That just happened… It was all going so well. The change in venue, change in structure and approach was all looking good. This was looking to be a successful Oscars ceremony… and then the end happened. After a smooth-sailing run, the ceremony rolled into the final three awards – Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Actor – and this is where it became a disaster. First, they announce Best Picture BEFORE the other two awards. Um… what? How do you not announce the biggest award of the ceremony at the end? First thought is that it’s stupid, and it most certainly is. Then you think that they’re probably banking on Chadwick Boseman taking home the win for Best Actor, which would be a neat ending. However, Anthony Hopkins ended up getting the win and he wasn’t there to accept the award. So, the Academy accepted the award on his behalf and cut to credits. That’s the worst ending to the Oscars I’ve ever witnessed, even worse than the whole Moonlight and La La Land debacle. Really put a sour note on the whole event with that shockingly bad last 10 minutes. I’ll clarify that all of the winners at the end there absolutely deserved to win, but it’s the structure of those final moments that was a real shitshow.
Anyway, the winners that took home their respective awards were all very well deserved. There were a couple of upsets, but overall things went more or less as planned. Nomadland walked away with 3 awards and the rest were spread out amongst the other nominees. Films such as The Father, Soul and more each took home 2 awards. Of my predictions, I got 17 of the categories correct and 6 wrong – so that’s good on my end.
The winner will be highlighted in RED
My prediction will be highlighted in GREEN.
If you don’t see an option highlighted in GREEN that’s because it’s the same as the winner.
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
What? Why is Best Picture not announced last? This doesn’t make any sense. How do you announce Best Picture before Best Actress and Best Actor? This Ceremony was good as a whole, but this last change is dumb.
Well, nevertheless, Nomadland walks away the big winner here. It was certainly the favourite going into it and very well deserved. It’s the best complete picture on the list as every single part of it works in tandem. Congratulations to Chloé Zhao and the team for creating this astounding work of art.
Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari
What the actual fuck. What a shit end to the awards. Not necessarily because of who won the award, but because it didn’t end with the biggest award and the winner of this award didn’t even do a speech.
Let me actually talk about the award, which has surprisingly gone to Anthony Hopkins. I was flip-flopping between Chadwick Boseman and Anthony Hopkins for days leading up to the ceremony and would have given it to either one. I thought for sure Chadwick was going to push over the line due to it being a posthumous award, but I guess Anthony Hopkins’ performance was just too strong. Which I agree with, Anthony Hopkins was absolutely incredible across every scene and absolutely deserved this win.
Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Personally, I’d have loved to see Carey Mulligan win here, but there’s no doubting that Frances McDormand is absolutely mesmerising across this entire film. She completes this film and makes it as brilliant as it is. Very well deserved.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
Daniel Kaluuya was one of the favourites going into this year’s ceremony, so it makes sense that he’s the one walking away with the award. I can’t speak personally about his performance, but the buzz has been that he was incredible in Judas and the Black Messiah, and this only confirms that.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
This is one of the awards which could have gone one of many different ways, with so many equally strong performances on the list. But Yuh-Jung Youn is absolutely deserving of the win for her emotionally impactful, charming performance in Minari. At 73 years of age, it’s great to see her get her Oscars win.
Directing
Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
As expected, Chloé Zhao’s remarkable directing work on Nomadland is recognised here. She did a spectacular job piecing together this film, ensuring every single element was polished and worked together to craft a singular work of art. At this point, this may mean she’s going to be up at the podium later in the night, accepting the award for Best Picture.
Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
Trial of the Chicago 7
Contrary to my belief that Nomadland should have 100% taken home this award, I’m also not surprised that Mank has taken this one home. The cinematography in Mank is the biggest achievement of that film, so if it is to get recognised for one thing tonight, it had to be Erik Messerschmidt’s cinematography. You also can’t help but think the black and white styling helps enhance the overall beauty.
Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalker
No surprises here. Soul was the outright favourite going into the night and it walks away with the win. It’s an achievement in emotional storytelling and the animation is absolutely breathtaking – meaning it’s certainly deserving of this win.
Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Having not seen Sound of Metal, I can’t speak to the editing of the film, but I’m sure it’s certainly deserving of the win. I’d have loved to see The Father take it, but at least it won another award tonight.
Music (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul
Damn, this would have been the perfect opportunity for Da 5 Bloods to be recognised with an Oscar, however it looks like Soul has come away with the unexpected win. I’d have thought Minari would have taken it if it wasn’t Da 5 Bloods, but I guess Soul really hit many people. Music was such a huge part of Soul’s narrative that it makes sense the score would be so impactful.
Music (Original Song)
“Fight For You”, Judas and the Black Messiah
“Hear My Voice”, Trial of the Chicago 7
“Husavik”, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Io Sì (Seen)”, The Life Ahead
“Speak Now”, One Night in Miami…
This is one where my prediction was a complete blind pick. Having not heard any of the songs besides “Husavik“, it was tough to predict, but hey, it worked out. I thought Husavik deserved to win regardless, but congratulations to H.E.R and all involved in crafting this song.
Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal
Well, I guess my prediction logic was correct. I haven’t seen Sound of Metal, but being a music film, it only makes sense that this one took home the win. Perhaps I need to check this one out now to see how this film crafts its sound design in a way that won it an Oscar. The fact that Riz Ahmed announced the winner of this award is a perfect coincidence.
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…
The White Tiger
I mean, surely there’s no other way this could have gone. The Father was so beautifully written that the dialogue alone was captivating enough to keep you engaged the entire time. Florian Zeller did an exceptional job at adapting his story for the screen, so this is very well deserved.
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Right out the gate, Emerald Fennell gets her first win of the night for her work on Promising Young Woman. She wrote this film to perfection and crafted a spellbinding screenplay that was absolutely deserving of the win. Hopefully this means we’ll hear Promising Young Woman win more awards throughout the night.
Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet
As expected, Tenet gets recognised for its stellar visual effects. The film looked absolutely stunning, so it makes complete sense that it would get the win – especially since it’s the only really “major” blockbuster on the list.
Predictions in Additional Categories
Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet
Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Mulan
Pinocchio
Documentary (Feature)
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time
Documentary (Short Subject)
Colette
A Concerto is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
International Feature Film
Another Round
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio
Short Film (Animated)
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People
Short Film (Live Action)
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Everything Movie Reviews 