All at once now ... the Oscars goes to ...

Pre-show: I just found out the Oscars is this weekend ... in about 2 hours or so. The neglect is real. I'm one of the plebs who occasionally watch something in theatre now, so it's hard to know what to predict/root for, which is so sad. In any case, I suppose I still care enough to make this list, so here goes nothing. (And my friend Griz's, again, in purple). Winners in red.

Brief comment: I'm not up to date on the complexity of politics in these awards, so these are based on pretty old standbys for wins. "Everything" is a lot of fun, and its competitors (for best picture) are just not strong enough to make it a horse race. It does not mean it is the best, remember.  Michelle was ok (she was the least impressive of the cast somehow?), but I have no bone to pick with her winning because I haven't even seen the other nominated actresses' performance (where's Florence Pugh, I ask you?)! I have to remind myself that the Academy awards the goodest (based on good enough quality, acting populist appeal, zeitgeist of the time, momentum/buzz), but not the best (even though there are happy occasions where these two qualities may overlap, like for Moonlight!), so this is pure fun to guess what's in favour these days. Occasionally, a pick would be puzzling or downright bad, because the time is right for that pick but not necessarily for its quality (e.g. Angela Bassett for Wakanda). And I am ok with that too, because this ain't no Cannes! 

Post show tally: I correctly predicted 17/20, Griz did 15/20 (+3 for alternates). Go us!

PICTURE

Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. All quiet on the Western front*

 

Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. All quiet on the Western front

*I don't think this is even my real pick, because the Best Picture win is a lock for Everywhere.

 

DIRECTOR

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert  - Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Todd Field - Tár

 

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert  - Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Ruben Östlund - Triangle of Sadness 

 

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

All quiet on the Western front - Germany

Alt. Argentina, 1985

All quiet on the Western front - Germany

Alt. The quiet girl - Ireland

 

ANIMATED FEATURE

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Alt. Turning red

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Alt. Turning red

 

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Navalny

Alt. All the beauty and the bloodshed

 

All the beauty and the bloodshed

Alt. Navalny

 

ACTOR

Brendan Fraser - The Whale

Alt. Austin Butler - Elvis

 

Brendan Fraser - The Whale

Alt. Austin Butler - Elvis

 

ACTRESS

Michelle Yeoh - Everything everywhere all at once*

Alt. Cate Blanchett - Tár

 

Cate Blanchett - Tár 

Alt: Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All At Once

 

*The SAG win changed my mind.

 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Jamie Lee Curtis -  Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Angela Bassett - Black Panther: Wakanda forever*

 

Jamie Lee Curtis -  Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Angela Bassett - Black Panther: Wakanda forever

 

*It would be a shame for her to win for the worse role, but she is a great actress otherwise.

 

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Ke Huy Quan - Everything everywhere all at once*

Alt. Brendan Gleeson - The Banshees of Inisherin

Ke Huy Quan - Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Brendan Gleeson - The Banshees of Inisherin

 

*No need to predict this one - like best picture, it is the lockiest pick that is ever locked.

 

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Triangle of sadness

 

Everything everywhere all at once

Alt. Triangle of sadness

 

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Women talking 

Alt. All quiet on the Western front

 

All quiet on the Western front 

Alt. Women talking 

 

FILM EDITING

Everything everywhere all at once 

Alt. Top gun: Maverick

Everything everywhere all at once 

Alt. Top gun: Maverick

 

CINEMATOGRAPHY 

All quiet on the Western front

Alt. Tár

All quiet on the Western front

Alt. Elvis 

 

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Elvis x All quiet on the Western front

Alt. Babylon

Babylon

Alt. Elvis

 

SOUND

Top Gun: Maverick

Alt. All quiet on the Western front

 

Top Gun: Maverick 

Alt: All quiet on the Western front

 

COSTUME

Elvis x Black Panther: Wakanda forever

Alt: Babylon

Elvis 

Alt: Babylon

 

MAKE UP AND HAIRSTYLING

The Whale

Alt. Elvis

 

The Whale

Alt. The Batman

 

VISUAL EFFECTS

Avatar: the way of water

Alt. All quiet on the Western front

 

Avatar: the way of water

Alt. The Batman

 

ORIGINAL SCORE

All quiet on the Western front

Alt. The Banshees of Inisherin

All quiet on the Western front

Alt. The Fabelmans

 

ORIGINAL SONG

Lift me up - Black Panther: Wakanda forever x Naatu naatu

Alt. Hold my hand - Top Gun: Maverick

 

Naatu naatu - RRR

Alt. Hold my hand - Top Gun: Maverick

Read More...

Summary only...