Oscar voting is done, so all that’s left in Hollywood is to show up in fancy duds and either hoist a trophy in triumph or smile ruefully for the ABC cameras Sunday night at the 96th Academy Awards in Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre.
Want to ace your Oscar pool? Here are our picks in all 23 categories
The short version? When in doubt, pick “Oppenheimer.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 6, 2024 at 12:00PM
But for those of us who are entering Oscar pools, there’s work to be done. To help you out, here are our best guesses in all the races:
Picture: “Oppenheimer”
This one’s not quite the lock that Da’Vine Joy Randolph is (see below) but it’s pretty close, especially after recent wins for the cast at the Screen Actors Guild awards and the film at the Producers Guild awards.
Director: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Some years, a split between picture and this award makes sense because of a flashy job of directing. This is not one of those years, particularly since the reliably great Nolan has never won.
Actress: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Emma Stone could still snag this, for a showier, trickier role in “Poor Things,” but she already has one and Gladstone, who’d be the first Indigenous acting winner, is a landmark choice.
Actor: Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
Another two-person race. I once thought previously nominated Paul Giamatti (”The Holdovers”) would nose out Murphy. Could still happen but the latter has more momentum.
Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
Randolph has won every supporting trophy. This one will be no different.
Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
Another one comes down to two, with lots of goodwill for Ryan Gosling in “Barbie,” but Downey has paid more dues than Ken.
International Feature: “The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom)
France’s failure to pick “Anatomy of a Fall” as its semifinalist (its choice, “The Taste of Things,” didn’t earn a nomination) cleared the way for “Zone,” which will be the first film from the U.K. to take this category.
Animated Feature: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
If you check “The Boy and the Heron” in this race, you won’t be far wrong. Hayao Miyazaki’s films are beloved, but the dazzling “Spider-Man” takes bigger risks and they pay off.
Documentary Feature: “The Eternal Memory”
It’s tricky because none of the nominees has a huge profile and none is American. But you can’t go wrong with a get-out-your-handkerchief film about a couple grappling with the emotional cost of Alzheimer’s.
Original Screenplay: “Anatomy of a Fall”
International films have a history of taking this category (Pedro Almodóvar for “Talk to Her,” Bong Joon-ho for “Parasite”). That bodes well for Justine Triet and Arthur Harari’s impeccable “Anatomy” script, in French, German and English.
Screenplay Adaptation: “Barbie”
Forget the weirdness of placing the original “Barbie” in this category. Concentrate on the fact that this is the best opportunity to honor its singular achievement by recognizing Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for figuring out how to turn a doll into a blockbuster.
Editing: “Oppenheimer”
This usually goes to the best picture, so first-time nominee Jennifer Lame should triumph.
Original Score: “Oppenheimer”
It would be cool to see the 92-year-old John Williams become the oldest winner of a competitive Oscar for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” but the way Ludwig Göransson morphs a solo violin into an orchestra’s worth of musical themes in “Oppie” is just too good.
Song: “What Was I Made For?”
Billie Eilish and brother Finneas should win Oscar number two (they also won for “No Time to Die”) for the “Barbie” ballad, even if everyone wants to see Gosling belt “I’m Just Ken” more.
Cinematography: “Oppenheimer”
Since “Let the Right One In,” Hoyte Van Hoytema has shot one visually impressive film after another, including “Her” and “Dunkirk.” His skillful use of color and black-and-white should get him his first Oscar.
Costume Design: “Poor Things”
The look of the fantastical comedy/drama is so singular that it will clean up in craft categories (if you aren’t feeling “Poor Things,” the bright costumes of “Barbie” is a good backup choice).
Production Design: “Poor Things”
An “Oppenheimer” sweep could change things but the “Poor Things” artists created a world out of nothing, which gives its eye-popping visuals a leg up.
Visual Effects: “Creator”
“Creator,” which won the top prize at the effects artists’ awards and proved that impressive work can be achieved on a budget, seems likeliest to win. But “Godzilla Minus One” has fans and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3″ was more widely seen. I still think “Creator,” but it’s close.
Makeup and Hairstyling: “Maestro”
Bradley Cooper vanishes inside his Leonard Bernstein prosthetics in “Maestro,” without them ever being a distraction. That should earn the win even if Willem Dafoe’s scarred mug in “Poor Things” is flashier.
Sound: “Oppenheimer”
The Hollywood logic in this category is that the loudest film wins, which is why disaster movies and sci-fi often take the gold. “Maestro” would be an interesting choice, given how crucial is its music, but “Oppenheimer” is not just loud but also inventive.
Live Action Short: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
Seven-time loser Wes Anderson should finally take home a little gold man for his comic short, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch.
Animated Short: “War Is Over!”
It’s hard to imagine anyone trumping a chance to honor iconic octogenarian Yoko Ono, who executive-produced with son Sean Lennon.
Documentary Short: “The Last Repair Shop”
Emphasizing the joy of music is a great way to win an Oscar and this inspiring short, which alternates between comments from Los Angeles technicians and the young musicians who play their repaired instruments (which are supplied at no cost), is all about uplift. It also games the system, coming in at just two seconds shorter than the maximum 40-minute length for a short.
96th Academy Awards: When: 6 p.m. Sun.. Where: ABC, abc.com.
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