Welcome back to the blog readers. Now that 2024 is in the rearview mirror and the dust has settled on another great year for film, it is time to analyze the very best of the previous year as we discuss the Academy Awards. This is the third year that I will be covering the Oscars, and I cannot wait to see who takes home the top prizes in March. With that down, let us now do as we usually do and take a look at some of the major categories that got announced as I share my reactions to the nominations and predict who I think will take home the trophies. Let's fucking go.
Best Cinematography
The Brutalist - Lol Crawley
Dune: Part Two - Greig Fraser
Emilia Pérez - Paul Guilhaume
Maria - Ed Lachman
Nosferatu - Jarin Blaschke
I know I have only seen two films on this list (so far), so this year I don't really have a bone in this fight. My opinion could change later on, but if there ever was a more obvious winner in this year's categories it would have to be Greig Fraser. A three-time nominee and one-time winner for Dune (2021), he handily should get his second win in three tries because I highly doubt any film will have any better cinematography than Dune: Part Two. Maybe The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez (all 2024).
Best Visual Effects
Alien: Romulus - Eric Bauba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin, and Shane Mahan
Better Man - Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, and Peter Stubbs
Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, and Rodney Burke
Wicked - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk, and Paul Corbould
I love that this category is mostly films I have seen (I am currently on the fence about seeing Better Man (2024) but I have a feeling I will eventually) so I can somewhat have an opinion on this category. I feel as if Alien: Romulus (2024) should not really be here because 75% of the effects are practical, but the visual stuff is great. I can say the same for Dune: Part Two and Wicked (2024). So really there is only one winner here. It HAS to be Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). That or I riot.
Best Original Song
"El Mal" from Emilia Pérez - Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard
"The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight - Music and lyrics by Diane Warren
"Like a Bird" from Sing Sing - Music and lyrics by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada
"Mi Camino" from - Music and lyrics by Clément Ducol and Camille
"Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late - Music and lyrics by Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Brandi Carlile, and Andrew Watt
How this being how I found out Elton John had a new song out is absolutely criminal to me. You bet I have a frontrunner now. Also I know we did this last year for Barbie (2023), but did there REALLY need to be two songs from Emilia Pérez in this category? Neither of these songs are flashy and memorable enough to even be nominated in this category, and I would not even give the award to either one. Although "El mal" is a pretty decent song. At least one of them isn't that "sex change operation" song where they sing about all the different plastys. Also, where the hell is the love for Marin Morris's "Kiss the Sky?"
Best Sound
A Complete Unknown - Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey, and David Giammarco
Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, and Doug Hemphill
Emilia Pérez - Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz, and Niels Barletta
Wicked - Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson, and John Marquis
The Wild Robot - Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo, and Leff Lefferts
Another category I can actually have a subjective opinion on because I have seen all of the films on the list. A Complete Unknown (2024), Emilia Pérez, and Wicked mainly rely on their music, but the sound quality of the music is stellar (minus Emilia Pérez) so I get why they are here. The Wild Robot (2024) honestly has a chance to upset in this category, but it has to be Dune: Part Two. I know Dune won for Sound in 2022, but come on, Academy. There is no brain power you have to exert on this.
Best Animated Feature Film
Flow - Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens, and Gregory Zalcman
Inside Out 2 - Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen
Memoir of a Snail - Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, and Richard Beek
The Wild Robot - Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann
For the very first time since I have been following the Academy Awards, I actually very much care about the animated film category. Three of the five nominees I have no plans on seeing, so we can all forget about them. Inside Out 2 (2024) became the highest-grossing animated film of all time and proved to be a cost-efficient therapy session. It should have a leg in the race, but absolutely not in the same year The Wild Robot is in this category as well. The first animated film to ever appear in my top 10 films of the year should win this one handily, but I have a feeling the momentum will rise for Flow (2024) and rob me of my dream.
Best Film Editing
Anora - Sean Baker
The Brutalist - David Jancso
Conclave - Nick Emerson
Emilia Pérez - Juliette Welfling
Wicked - Myron Kerstein
I have only seen three of the five nominees so far, and I think one of them is going to take the award. I have heard the chatter that Sean Baker will get his flowers with Anora (2024), but do not be surprised to see The Brutalist (2024) take it. But my honest pick to win the award has to go to Conclave (2024) because the editing in that film is breathtaking. There is also a chance for Wicked here. I just hope that the people for Emilia Pérez get no awards because the film is not good.
Best Original Score
The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg
Conclave - Volker Bertelmann
Emilia Pérez - Clément Ducol and Camille
Wicked - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz
The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers
Volker Bertelmann is already an Academy Award winner for his work on the score for Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), and there is a high chance that he will get the win here for Conclave. At least that is what I can hope for, along with a surprising win for Kris Bowers for The Wild Robot. But knowing the Academy, there is absolutely a high chance that Emilia Pérez gets the win here, even though we all know it will not deserve a damn thing.
Best Original Screenplay
Anora - Sean Baker
The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg
September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, and Alex David
The Substance - Coralie Fargeat
Well, this totally sucks. The screenplay categories are some of the most important of the Academy voting process and I have only seen The Substance (2024) on this list. I will be seeing at least two more of these films, but there is a real possibility that we will be calling Jesse Eisenberg an Academy Award winner. You know how much I loved the script for The Substance and how bad I want Coralie Fargeat to win the award, so we will just have to wait and see for this category. But do not sleep on Anora getting some attention though.
Best Adapted Screenplay
A Complete Unknown - James Mangold and Jay Cocks; based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald
Conclave - Peter Straughan; based on the novel Conclave by Robert Harris
Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard; based on the opera libretto Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard
Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes; based on the novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Sing Sing - Screenplay by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley; story by Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley, Clarence Maclin, and John "Divine G" Whitfield; based on the book The Sing Sing Follies by John H. Richardson
Having not seen two of the films on this list makes me really regret going out and seeing more of these films. Maybe I have to move closer to a theater that gets to show all of these films. My heart is telling me Conclave for this award, but I think Sing Sing (2024) has a strong possibility to upset here. Some have been voicing outrage that Dune: Part Two is not in this list, but I say we need to join together and bribe the Academy voters to ABSOLUTELY NOT give this award to Emilia Pérez. That script was terrible.
Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov - Anora
Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
Now we get to the bigger awards, and I definitely have thoughts on these nominees. First of all, if you remember my review of The Apprentice (2024), you will remember me saying Jeremy Strong should get an Oscar nomination for his performance. I never thought in a million years he would. It was also nice to see Guy Pearce and Edward Norton get nominations, and newcomer Yura Borisov may make a name for himself (to borrow from a certain Cajun superhero who get so much love) with this nomination. But this award is absolutely going to Kieran Culkin, without a doubt. He won the Golden Globe already and is the favorite.
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande - Wicked
Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez
I am still waiting to see The Brutalist, but I think you guys know where I am going with this. I know Zoe Saldaña won the Golden Globe already and she is the favorite, but absolutely DO NOT overlook Isabella Rossellini. For the brief time she spent on screen in Conclave, she came to slay. Every scene she was in, she commanded the screen in her direction. But my pick to win the award (and if you had told me this a year ago I would have punched you in the face) is Ariana Grande. And no, I am not kidding here. She really deserves it because I am so surprised with how well she was as Galinda/Glinda.
Best Actor
Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
There are layers to this category this year. First off, there is who I think will win. Then, we have who I think should win. Then, we have who my sex drive wants to win (and if you know you know). And finally, there is who I will literally die on the floor laughing at if he wins. Do you guys want to guess who is who, in that order? I'll give you a minute here. Ready? See how many you got right. Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes, Timothée Chalamet, and Sebastian Stan. And I will not be going into the whole political stance of The Apprentice again because I have no idea how much longer I will actually be allowed to. But there's that.
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
Karla SofÃa Gascón - Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison - Anora
Demi Moore - The Substance
Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here
This is another category that I think has layers to it, but it certainly is not as convoluted as the Best Actor category. My heart is telling me to give the award to either Cynthia Erivo or Demi Moore (preferably Moore because she was utter perfection in The Substance), but I think it will go to one of two people. I think out of those two it has a smaller chance to go to Karla SofÃa Gascón (which will make her the first trans woman to win Best Actress) but it has a better chance of going to Fernanda Torres (who won the Golden Globe). To summarize, Moore is my pick but I think Torres will win.
Best Director
Sean Baker - Anora
Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
James Mangold - A Complete Unknown
Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez
Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
So far having seen three of the films on the list, I just have to again ask why all the undeserved love for Emilia Pérez? I would not give this award to Jacques Audiard in the slightest, as he does not deserve it at all. My heart wants this award to desperately go to either Coralie Fargeat or James Mangold because this films are much better. But without having seen The Brutalist yet, I fully expect Brady Corbet to get this award. I will be seeing it soon though.
Best Picture
Anora - Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers
The Brutalist - Brady Corbet, D. J. Guggenheim, Brian Young, Andrew Morrison, and Nick Gordon, producers
A Complete Unknown - Fred Berger, James Mangold, and Alex Heineman, producers
Conclave - Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, and Michael A. Jackman, producers
Dune: Part Two - Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Denis Villeneuve, producers
Emilia Pérez - Pascal Caucheteux and Jacques Audiard, producers
I'm Still Here - Maria Carlota Bruno and Rodrigo Teixeira, producers
Nickel Boys - Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Joslyn Barnes, producers
The Substance - Coralie Fargeat, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner, producers
Wicked - Marc Platt, producer
Similarly to what I did last year, I want to rank the 10 best picture nominees on how likely I think it is that they will win. As much as I would love to see these two films win, A Complete Unknown and The Substance have legitimately no chance at all. Even more so are the films I'm Still Here and Nickel Boys (both 2024). Then I think Anora getting the prize is a bit more likely, as do I feel for Wicked. Then, Dune: Part Two has the next best odds, as does Conclave. This leaves only two films that I think have the greatest odds to win the prize. In this order, I think it is Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist. So my pick to win Best Picture is The Brutalist, a film that I will be seeing very soon so keep your eyes peeled on my blog.
To end the post, I want to take a tally of the total awards. Emilia Pérez was nominated for the most Academy Awards (WHY???) with 13, followed by Wicked and The Brutalist with 10 each, and A Complete Unknown and Conclave with 8 each. I have a feeling that this Academy Award ceremony is definitely going to be special because there are some special films that are being celebrated for their special nature. I will definitely be watching this year's ceremony and I will be posting my reaction to all of the winners, so I hope to see you there on March 8. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.
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