The 96th Academy Awards are here as we celebrate the festival of men in film. The Academy is switching from feel good fun back to serious with Oppenheimer set to clean up. And with Jimmy Kimmel as host, there will lots of verbal punches thrown. And let’s thank the Film Gods Tay Tay is in no way involved“
Here are my predictions and market movers to use as your guide to the awards
Con Nats
Best Original Song
The Fire Inside From Flamin’ Hot; Music And Lyric By Diane Warren; I’m Just Ken From Barbie; Music And Lyric By Mark Ronson And Andrew Wyatt; It Never Went Away From American Symphony; Music And Lyric By Jon Batiste And Dan Wilson; Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People) From Killers Of The Flower Moon; Music And Lyric By Scott George; What Was I Made For? From Barbie; Music And Lyric By Billie Eilish And Finneas O’connell
Barbie should score one of its two awards in this category with two entries. The highly talented and respected JJJ Hot 100 winners, Billie Eilish and Finneas, should win this category with ‘What Was I Made For’.
Writing – Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction Cord Jefferson; Barbie Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan; Poor Things Tony Mcnamara; The Zone Of Interest Jonathan Glazer
I’m only including this category because an Aussie (Tony McNamara) is nominated. Unfortunately, he won’t win. Fortunately, the well written American Fiction is hot favourite and will.
Writing – Original Screenplay
Anatomy Of A Fall Justine Triet And Arthur Harari; The Holdovers David Hemingson; Maestro Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer; May December Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Past Lives Celine Song
Is there anything Bradley Cooper can’t do? (Well, sing… or stayed married after working with Gaga or win an Oscar. He’s lost nine already and should lose another three this year. Stay strong Bradley!) Anatomy of a Fall is the hot favourite here, which is a surprise as court room dramas are so last century. But this does delve beneath the skin into the impacts on the living.
Best International Film
Io Capitano Italy; Perfect Days Japan; Society Of The Snow Spain; The Teachers’ Lounge Germany; The Zone Of Interest United Kingdom
Not all these films have screened here and it’s strange that two other films using sub-titles (Past Lives and Anatomy of a Fall) are nominated for Best Picture and not in this category. This has left dual acceptor Zone of Interest as the obvious winner.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt Oppenheimer; Danielle Brooks The Colour Purple; America Ferrera Barbie; Jodie Foster Nyad; Da’vine Joy Randolph The Holdovers
There’s a nice mix of unrecognised first timers, old hands and unrecognised old hands in this category. The hot favourite is Da’vine Joy Randolph – an unrecognised old hand – for The Holdovers.
Best Actor in a Supporting role
Sterling K. Brown American Fiction; Robert De Niro Killers Of The Flower Moon; Robert Downey Jr. Oppenheimer; Ryan Gosling Barbie; Mark Ruffalo Poor Things
Wouldn’t it be ironic if Ryan Gosling won this for Barbie? Ryan didn’t have to do much acting, De Niro is a previous winner, Ruffalo was hilarious but over the top, Sterling K Brown is a first timer so Hollywood’s favourite bad boy will complete his redemption when Robert Downey Jr wins this category. I hope any sniffing is due to tears of emotion.
Best Actress In A Leading Role
Annette Bening Nyad; Lily Gladstone Killers Of The Flower Moon; Sandra Hüller Anatomy Of A Fall; Carey Mulligan Maestro; Emma Stone Poor Things
This is the only category where the betting markets have shifted and changed. It’s been a battle between Emma Stone for Poor Things and Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon. Gladstone was favourite after nominations were announced, Stone flipped them when collecting her BAFTA award but Gladstone is favourite again after collecting an award last week.
Both performances are exceptional but I’m going to go for Lily Gladstone due to culturally sensitive considerations. If I went on talent, Hüller is in two categories, but it could go to almost any of the nominees without complaint.
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper Maestro; Colman Domingo Rustin; Paul Giamatti The Holdovers; Cillian Murphy Oppenheimer; Jeffrey Wright American Fiction
Cillian Murphy was explosive (sorry again) in his role as the driven Oppenheimer who finds his conscience after making the nuclear bomb. His acting was so precise, it could cut ice.
Best Director
Killers Of The Flower Moon Martin Scorsese; Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan; Poor Things Yorgos Lanthimos; The Zone Of Interest Jonathan Glazer
What a line-up of male talent on show here with some of this generation’s leading directors and one from a previous generation. I would love Yiorgos to do it for Greece, but Oppenheimer’s relentless march continues and Chis Nolan will be collecting this award.
Best Picture
American Fiction; Anatomy Of A Fall; Barbie; The Holdovers; Killers Of The Flower Moon; Maestro; Oppenheimer; Past Lives; Poor Things; The Zone Of Interest
It’s been a great year for very good films but I often felt there was no standout or highly original film that will be talked about for years. Poor Things goes close and was my favourite for 2023, Past Lives is a small and really moving film, Zone of Interest left me cold in a chilling way and Barbie was more of a marketing phenomenon than a film. However, Oppenheimer has been blowing away all competitors (sorry) at every other film awards and will win this year’s Academy award. It is pretty flawless and doesn’t miss a step.
Con Nats, On The Screen
