Predictions (and hopes) for the 97th Academy Awards

The Oscars are fast approaching, and this year’s awards season has been filled with much debate. Many amazing films were nominated, leaving audiences uncertain about who they hope will win in each category. Herd Media’s Ashley Allen shared her thoughts.

Best Picture Nominees:

Anora (Neon) The Brutalist (A24)

A Complete Unknown (Searchlight)

Conclave (Focus)

Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.)

Emilia Pérez (Netflix)

I’m Still Here (Sony Classics)

Nickel Boys (Amazon/MGM)

The Substance (Mubi)

Wicked (Universal)

Who will win: Anora
Who should win: The Substance

Even though I loved the film Anora and am sitting here wearing an Anora T-shirt, I really hope The Substance wins. This film was visually stunning and grotesque at the same time. The acting was phenomenal and the story itself was extremely original.

Best Director Nominees:

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez

James Mangold, A Complete Unknown

Sean Baker, Anora

Who will win: Sean Baker for Anora
Who should win: Coralie Fargeat for The Substance

Coralie Fargeat has my vote for Best Director. Her vision for the film was executed flawlessly. She said that she didn’t want to tame any of the themes down for the film and I think that was an amazing choice. Also, the Academy has a history of not nominating many women directors, so I think it would be great to see a woman win. I would not be disappointed if Sean Baker won for Anora though.

Best Actor Nominees:

Adrian Brody, The Brutalist

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes, Conclave

Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown

Who will win: Adrien Brody for The Brutalist
Who should win: Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown

At first glance, Adrien Brody was outstanding in The Brutalist. I later found out that AI was used to help enhance his Hungarian accent in the film. Timothée Chalamet’s vocals and accent for Bob Dylan were purely him and not AI. He also mentioned that he spent five years perfecting it. For these reasons, I think he should win.

Best Actress Nominees:

Cynthia Erivo, Wicked

Demi Moore, The Substance

Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here

Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison, Anora

Who will win: Demi Moore for The Substance
Who should win: Demi Moore for The Substance

I speak for the majority when I say Demi Moore needs to win this year. Her performance was uniquely raw and physical. The talent needed for body horror is sadly often overlooked. Another reason she should win is that the film centers around women aging in the spotlight and Demi Moore can publicly relate to that. This connection to the character made her performance more meaningful.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees:

Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce, The Brutalist

Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Yura Borisov, Anora

Who will win: Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain
Who should win: Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain

Kieran Culkin expresses many nuanced emotions in A Real Pain. His performance has you laughing, crying, and thinking about how perfectly casted he was.

Best Supporting Actress Nominees:

Ariana Grande, Wicked

Felicity Jones, The Brutalist

Isabella Rossellini, Conclave

Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown

Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

Who will win: Zoe Saldana for Emilia Pérez
Who should win: Ariana Grande for Wicked

Let me start by saying how much I disliked the film Emilia Pérez in every way, so for this category, I really hope Ariana Grande wins. Her vocals were extremely impressive, and she took a classic character and made it her own while still paying tribute to the original Glindas before her.

Best Original Screenplay Nominees:

Anora, Sean Baker

The Brutalist, Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold

A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg

September 5, Tim Fehlbaum & Moritz Binder

The Substance, Coralie Fargeat

Who will win: Anora
Who should win: The Brutalist

I would like to see The Brutalist win. The story gave an interesting perspective on immigration that also focused on the “obsessed artist trope” in a way I hadn’t seen written before.

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees:

A Complete Unknown, Jay Cocks & James Mangold

Conclave, Peter Straughan

Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain & Nicolas Livecchi

Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Sing Sing, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin & John “Divine G” Whitfield

Who will win: Conclave
Who should win: Conclave

I would like to see Conclave win this category. It was based on a 2016 novel by British writer, Robert Harris. The dialogue was translated beautifully over to the screen.

Best Cinematography Nominees:

The Brutalist, Lol Crawley

Dune: Part Two, Greig Fraser

Emilia Pérez, Paul Guillaume

Maria, Edward Lachman

Nosferatu, Jarin Blaschke

Who will win: The Brutalist
Who should win: Nosferatu

Nosferatu’s cinematography had me sitting in the movie theater on Christmas Eve with my jaw dropped. The cold color palette and nature shots were both eerie and beautiful. The use of shadows and light was chilling and an advanced nod to the original Nosferatu.

Best Film Editing Nominees:

Anora, Sean Baker

The Brutalist, Dávid Jancsó

Conclave, Nick Emerson

Emilia Pérez, Juliette Welfling

Wicked, Myron Kerstein

Who will win: The Brutalist
Who should win: Conclave

Conclave used cut shots in such a way that made you feel the emotions on screen. For example, if something shocking was said, there would be silence and nothing going on on screen before cutting away to the next shot, which also really lets you digest what just happened.

Best Original Score Nominees:

The Brutalist, Daniel Blumberg

Conclave, Volker Bertelmann

Emilia Pérez, Clément Ducol & Camille

Wicked, John Powell & Stephen Schwartz

The Wild Robot, Kris Bowers

Who will win: The Brutalist
Who should win: Conclave

Conclave is a very dramatic film, and the score is just that. The music is intense and grand, just like the conclave happening.

Best Sound Nominees:

A Complete Unknown

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

The Wild Robot

Wicked

Who will win: A Complete Unknown
Who should win: Dune Part Two

Dune Part Two’s sound effects were both earth and knife-shattering. You felt everything that was happening on screen because of the clear and unique sound effects. For example, the sound of the sand and sandworms. The sound layering really created a perfect immersive experience while watching.

Best Visual Effects Nominees:

Alien: Romulus

Better Man

Dune: Part Two

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked

Who will win: Dune Part Two
Who should win: Dune Part Two

I saw Dune Part Two in IMAX, which I think is the only way you should see it. Between some of the landscapes and unique creatures, the CGI was well done and didn’t seem overdone, even though it was used frequently to create this fictitious world.

Best Animated Feature Nominees:

Flow (Janus Films/Sideshow)

Inside Out 2 (Disney/Pixar)

Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films)

The Wild Robot (Dreamworks/Universal)

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Aardman/Netflix)

Who will win: The Wild Robot
Who should win: Inside Out

I think Inside Out should win because it conveyed really important topics about growing up and mental health in a fun and accessible way for younger audiences.

Best Production Design Nominees:

The Brutalist, Judy Becker

Conclave, Suzie Davies

Dune: Part Two, Patrice Vermette

Nosferatu, Craig Lathrop

Wicked, Nathan Crowley

Who will win: Wicked
Who should win: Nosferatu

I touched on this a little bit earlier, but the use of cool colors and shadows in a haunted castle in the mountains in Nosferatu was exquisite. The scenes at night in the forest, where you couldn’t tell if the film was black and white or if it was just so bleak out, really stood out to me.

Best Costume Design Nominees:

A Complete Unknown, Arianne Phillips

Conclave, Lisy Christl

Gladiator II, Janty Yates

Nosferatu, Linda Muir

Wicked, Paul Tazewell

Who will win: Wicked
Who should win: Nosferatu

Nosferatu had gorgeous pearl gowns but also had period-accurate fur robes and nightgowns which I think deserved to win.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees:

A Different Man

Emilia Pérez

Nosferatu

The Substance

Wicked

Who will win: Wicked
Who should win: Nosferatu

Robert Eggers, the director of Nosferatu, changed the appearance of Nosferatu from the iconic 1929 original film. In the original, Nosferatu is pale white, bald, with long teeth and nails, and in a black cloak. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is much more corpse-like. He is decaying and grotesque to look at. The makeup is so impressive you couldn’t even tell who the actor was. He also gave Nosferatu a mustache, which Eggers said was inspired by art at the time.

Best Original Song Nominees:

Never Too Late, Elton John: Never Too Late (Elton John & Brandi Carlile)

El Mal, Emilia Pérez (Clement Ducol, Camille & Jacques Audiard)

Mi Camino, Emilia Pérez (Clement Ducol & Camille)

Like a Bird, Sing Sing (Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander)

The Journey, The Six Triple Eight” (Diane Warren)

Who will win: The Journey from The Six Triple Eight
Who should win: Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late

I hope “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late wins simply because I like Elton John. As long as Emilia Pérez doesn’t win anything in this category, I will be happy. The music from that movie sounded off-key and like a child wrote it.