Happy Oscars Sunday to all who celebrate! For a while there, it was starting to feel like this year’s awards season was never going to end–but here we are, look at us!
Back in January, it seemed like Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog was poised to run away with the season. While the film certainly has racked up its share of awards, a new frontrunner emerged following this year’s SAG Awards: CODA. And, it’s not hard to see why.
The film’s charming cast has managed to steal everyone’s hearts, from the red carpet to the White House. But furthermore, CODA is a movie that captured audiences at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021 and has continued to move people. And isn’t that what we should want from a Best Picture winner? Shouldn’t we want to see a film prevail that unites people in their love for pure storytelling, as well as one that makes people laugh, cry, and–most importantly–revisit the film in the years to come? That’s CODA. The Academy awarded a dull, yet beautifully shot film last year–I hope they go all-in on a film that is both truly beloved and meaningful on multiple levels this evening.
Acting-wise, I think the Best Supporting Actor/Actress races are pretty much locked in Troy Kotsur (CODA) and Ariana DeBose’s (West Side Story) favor. I suppose Best Actor is as well for Will Smith (King Richard), which leaves us the enigma that is Best Actress. Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) took the Golden Globe, Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) took both the SAG and Critics’ Choice, however, there has been a lot of rumbling this past week about Penelope Cruz (Parallel Mothers) sneaking in for the win in the anonymous Oscar ballot reveals. Gotta love Best Actress keeping things interesting every year.
Before I jump into my picks and predictions, I just want to briefly address the decision to cut eight categories from the live broadcast: Film Editing, Sound, Makeup/Hairstyling, Original Score, Production Design, Documentary Short, Animated Short, and Live Action Short. For an awards show with the audacity to use the tagline “Movie Lovers Unite,” following through with this decision shows that there’s more concern about ratings and trying to attract the attention of an audience that’s never going to care rather than appealing to an already dedicated audience of movie fans who tune in every year. In short, I think this decision is a huge mistake. These nominated creatives are being denied their moment in the live spotlight in front of their peers, and it’s genuinely disappointing.
Onto what I hope you came to read–my personal picks and predictions for the 94th Oscars! The live awards show kicks off later today at 5 p.m. (PT) on ABC.
Please note: Nominated films that I didn’t get a chance to see are denoted with an asterisk(*).
Best Picture
Belfast
CODA
Don’t Look Up
Drive My Car
Dune
King Richard
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story (2021)
KC pick: CODA
Will win: CODA
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter
Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers
Nicole Kidman in Being the Ricardos
Kristen Stewart in Spencer
KC pick: Jessica Chastain
Will win: Jessica Chastain
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in Being the Ricardos
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog
Andrew Garfield in tick, tick…BOOM!
Will Smith in King Richard
Denzel Washington in The Tragedy of Macbeth
KC pick: Andrew Garfield
Will win: Will Smith
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Jessie Buckley in The Lost Daughter
Ariana DeBose in West Side Story (2021)
Judi Dench in Belfast
Kirsten Dunst in The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis in King Richard
KC pick: Ariana DeBose
Will win: Ariana DeBose
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Ciaran Hinds in Belfast
Troy Kotsur in CODA
Jesse Plemons in The Power of the Dog
J.K. Simmons in Being the Ricardos
Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Power of the Dog
KC pick: Troy Kotsur
Will win: Troy Kotsur
Achievement in Directing
Belfast | Kenneth Branagh
Drive My Car | Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Licorice Pizza | Paul Thomas Anderson
The Power of the Dog | Jane Campion
West Side Story (2021) | Steven Spielberg
KC pick: Steven Spielberg
Will win: Jane Campion
Original Screenplay
Belfast | Written by Kenneth Branagh
Don’t Look Up | Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
King Richard | Written by Zach Baylin
Licorice Pizza | Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
The Worst Person in the World | Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
KC pick: Belfast
Will win: Belfast
Adapted Screenplay
CODA | Screenplay by Siân Heder
Drive My Car | Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
Dune | Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
The Lost Daughter | Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Power of the Dog | Written by Jane Campion
KC pick: CODA
Will win: CODA
Best Animated Feature Film
Encanto | Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer
Flee | Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
Luca | Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren
The Mitchells vs the Machines | Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht
Raya and the Last Dragon | Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho
KC pick: The Mitchells vs the Machines
Will win: Encanto
Best Documentary Feature
Ascension | Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell
Attica* | Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry
Flee | Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) | Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein
Writing with Fire | Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh
KC pick: Flee
Will win: Summer of Soul
Best International Feature Film
Drive My Car | Japan
Flee | Denmark
The Hand of God* | Italy
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom* | Bhutan
The Worst Person in the World | Norway
KC pick: The Worst Person in the World
Will win: Drive My Car
Best Animated Short Film
Affairs of the Art | Joanna Quinn and Les Mills
Bestia | Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz
Boxballet | Anton Dyakov
Robin Robin | Dan Ojari and Mikey Please
The Windshield Wiper | Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez
KC pick: Abstaining from making a personal pick, as I’ve not yet seen any of the films in the category.
Will win: Robin Robin
Best Documentary Short Subject
Audible | Matt Ogens and Geoff McLean
Lead Me Home | Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk
The Queen of Basketball | Ben Proudfoot
Three Songs for Benazir | Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei
When We Were Bullies | Jay Rosenblatt
KC pick: Abstaining from making a personal pick, as I’ve not yet seen any of the films in the category.
Will win: The Queen of Basketball
Best Live Action Short Film
Ala Kachuu – Take and Run | Maria Brendle and Nadine Lüchinger
The Dress | Tadeusz Łysiak and Maciej Ślesicki
The Long Goodbye | Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed
On My Mind | Martin Strange-Hansen and Kim Magnusson
Please Hold | K.D. Dávila and Levin Menekse
KC pick: Abstaining from making a personal pick, as I’ve not yet seen any of the films in the category.
Will win: The Long Goodbye
Achievement in Cinematography
Dune | Greig Fraser
Nightmare Alley | Dan Laustsen
The Power of the Dog | Ari Wegner
The Tragedy of Macbeth | Bruno Delbonnel
West Side Story (2021) | Janusz Kaminski
KC pick: The Power of the Dog
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Film Editing
Don’t Look Up | Hank Corwin
Dune | Joe Walker
King Richard | Pamela Martin
The Power of the Dog | Peter Sciberras
tick, tick…BOOM! | Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum
KC pick: tick, tick…BOOM!
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Production Design
Dune | Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos
Nightmare Alley | Production Design: Tamara Deverell; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
The Power of the Dog | Production Design: Grant Major; Set Decoration: Amber Richards
The Tragedy of Macbeth | Production Design: Stefan Dechant; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
West Side Story (2021) | Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo
KC pick: Dune
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Sound
Belfast | Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
Dune | Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett
No Time to Die | Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
The Power of the Dog | Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb
West Side Story (2021) | Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy
KC pick: No Time to Die
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Visual Effects
Dune | Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer
Free Guy | Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis and Dan Sudick
No Time to Die | Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner and Chris Corbould
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver
Spider-Man: No Way Home | Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick
KC pick: Free Guy
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Costume Design
Cruella | Jenny Beavan
Cyrano | Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran
Dune | Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan
Nightmare Alley | Luis Sequeira
West Side Story (2021) | Paul Tazewell
KC pick: Cruella
Will win: Cyrano
Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Coming 2 America* | Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer
Cruella | Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon
Dune | Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
The Eyes of Tammy Faye | Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh
House of Gucci | Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras
KC pick: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Will win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Don’t Look Up | Nicholas Britell
Dune | Hans Zimmer
Encanto | Germaine Franco
Parallel Mothers | Alberto Iglesias
The Power of the Dog | Jonny Greenwood
KC pick: Parallel Mothers
Will win: Dune
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
“Be Alive” from King Richard
Music and Lyric by DIXSON and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
“Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miran
“Down To Joy” from Belfast
Music and Lyric by Van Morrison
“No Time To Die” from No Time to Die
Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
“Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days*
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
KC pick: “No Time to Die”
Will win: “No Time to Die”
Probably at the Movies 