The Oscars are so late this year, and so are my Oscar predictions. Despite being a critic and a movie fan, my track record in such matters is less than stellar. Still, I try to think with my gut more than my heart, and here are what I’m feeling this year:
Best Film – NOMADLAND
Best Director – Chloe Zhao NOMADLAND
Best Actor – Chadwick Boseman MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Best Actress – Viola Davis MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Best Supporting Actor – Daniel Kaluuya JUDAS & THE BLACK MESSIAH
Best Supporting Actress – Yuh-Jung Youn MINARI
Best Original Screenplay – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Best Adapted Screenplay – THE FATHER
Best Cinematography – NOMADLAND
Best Editing – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Best Sound – SOUND OF METAL
Best Costume Design – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Best Production Design – MANK
Best Original Score – SOUL
Best Original Song – “Speak Now” (ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI)
Best Visual Effects – TENET
Best Hairstyling & Makeup – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTO
Best Foreign Language Film – ANOTHER ROUND
Best Animated Film – SOUL
Best Documentary Feature – MY OCTOPUS TEACHER
Best Documentary Short – COLETTE
Best Animated Short – IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU
Best Live Action Short – FEELING THROUGH
The toss-up category this season is Best Actress. It could be McDormand or Mulligan as well, but Davis’ SAG win made me think about the actor’s branch being the largest voting bloc in the Academy, so I suspect she may prevail by a hair.
There is almost always one huge surprise somewhere in the voting so we shall see where that might occur. In the meantime, these are my best-educated guesses. Good luck with your predictions too!
