Today is finally the day–we’re at the awards season finish line! It’s been quite the journey to the 93rd annual Oscars, but thanks to this year’s nominees, it was an entertaining one!
Looking to effectively complete its season sweep is Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland. While it wasn’t my favorite of this year’s Best Picture nominees, there’s something to be said of a quieter film making its presence felt. That said, I did do my fair share of reading anonymous Academy voter columns, and while I think both Nomadland and Zhao have Best Picture and Director locked up, you never know what could happen. Green Book, anyone?
Speaking of not knowing what could happen, let’s turn our attention to the Best Actress race, where literally any of the nominees could walk away with the Oscar. Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) won the Golden Globe, Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) won the Critics Choice award and picked up a Spirit Award earlier this week, Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) won the SAG award, and Frances McDormand (Nomadland) won the BAFTA. Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) is the only nominee that didn’t nab any precursor wins. We have a legit nail-biter of a race on our hands this year, and, I must say, it’s pretty exciting!
The Best Actor race got a little interesting with Anthony Hopkins (The Father) winning the BAFTA earlier this month. If you’ve seen The Father–it’s a well-deserved win. I think the members of the Academy will ultimately honor the late Chadwick Boseman for his tremendous work in his final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Truthfully, the Best Actor category is so stacked this year, you hate to see any of the nominees not win for their performances.
Another category to keep an eye on is Best Song. “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami… is the favorite to win, but “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest is a solid spoiler. There’s also the Diane Warren-penned “Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se). This could possibly be the year that the 12-time nominee takes it home. If you’re wanting to hear the nominated songs live, tune into the “Oscars: Into the Spotlight” pre-show to see performances from the nominees.
And now…onto my personal picks and predictions for this year’s nominated films and performances! Please note: Nominated films that I have not seen are denoted with an asterisk (*).
Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
KC pick: Promising Young Woman
Will win: Nomadland
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day in The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby in Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand in Nomadland
Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman
KC pick: Carey Mulligan
Will win: Too close to call, tbh. I have Carey in my Gold Derby predictions, but I went with Andra Day for my annual work predictions. It’s really that close this year!
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins in The Father
Gary Oldman in Mank
Steven Yeun in Minari
KC pick: Chadwick Boseman
Will win: Chadwick Boseman
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman in The Father
Amanda Seyfried in Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn in Minari
KC pick: Maria Bakalova
Will win: Yuh-Jung Youn
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr. in One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci in Sound of Metal
LaKeith Stanfield in Judas and the Black Messiah
KC pick: Daniel Kaluuya
Will win: Daniel Kaluuya
Achievement in Directing
Another Round Thomas Vinterberg
Mank David Fincher
Minari Lee Isaac Chung
Nomadland Chloé Zhao
Promising Young Woman Emerald Fennell
KC pick: Emerald Fennell
Will win: Chloé Zhao
Original Screenplay
Judas and the Black Messiah Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
Minari Written by Lee Isaac Chung
Promising Young Woman Written by Emerald Fennell
Sound of Metal Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
The Trial of the Chicago 7 Written by Aaron Sorkin
KC pick: Promising Young Woman
Will win: Promising Young Woman
Adapted Screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
The Father Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
Nomadland Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
One Night in Miami… Screenplay by Kemp Powers
The White Tiger Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
KC pick: The Father
Will win: The Father
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Onward Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
Over the Moon* Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon* Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
Soul Pete Docter and Dana Murray
Wolfwalkers Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
KC pick: Wolfwalkers
Will win: Soul
Best Documentary Feature
Collective Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
Crip Camp Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
The Mole Agent Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
My Octopus Teacher Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
Time Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
KC pick: Collective
Will win: My Octopus Teacher
Best International Feature Film of the Year
Another Round Denmark
Better Days Hong Kong
Collective Romania
The Man Who Sold His Skin Tunisia
Quo Vadis, Aida? Bosnia and Herzegovina
KC pick: Another Round
Will win: Another Round
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
Genius Loci Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
If Anything Happens I Love You Will McCormack and Michael Govier
Opera* Erick Oh
Yes-People Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
KC pick: Burrow
Will win: If Anything Happens I Love You
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
A Concerto Is a Conversation Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
Do Not Split Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
Hunger Ward* Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
A Love Song for Latasha Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
KC pick: A Love Song for Latasha
Will win: A Love Song for Latasha
Best Live Action Short Film
Feeling Through Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
The Letter Room Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
The Present Farah Nabulsi
Two Distant Strangers Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
White Eye Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
KC pick: The Letter Room
Will win: Two Distant Strangers
Achievement in Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah Sean Bobbitt
Mank Erik Messerschmidt
News of the World Dariusz Wolski
Nomadland Joshua James Richards
The Trial of the Chicago 7 Phedon Papamichael
KC pick: Nomadland
Will win: Nomadland
Achievement in Film Editing
The Father Yorgos Lamprinos
Nomadland Chloé Zhao
Promising Young Woman Frédéric Thoraval
Sound of Metal Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
The Trial of the Chicago 7 Alan Baumgarten
KC pick: The Father
Will win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Achievement in Production Design
The Father Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
Mank Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
News of the World Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
Tenet Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
KC pick: The Father
Will win: Mank
Achievement in Sound
Greyhound Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
Mank Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
News of the World Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
Soul Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
Sound of Metal Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
KC pick: Sound of Metal
Will win: Sound of Metal
Achievement in Visual Effects
Love and Monsters Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
The Midnight Sky* Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
Mulan Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
The One and Only Ivan* Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
Tenet Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
KC pick: Love and Monsters
Will win: Tenet
Achievement in Costume Design
Emma Alexandra Byrne
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Ann Roth
Mank Trish Summerville
Mulan Bina Daigeler
Pinocchio Massimo Cantini Parrini
KC pick: Emma
Will win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
Hillbilly Elegy Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
Mank Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
Pinocchio Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
KC pick: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Will win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods Terence Blanchard
Mank Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Minari Emile Mosseri
News of the World James Newton Howard
Soul Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
KC pick: Soul
Will win: Soul
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
“Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah
Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
“Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7
Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
“Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
“Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)*
Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
“Speak Now” from One Night in Miami…
Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
KC pick: “Husavik”
Will win: “Speak Now”
Probably at the Movies 