5. The Midnight Sky (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (PR: 4)
7. Soul (PR: 5)
8. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (PR: 9)
9. Da 5 Bloods (PR: 7)
10. Greyhound (PR: 10)
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Tenet (PR: 1)
2. The Midnight Sky (PR: 2)
3. The Invisible Man (PR: 4)
4. Greyhound (PR: 5)
5. Wonder Woman 1984 (PR: 10)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mulan (PR: 3)
7. Birds of Prey (PR: 6)
8. Sonic the Hedgehog (PR: 7)
9. Mank (PR: 8)
10. The Call of the Wild (PR: 9)
And that equates to the following films garnering these numbers for nominations:
12 Nominations
Mank
7 Nominations
Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
6 Nominations
The Father, Nomadland, The Trial of the Chicago 7
5 Nominations
News of the World
4 Nominations
Minari, One Night in Miami
3 Nominations
Judas and the Black Messiah, The Midnight Sky, Sound of Metal, Tenet
2 Nominations
All In: The Fight for Democracy, Emma, Hillbilly Elegy, Over the Moon, Pieces of a Woman, Promising Young Woman, Soul
1 Nomination
Another Round, Birds of Prey, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Dick Johnson Is Dead, The Dissident, Earwig and the Witch, First Cow, Greyhound, I’m No Longer Here, The Invisible Man, The Life Ahead, Malcolm & Marie, Mulan, Night of the Kings, Onward, The Personal History of David Copperfield, Quo Vadis, Aida?, A Sun, Time, Totally Under Control, Wolfwalkers, Wonder Woman 1984
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