It’s that time of year again when the film awards season comes to an end with the Academy Awards ceremony. In the last few years, my track record has been up and down as it’s often hard to know just what the average Oscar voter thinks the best production design is. Remember, production designers nominate the final five, but every Academy member, expert or not, votes on that final ballot. Still, this year’s competition appears to be easier to assess than many in the past, so without further ado, here are my predictions, followed by some shorthand reasoning.
BEST PICTURE
Everything Everywhere All at Once (It’s dominated awards season and it’s a beloved hit.)
BEST DIRECTOR
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert EEAAO (Same reasons as Best Picture.)
BEST ACTOR
Austin Butler Elvis (It’s close between Fraser & Butler, but voters love stars playing stars.)
BEST ACTRESS
Michelle Yeoh EEAAO (A tossup between Yeoh and Blanchett, but EEAAO’s juggernaut gives the former the edge.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ke Huy Quan EEAAO (He’s dominated the awards season, it’s a big comeback, and have you seen his acceptance speeches? They bowl you over.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jamie Lee Curtis EEAAO (She’s wonderful in a tricky part, the film is beloved, and she’s Hollywood royalty.)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Martin McDonagh The Banshees of Inisherin (A complex script that the writer’s wing will push over the top for the win.)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Sarah Polley Women Talking (An actors’ showcase that should attract that wing’s votes as well as the writers.)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Like EEAAO, it’s dominated the entire awards season.)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
All Quiet on the Western Front (Hard to deny it here when it’s also up for Best Picture.)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Navalny (There are lots of good docs in this category, but this one seems to have momentum.)
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
The Elephant Whisperers (Beautifully shot. Beautifully observed. Check it out on Netflix.)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
An Irish Goodbye (I prefer The Red Suitcase, but this one is both moving and cheeky.)
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Gorgeous, heartfelt, and a hit on Apple TV Plus.)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Fabelmans (This is supposedly 90-year-old John Williams’ final score. And one more Oscar will be a perfect way to salute his legend.)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR (It helps that the song is featured in the film, with a great dance number to boot.)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
All Quiet on the Western Front (If Top Gun: Maverick was nominated here, it’d be a toss-up. But it wasn’t, and thus, this film’s cinematography will win.)
BEST SOUND
Top Gun: Maverick (The film’s aerial sequences were a marvel of editing, cinematography, and sound.)
BEST EDITING
Top Gun: Maverick (Ditto.)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Babylon (The 1920s sets and old Hollywood feel are catnip to members of the community.)
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
The Whale (Turning Brendon Fraser into a morbidly obese man was a feat that the film had to get right to make the story work. It did.)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Elvis (Catherine Martin always wins and her period costumes through three decades are a feat.)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: The Way of Water (As much a lock as Ke Huy Quan, IMHO.)
Those are my predictions for the 23 categories of Oscar in 2023. What are yours?
