Oscar Prediction 2024

 

It’s that time of year again for my fearless Oscar predictions. While I’m pretty confident that Oppenheimer will win a bunch, there are still a few where there are two good choices and hard to pick.  Just as a reminder, I’m not predicting who I want to win but who I think the Academy will vote for. From ‘smaller’ to ‘bigger’, here we go:

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR
(Wes Anderson can get this one to tide him over until a Best Picture win.)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
WAR IS OVER
(Only because I like the animation style over Letter to a Pig)

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
THE LAST REPAIR SHOP
(Repairing musical instruments for public schools may beat book banning)

SOUND
OPPENHEIMER
(Great mix of explosions and eerie quiet.)

ORIGINAL SCORE
OPPENHEIMER
(Some great dramatic music that is not as full of bass like Tenet.)

ORIGINAL SONG
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? [BARBIE]
(No Dua Lipa?. Want ‘I’m Just Ken’ to win instead of Billie.)

VISUAL EFFECTS
GODZILLA MINUS ONE
(Would rather have Mission: Impossible 7 win just for fun.)

MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING
MAESTRO
(I’m guessing for the nose.)

COSTUME DESIGN
POOR THINGS
(Barbie just copied previous doll designs. This is more interesting.)

PRODUCTION DESIGN
POOR THINGS
(Was impressed with Barbie but think this will win instead.)

FILM EDITING
OPPENHEIMER
(Even though it’s long, it is beautifully crafted together.)

CINEMATOGRAPHY
OPPENHEIMER
(Hoyte Van Hoytema knows where to put his camera.)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
(Ukrainian journalists trapped? Yup, a winner to show support for Ukraine.)

ANIMATED FEATURE
THE BOY AND THE HERON
(Spider-Man already has one and another coming. Give it to Miyazaki.)

INTERNATIONAL FILM
ZONE OF INTEREST
(Holocaust films are often winners.)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
AMERICAN FICTION
(I wish it was a bit funnier. Oppenheimer can’t win everything. I think.)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANATOMY OF A FALL
(Haven’t seen it but heard it was great.)

BEST DIRECTOR
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN [OPPENHEIMER]
(He’s so deserving. I love his films and this is a masterpiece.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH [THE HOLDOVERS]
(There’s no doubt that she’s going to win this.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
ROBERT DOWNY JR. [OPPENHEIMER]
(It’s time he got one. He’s been winning a lot for this film.)

BEST ACTRESS
LILY GLADSTONE [KILLER OF THE FLOWER MOON]
(The academy likes a ‘first’. Emma Stone already has one.)

BEST ACTOR
CILLIAN MURPHY [OPPENHEIMER]
(I found his performance mesmerizing. I feel bad for Paul Giamatti though)

BEST PICTURE
OPPENHEIMER
(It’s pretty much a lock at this point. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t win.)

Didn’t play last year. The year before I got 20 out of 23 categories. We’ll see what happens this Sunday.