Welcome back to the blog everybody. A momentous day in the world of film has arrived. The nominations for the 95th Academy Awards have been revealed, and I wanted to take the time to share my reactions and predict who I think will be taking home each trophy once the ceremony commences on March 12.
DISCLAIMER: I will not be talking about every category but only the significant ones.
Best Cinematography
All Quiet on the Western Front
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Elvis
Empire of Light
TÁR
I am very happy for Elvis, it was my number 1 film of the year until I saw The Banshees of Inisherin late in 2022. However it is the only film I have seen among this list, and I never even heard of Bardo until the nomination list came out. So I don't really see a clear-cut winner as of right now, but I think the nod may go to All Quiet on the Western Front.
Best Visual Effects
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Top Gun: Maverick
Man, I guess I have to see All Quiet on the Western Front now, huh? While I do believe Top Gun has a real shot of winning this one, the momentum is going to go with old Jimmy C. As John Campea says, it is bad to be in the doubting James Cameron business because you'll wind up bankrupt. Easy win for Avatar here.
Best Original Song
"Applause" from Tell It Like a Woman
"Hold My Hand" from Top Gun: Maverick
"Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
"Naatu Naatu" from RRR
"This Is a Life" from Everything Everywhere All at Once
This is honestly one of my more difficult categories, as the top 2 contenders in my eyes are my top 2 songs of 2022: "Lift Me Up" at 2 and "Hold My Hand" at 1. However, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that "Naatu Naatu" won the Golden Globe and the Critics' Choice awards. So there is an outside chance for that one to take home the prize. I really want "Hold My Hand" or "Lift Me Up."
Best Sound
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Elvis
Top Gun: Maverick
Another stacked category here. Elvis did a wonderful job immersing you in his world with his music. The Batman made you feel like you were in Gotham City Avatar and Top Gun are the two frontrunners, I would say. I will give the edge, however, to Top Gun. Probably the best sonically produced film of the year, I would be shocked if it didn't win. However, I would not be upset if the award went to Avatar.
Best Film Editing
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
TÁR
Top Gun: Maverick
I would not be surprised to see Everything Everywhere All at Once win this thing, but I think the award here has to go to Top Gun. I haven't seen TÁR but I hear it is incredible. Top Gun was a wonderfully edited film and I was stunned with what they did. Everything Everywhere All at Once was a visually stunning film and I love the constant genre and style hopping they pull off. That is why I think Everything Everywhere All at Once will win this award.
Best Original Score
All Quiet on the Western Front - Volker Bertelmann
Babylon - Justin Hurwitz
The Banshees of Inisherin - Carter Burwell
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Son Lux
The Fabelmans - John Williams
I've only seen 3 of these films and I believe that it will be between these three. Everything Everywhere All at Once had a wild score that had a bit of everything (see what I did there?) and Son Lux pushes the limits of what can be done in a score. John Williams takes a more classical approach with his score for The Fabelmans and he absolutely delivers to earn his record-setting 53rd Oscar nomination. The Banshees of Inisherin's score is wonderful and heartbreaking in all the right ways, and Carter Burwell delivers a masterpiece. I truly believe Everything Everywhere All at Once will take this one.
NOTE: How the hell did the score for The Batman not even make the shortlist?! That is absolutely absurd.
Best Original Screenplay
The Banshees of Inisherin - Martin McDonagh
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert (Daniels)
The Fabelmans - Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner
TÁR - Todd Field
Triangle of Sadness - Ruben Östlund
This has to be a 3-horse race, right? I cannot see this award going to TAR or Triangle of Sadness at all. And it's not just because I haven't seen those films. You can feel the power behind every word in The Banshees of Inisherin. You can relate to every single theme in Everything Everywhere All at Once. You can dream along with young Sammy in The Fablemans. I believe this award will go to The Banshees of Inisherin.
Best Adapted Screenplay
All Quiet on the Western Front - Edward Berger; based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Rian Johnson; based on characteres created by him and the film Knives Out
Living - Kazuo Ishiguro; based on the original motion picture Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, and Hideo Oguni
Top Gun: Maverick - Ehren Krueger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie; based on the film Top Gun written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Women Talking - Sarah Polley; based on the novel by Miriam Toews
For me, this has to be only one film. It wound up being my number 4 film of 2022. I loved it from start to finish and I'm so glad I got to watch it in a theater. Glass Onion, with its many twists and turns, was a brilliantly written film and I will be absolutely floored if it doesn't win this Oscar.
Best Supporting Actor
Brendan Gleeson - The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry - Causeway
Judd Hirsch - The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan - The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All at Once
That was an interesting turn of events. I did not expect to see Brian Tyree Henry or Judd Hirsch getting a nomination, especially when you have people like Paul Dano that got snubbed. However, this Oscar is going to come down to two people: Brendan Gleeson and Ke Huy Quan. Both performances are spectacular in their own right, and I would not be upset if either of them takes it home. However, Quan has the momentum after winning the Golden Globe and the Critics' Choice. If he wins the SAG and the BAFTA, then he will win the Oscar no doubt.
Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau - The Whale
Kerry Condon - The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie! The biggest breakout performance of the year gets some much-deserved recognition. Hsu was phenomenal in Everything Everywhere All at Once, as was her fellow nominee and co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. I did not see The Whale (and I am DYING to) so I didn't see Hong Chau in that, so I'll use her in The Menu as a replacement. She was utterly chilling in that. Kerry Condon pulled out a masterclass in The Banshees of Inisherin. However, Angela Bassett delivers a heartbreaking performance, one that cannot be forgotten as Queen Ramonda. Every time she is on screen, I feel the power in her words and in her emotions. She's got this one in the bag. You may as well cancel this category and mail her the Oscar.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - TÁR
Ana de Armas - Blonde
Andrea Riseborough - To Leslie
Michelle Williams - The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Everyone seems to think that Cate Blanchett will run away with this award. Me? I think that Michelle Yeoh has more of a chance than anyone thinks. She was stunning in this role. I am surprised to see Ana de Armas and Andrea Riseborough on this list. I never even heard of To Leslie before the nominations list came out. However, I do see the talk of Blanchett so I'll go with her. I may even check the film out.
Best Actor
Austin Butler - Elvis
Colin Farrell - The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser - The Whale
Paul Mescal - Aftersun
Bill Nighy - Living
3-horse race again! I have not seen Living, The Whale, (again I am DYING to see this) and Aftersun. However, I have not seen one negative reaction to Brendan Fraser's performance, and I would not be surprised if he does. In fact, I will be pretty happy if he does. With that being said, I want to think it is between Colin Farrell and Austin Butler. Butler gave my personal favorite performance of the year, so I would want to see him win. Farrell, however, gave an earth-shattering performance that you will sit with for a while. I think the Academy will go with Farrell but I would love for it to be Butler.
Best Director
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert (Daniels) - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Todd Field - TÁR
Martin McDonagh - The Banshees of Inisherin
Ruben Östlund - Triangle of Sadness
Steven Spielberg - The Fabelmans
Well, what a doozy we have here! No James Cameron, and that one shocked me. I'm a little surprised that Joseph Kosinski didn't get a nod for Top Gun: Maverick. In my opinion, this pick has to be between three parties. Daniels' direction of Everything Everywhere All at Once is frantic, powerful, and just may be enough to win the trophy. Steven Spielberg is him. What else do I have to say about him? Martin McDonagh killed the direction of The Banshees of Inisherin. Personally I believe the award will go to Spielberg.
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
TÁR
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking
Here we go, the final big category that I wanted to talk about, and it's the biggest category: Best Picture. There are a few films on here that I would not be surprised to see win this big prize. The big three are The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and The Fabelmans. Some I would be surprised to see win are Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. My personal pick to win the award is Elvis, but I know there is absolutely no way it does. And I don't think we will get a Parasite moment this year. (If you don't know, Parasite won Best Picture at the 92nd Oscars, and I was so shocked my jaw was dropped. That's what I mean by a Parasite moment.) At least I hope we don't get a Parasite moment. My pick to win the award this year is The Banshees of Inisherin, my number 1 film of the year.
Some other categories I didn't talk about, I plain just don't care about. I didn't see any of the animated or international films that were nominated, so I don't have a dog in that fight. The documentary and short film categories I never cared about. So that's why I didn't talk about those categories.
I hope that I can get most of these categories right when the ceremony airs on March 12. Hope to see you on the next blog.
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