Who Should Win? Who Will Win?

The day has arrived! Thank you so much for those of you who have been following my reviews of all 53 nominated films. There were some great ones this year. You can expect Oppenheimer to have a big night tonight, and here we go!

Best Picture
Should Win: Poor Things

Will Win: Oppenheimer

It's won basically everything along the way, and you can count on Oppenheimer tonight.

Director

Should Win: Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Will Win: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Lead Actress

Should Win: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon and Emma Stone, Poor Things

Will Win: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Poor Things marks the best and most interesting performance in Emma Stone's career. But Lily Gladstone's win would be historic and she was incredible in that film. She won the SAG, I'm going with Gladstone for the win.

Supporting Actress

Should Win: Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

Will Win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Randolph has won everything, and she'll win again tonight.

Lead Actor

Should Win: Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Will Win: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Supporting Actor

Should Win: Sterling K Brown, American Fiction

Will Win: Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer

Adapted Screenplay

Should Win: American Fiction

Will Win: American Fiction

Can you tell that I loved this movie? The Screenplay award is often the consolation prize for a great movie that isn't going to win Best Picture.

Original Screenplay

Should Win: Past Lives

Will Win: Anatomy of a Fall

Cinematography

Should Win: Oppenheimer

Will Win: Oppenheimer

Costume Design

Should Win: Poor Things

Will Win: Poor Things (although the experts are divided between Poor Things and Barbie)

I'm going with Poor Things. The costumes were not just based on other outfits, there were truly original.

Film Editing

Should Win: Oppenheimer

Will Win: Oppenheimer

Makeup and Hairstyling

Should Win: Poor Things

Will Win: Maestro

Production Design

Should Win: Poor Things

Will Win: Poor Things

Original Score

Should Win: Killers of the Flower Moon

Will Win: Oppenheimer

Original Song

Should Win: It Never Went Away, American Symphony

Will Win: What Was I Made For, Barbie

Sound

Should Win: Oppenheimer

Will Win: Oppenheimer

Visual Effects

Should Win: Godzilla Minus One

Will Win: Godzilla Minus One

Animated Feature

Should Win: Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse (or my sweet Robot Dreams)

Will Win: Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse

The animation added to the great story makes this a shoe in. Having said that, The Boy and the Heron had a lot of attention this year, and could be a sleeper win.

Documentary

Should Win: 20 Days in Mariupol

Will Win: 20 Days in Mariupol

I really really hope so. Though I was overwhelmed by To Kill a Tiger (and actually, all of these docs were outstanding, please see them!), the bravery to even do this film was overwhelming.

International Feature

Should Win: The Zone of Interest

Will Win: The Zone of Interest

The absolutely haunting nature of this film should have it getting so much more attention than it has gotten.

Animated Short

Should Win: Letter to a Pig 

Will Win: War is Over

I often say never ever to bet against Holocaust themed films, but at this time between the war in Ukraine and Israel will appeal to Academy voters.

Documentary Short

Should Win: The Last Repair Shop

Will Win: The Last Repair Shop

Though there is some buzz also for The ABC's of Book Banning, AND Sheila Nevins, the patron saint of documentaries was an Executive Producer.

Live Action Short

Should Win: Red White and Blue

Will Win: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Don't forget, if I do well enough for you to win your Oscars pool, I get 10%!