Reaction to the 2026 Oscars

Another good show. Everything was fine for the most part: the host, the winners, the speeches, the comedic bits, and the whole visual presentation of the show. However, the biggest problem was the abysmal audio, causing presenters to sound like they were underwater and the constant mixing issues and sound drops, particularly with the Best Supporting Actor winner reveal.

Nice having Conan again. He brought back the old Billy Crystal "in the movies" schtick for the opener, he had several good barbs, the jabs at the future of the Oscars with YouTube ads and the potential threat of Mr. Beast as a host were effective, and he had a nice balance of goofy and seriousness, with little to no smug.  The only misfire was the concluding skit of him becoming "host for life" only to die via air poisoning and having his body burned. While wacky, it was just a little too grim and dark to end the ceremony on. Apparently, it may have been a reference to One Battle After Another but still, a bizarre coda.

Having Matt Berry as the announcer was a nice touch.

15-9 in my Oscar predictions. Mainly got tripped up on the obvious winners (seriously, I went with F1 over Avatar in Best Visual Effects?!) and forgetting that the Academy absolutely loves Guillermo del Toro.

I'll get around to watching One Battle After Another some day. At least I can find comfort in the fact that the PTA fans can finally shut up about how amazing and great and stupendous he is and how the Academy never showed him love. He personally walked with three last night and his film got the most awards with six. You can stop now.

Glad that Sinners got four awards and made history with its Best Cinematography win. Still stinks that Delroy Lindo didn't win.

Michael B. Jordan. Oscar winner in acting. Still crazy that it actually happened.

So glad Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress. It's so great when one of your favorite underrated actors finally get their moment to shine and get an Oscar for it.

I called it. Marty Supreme. Zero wins. A part of me is actually kinda happy that it lost.

Liked the "I Lied To You" performance but no lie, the live-staging of the "piercing the veil" loses a lot of the magic, plus it's so confusing to anyone who hasn't seen it.

The presentation of the newest award, Best Casting, unfortunately brought back the model of having five actors telling the nominees how great they are. Even with the nice fact that three of the five presenters were actors who famously got snubbed (Paltrow, Mescal, Infiniti) and that they were saying all the fluff to a regular Hollywood worker instead of another actor, it again slowed things down, way down. Even Francine Maisler was getting tired of it all before shockingly losing to Cassandra Kulukundis.

We saw another tie with Best Live Action Short. Both filmmakers had good speeches, particularly the Two People Exchanging Saliva crew, who also refused to be played off by the orchestra.

Kieran Culkin saved the Sean Penn win, audio drop-out, and Penn no-show by basically calling out his disappearing act and infamous bad boy behavior.

The In Memoriam did kinda have to be long, what with the major passings of Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford. However, it was hampered by visual/audio problems and many major snubs. Boo on the Academy for leaving out Brigitte Bardot, Bud Cort, and Hulk Hogan. Yeah, you might question that last one but Hogan starred in many movies and had a bigger impact than say T.K. Carter, and I like T.K. Carter.

Pedro Pascal made so many worst-dressed lists what with his decision to go suit jacket-less and have a giant ugly flower pined to his left breast.

Those audience members who went crazy for the documentary mentions and awards were a nice surprise.

Good skit: the Bridesmaids reunion and the secret messages they got from the audience.

Bad skit: the Pullmans, Bill and Lewis, trying to get through a weird, uncomfortable bit about who's better.

No back-to-back wins for Brazil in Best International Feature. Sentimental Value needed to get something.

Everything with "Golden", save for the actual singers and presentation, was just disappointing. After all the controversy of who gets to perform during the show and what the actual audience would want to see, they come out and don't do the full song. And then when it won Best Song, the show producers finally had enough of "long" acceptance speeches and played the songwriters off with no chance of continuing.

And that's all I have to say. See you all next year!

2026 Oscar Predictions

Now, as always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what I wish would win.

Best Picture: One Battle After Another

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another

Best Actress: Jessie Buckley - Hamnet

Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn - One Battle After Another

Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler - Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another

Best Animated Feature Film: KPop Demon Hunters

Best International Feature Film: The Secret Agent

Best Documentary Feature: The Perfect Neighbor

Best Documentary (Short Subject): All The Empty Rooms

Best Animated Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Best Live Action Short Film: The Singers

Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson - Sinners

Best Original Song: "Golden" - KPop Demon Hunters

Best Casting: Francine Maisler - Sinners

Best Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw - Sinners

Best Film Editing: Andy Jurgensen - One Battle After Another

Best Production Design: Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne - Sinners

Best Costume Design: Malgosia Turzanska - Hamnet

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin, and Bjoern Rehbein - The Smashing Machine

Best Sound: F1

Best Visual Effects: F1

I expect it to be as-even-as-you-can split between Sinners and One Battle After Another across all the awards. PTA is absolutely sure to get Best Director. However, if Sinners can somehow win Best Editing, we might see a great upset at the last award.

I really think Marty Supreme is going to get a duck egg tomorrow. It already got its love with its many nominations but the film seems to have lost a ton of steam since, doubly so for Chalamet. He got way too overexposed and started annoying many people with his antics, especially with those comments about opera and ballet. I expect DiCaprio to get his second Best Actor win.

I would be so happy if Ethan Hawke can get the sleeper win for Best Actor instead.

Buckley is the still the odds-on favorite for Best Actress but we could see Renate Reinsve as a shocker.

Really, really want Delroy Lindo and Amy Madigan for the supporting categories. Unfortunately, Penn and del Toro still have the strong advantage to win Best Supporting Actor. As for Best Supporting Actress, what is going on there? It seemed like it was it was gonna be Teyana Taylor but not anymore. Madigan has a chance but I think Fanning will get it, both for her performance and as a reward for being one of the best young American actresses for some time now. See Reese Witherspoon's previous win in this category as proof.

The Brazilians will get their way with The Secret Agent winning over Sentimental Value in Best International Feature.

Man, the docs and shorts continue to be really depressing. The only short I saw was The Singers, via Netflix naturally. Certainly not the greatest I've ever seen but at least it's slightly uplifting.

While I will laugh at Diane Warren not winning again, I do hope she and the other neglected Best Song nominees get to perform. Seriously, Oscar producers, there is always a crappy comedy bit or a pointless musical/dance number that can be cut. Case in point, who remembers the Quincy Jones tribute from last year, with Queen Latifah singing a song that he didn't create (and can you name the song too)?

VROOM, VROOM! F1 obviously will win Best Sound. And I expect it to snipe Best Visual Effects from the Avatar crew.

Though The Smashing Machine is now being written in the history books as a big disappointment, I hope it wins Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Enjoy the Oscars tomorrow, everybody!

Reaction to the 2025 Oscars

The show itself was fine. The good speeches, witty jokes, and shocking wins were negated by pointless musical numbers, some mean orchestra play offs, and one acceptance speech that will go down as one of the worst of all time and and the best example of what-not-to-do at the Oscars (for those that are wondering, that would be the one for Best Animated Short).

Conan was a good host. It has been awhile since I last saw him perform so I forgot all of his goofy and wacky antics. Luckily, he had a good hit rate with the jokes and his low blows felt more like proper jabs and didn't kill the flow of the show.

12-11 in my Oscar predictions. Big oof. The Big Four, the shorts and documentaries are what really killed me. Honestly, I can't think of a time where I ever failed completely at predicting the Big Four.

I truly, honestly didn't think that Anora would do so well with the Academy. But hey, though I still haven't seen it (I skipped my chance last year so I could see A Real Pain instead), I'm very glad for Sean Baker, the cast and crew for their achievements.

Emilia Pérez. 13 nominations. Only two wins. Seems that everyone in Hollywood finally decided to smell the coffee.

A Complete Unknown. More like A Complete Duck Egg, amirite?

So very happy for Flow winning Best Animated Feature. Would have been cool if it also won Best International Feature but then we wouldn't cheer for...

I'm Still Here with the steal of a lifetime! Man, those Brazilians know what to do when it comes to Oscar campaigning.

I think this ceremony greatly shows why the Oscar Clips for the acting categories are far and away better than the "Congrats, you're swell!" mini-speeches. Because remember people, the general public still don't know or have watched these movies and a clip showing their ACTING! is a far easier sell than "Jeremy Strong is great because this one time, he slept in the fan bleachers when I was nominated for Chaplin".

Also, seriously? We just had to do the five presenters thing for Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography? Great way to showcase the great achievements in camerawork by having a tiny box for it.

Dear lord, I wish that deliberate shot of sad John Lithgow was shown after that Emilia Pérez clip for Best Adapted Screenplay aired. "Change the soul", woof!

More mocking for Emilia Pérez came when its director Jacques Audiard was spotted wearing a production hat for the movie while sitting the audience! So lame. You sir are no Spike Lee!

Even more mocking came when Emilia Pérez won Best Original Song. Everybody finally realized, hey wait, these three very white French people wrote this "Mexican" song? Then they go up and Audiard is just walking around like a lost old fogey while the two composers awkwardly belt out a different song from the film.

Why do a song-and-dance tribute to James Bond when no new movie came out or is on the horizon? Also, Raye is an okay singer but she is certainly not Adele.

Also didn't dig the so-called tribute to Quincy Jones. At least Colman Domingo was having fun.

Ben Stiller once again got to a do a great gag as a presenter for Best Production Design. Compliments to the show director for the great camera shots of Stiller being swallowed by the set.

It was great idea having Mick Jagger present for Best Original Song and reuniting Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal as the presenters for Best Film.

At the end of the day, I'm happy for Adrian Brody winning again and completing his comeback story. Great speech as well only for it to get ruined at one point by The Brutalist director looking really ornery for some apparent reason. 

And of course, Michelle Trachtenberg was Farina'd during the In Memoriam, yet the producers were able to get Gene Hackman in time despite having three days notice. I was also pissed when I remembered that Tony Todd was left out. Seriously, freaking Candyman got cut yet TV icon Bob Newhart got in!

And that's all I have to say. See you all next year!

2025 Oscars Predictions

Before I start, I want to pay my respects to three special people who helped shaped my life through their art. To David Lynch, Michelle Trachtenburg, and Gene Hackman. Rest In Peace.

Now, as always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what I wish would win.

Best Picture: Conclave

Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

Best Actress: Demi Moore - The Substance

Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain

Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez

Best Director: Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

Best Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg - A Real Pain

Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan - Conclave

Best Animated Feature Film: Flow

Best International Feature Film: I'm Still Here

Best Documentary Feature: No Other Land

Best Documentary (Short Subject): Incident

Best Animated Short Film: Wander To Wonder

Best Live Action Short Film: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best Original Score: Daniel Blumberg - The Brutalist

Best Original Song: "Like A Bird" - Sing Sing

Best Cinematography: Lol Crawley - The Brutalist

Best Film Editing: Nick Emerson - Conclave

Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales - Wicked

Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell - Wicked

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Frances Hannon, Laura Blount, and Sarah Nuth - Wicked

Best Sound: Dune: Part Two

Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two

So yeah, I didn't do my initial reaction to the Oscar nominations this year. I had some thoughts but not many. It would have been me rambling on and on about how I too don't understand this hype over Emilia Pérez and what not. And by the time when I was about to write up the article and post it, the Karla Sofía Gascón controversy started and it just didn't seem right to post my late thoughts after such a huge and juicy Hollywood story.

Now because of the large discourse around the movie and the huge pushback by seemingly everyone except people living in and/or operating in Hollywood, we have an open race for the major awards, most notably Best Picture. The Brutalist and Anora have a high chance but I think Conclave will be the one crowned at the end of the night. A safe pick for a wild year.

I believe we will see another split between Best Picture and Best Director. It just seems that The Brutalist has lost a lot of steam since the nominations but the Academy will still want to reward Brady Corbet for everything he did to make his passion project.

I think Anora is going to be the next The Irishman. Its other three most likely wins in Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay each have a better option with a better "only in Hollywood" story to tell.

I have now seen A Complete Unknown and I firmly put my bet on Chalamet for Best Actor. He really gets into the role and you truly believe that he's Bob Dylan.

Flow all the way! I was so happy that the little Latvian animated movie that could got two nominations and I truly hope and wish that we have another non-Double D (Disney or Dreamworks) winner tomorrow for Best Animated Feature.

Because of all of the controversy, save against Saldana, and the huge support from Brazil, I expect I'm Still Here to shock everyone by nabbing Best International Feature over Emilia Pérez.

God, the documentaries have gotten really dire and depressing as of late. I mean, yeah I get it, I too have access to world news, but it seems the Academy's documentary branch needs to take a chill pill and stop or at least lay off with all of the dark real stories. That all being said, I think Incident will win Best Documentary (Short Subject) over Netflix's The Only Girl In The Orchestra simply because the stark and horrifying short has been championed and much discussed online since its nomination.

Diane Warren could finally see her first win. That's what happens when you don't have any real competition and no genuinely good movie songs that the Academy want to celebrate from 2024. Seriously, I have not seen one person say that they actually like a song from Emilia Pérez. But I still think Sing Sing will steal away the glory instead.

I really hope Conclave gets Best Editing. Not only to set up its Best Picture win but because the editing was truly magnificent.

Wicked and Dune: Part Two will fight over the tech awards, though my heart does go to the crew for Nosferatu and Better Man. I know a lot of people mock Wicked being nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling simply for the green makeup on Cynthia Erivo but hello, aren't you forgetting the second part of that award? I couldn't keep my eyes away from Elphaba's beautiful long braided hair or the hairdos on Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, and Jonathan Bailey.

Well, enjoy the Oscars tomorrow everybody, especially since they are bringing back movie clips and finally getting rid of those five presenters and their "you're great" mini-speeches to the acting noms. Geez, I wonder why the producers chose to forgo that, huh?

Reaction to the 2024 Oscars

Hey, would you look at this! I'm actually doing an Oscar ceremony reaction post for the first time in forever!

I didn't want to go in super extra detail like I used to, forgoing my phone's notes app as I watched the show, but I still at least wanted to jot down my thoughts and feelings right now while I still have the energy and spirit for it.

Jimmy Kimmel was fine. Standard bland and safe comedy. His Madame Web joke didn't hit at all like his Babylon quip last year and his Sandra Huller rib about her movies in Germany are treated as rom-coms was a complete and utter dud. And then he had to stink up the joint with the show's final gag by of course continuing his stale feud with Matt Damon. The Donald Trump tweet was a killer moment though.

The show was alright overall. I appreciate the early start time and how for the most part the show kept its momentum. However, I hated the return of the five individual presenters and their "you're beautiful, fellow actor" mini speeches for all of the acting categories. Those traditional Oscar movie clips sell the actors, the nominations, and the movies themselves to the public, not some sweet nothings! Plus, it cuts down on time, which the Oscar producers are always annoyed about.

The absolute worst presenter went to Al Pacino for pulling a Laurence Olivier circa the 1985 Oscars and his anticlimactic, rambling reading of the Best Picture winner.

Favorite presenter bit is a three-way tie between John Cena's near full monty, the Twins reunion that turned into a staredown with Batman, and John Mulaney spoiling Field Of Dreams.

The "I'm Just Ken" performance will certainly live on in future Oscar recaps.

I didn't absolutely hate the In Memoriam segment like everybody else but yeah, it could have been better. Didn't like how Treat Williams and Burt Young were relegated to some small text.

16-7 in my Oscar predictions.

I'm weirdly glad Emma Stone got Best Actress. Seems a lot more people were with me on the opinion of Lily Gladstone's performance.

Very happy that Godzilla Minus One got Best Visual Effects, The Boy And The Heron easily nabbed Best Animated Feature, and The Zone Of Interest for Best Sound.

The only award I was sad for was when Barbie didn't get Best Costume Design. Man, the Academy just really didn't care for that movie beyond Best Song.

It could be worst. Barbie could have been Killers Of The Flower Moon. Another duck egg for Martin Scorsese as his latest was totally shut out. Just like The Irishman.

And that's all I have to say. See you all next year!

2024 Oscars Predictions

As always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what movie I wish would win.

Best Picture: Oppenheimer

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone - Killers Of The Flower Moon

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers

Best Director: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Best Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - Anatomy Of A Fall

Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Best Animated Feature Film: The Boy And The Heron

Best International Feature Film: The Zone Of Interest

Best Documentary Feature: The Eternal Memory

Best Documentary (Short Subject): The ABCs Of Book Banning

Best Animated Short Film: Letters To A Pig

Best Live Action Short Film: The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar

Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer

Best Original Song: "What Was I Made For?" - Barbie

Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema - Oppenheimer

Best Film Editing: Jennifer Lame - Oppenheimer

Best Production Design: James Price, Shona Heath, and Zsuzsa Mihalek - Poor Things

Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran - Barbie

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier, and Josh Weston - Poor Things

Best Sound: The Zone Of Interest

Best Visual Effects: The Creator

Man, I don't know if it's because of the easily expected Oppenheimer wins or airing in March, or even my slowly evolving disappointment with this year's Eurovision, but I am not very enthusiastic for the Oscars.

I have Oppenheimer walking away with 8 wins for the night. Film and Director are givens, and unfortunately for us Giamatti fanatics, Actor is also now a lock for Murphy.

Not much to say about the other acting categories. They are all locks. Still don't understand the contingents that think Emma Stone has a chance.

I think the Academy's lack of love for Barbie will continue with it losing out in Best Adapted Screenplay.

Oh how I wish for Past Lives to actually win for Best Original Screenplay. Please just grant me one wish, the Academy!

Easy locks for Animated and International Features. Moving on.

20 Days In Mariupol might likely win, keeping the trend of Best Documentary going to films focused on "current world developments and news stories" rather than actual documentary stories, but I put my bet on the more interesting offering.

Speaking of "current events", I went for that for Best Documentary (Short Subject).

Oh what to pick for Best Animated Short Film? Hmm? Letters To A Pig involves the Holocaust? Well hot dog, the Academy will eat that up!

Here's hoping Wes Anderson finally gets an Oscar.

Yep, Oppenheimer is going to get some of the tech awards but I strongly feel and really justifiably believe that Best Sound go to The Zone Of Interest.

Either Poor Things or Barbie in the artistic categories. Poor Things will most likely get all three but I think Barbie will sneak away with Best Costume Design.

I really wish the Godzilla Minus One team get Best Visual Effects over the very forgettable The Creator. However, the special effects of The Creator are pretty excellent, hence why the film's trailer was more focused on them rather than the story.

Well, enjoy the Oscars, if you still care about them like I do. I would say stay tuned for my reaction to the awards and the ceremony on Monday but I never seem to truly follow through with that anymore.

Initial Reaction to the 2024 Oscar Nominations

Oh boy, so we'll get to the big elephant in the room but first let me just sum up my feelings on today's Oscar noms: Pretty much expected and not too surprised.

All I really wanted were just three nominations: The Boy And The Heron for Best Animated Film (a total lock), Godzilla Minus One for Best Visual Effects (a nice surprise), and Greta Lee for Best Actress (big ole nope).

Okay, now for the biggest news of the day: Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig both snubbed! I knew it, I knew it in my bones that both would be left off the ballot and sure enough it happened.

The Academy: Gee thanks Gerwig for helping save movie theaters by making the #1 movie of the year. What? You want Best Director? Don't be absurd! You're a woman and you made a comedy. If you were a woman and made a drama, no scratch that, a dark drama that's in a foreign language, maybe we can talk. Oh, but don't worry! See, we got you a nom for Best Adapted Screenplay. You should thanks us for that opportunity.

I know American Fiction is getting a ton of raves and such but I still don't really care much for it. I kinda liked it when it was originally called Bamboozled. And "Wacky Deli".

My beloved Past Lives, only got Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Two great noms that anyone would sell their kidneys for but still a disappointment for me.

I'm happy that Jonathan Glazer is finally getting some recognition. It just sucks that he had to go the Holocaust route, which the Academy just can't get enough of, in order to draw eyes. Meanwhile, Under The Skin continues to grow in stature, even with its lack of Oscar love.

I like Colman Domingo but it kinda sucks his big first nom is for an Oscar bait movie that nobody cared for on Netflix (just like Maestro!).

Nyad had that package deal. If you voted for Annette Bening, Jodie Foster had to be included.

Would have liked to see Willem Dafoe get a nom for Best Supporting Actor just so he can continue being the king of that category.

I'm glad America Ferrera got her first nom. Her big but divisive monologue in the movie must have sealed it for voters. Honestly would have wanted Kate McKinnon instead.

No Killers Of The Flower Moon for Best Adapted Screenplay. Good.

So very happy that the Disney bloc used their push to get Wish into Best Animated Feature. Really sucks that Suzume didn't have a chance but I am very happy for the crew behind Nimona and Robot Dreams.

I still haven't seen Society Of The Snow yet but I'm glad for J.A. Bayona's success, both with the streaming numbers for the movie and it getting into Best International Feature Film.

Everyone, let's all point and laugh at France! Those idiots didn't want to back Anatomy Of A Fall due to the director's comments back at Cannes. It got five nominations while The Taste Of Things got to taste nothing but stale air.

Wow, I just realized recently and especially today how 2023 was a pretty blah year for documentaries. I never heard of any of these films!

Fucking Diane Warren. For the song nobody knows, from the Cheetos movie that no one saw and has pretty much become the biggest "bomb" ever for a streaming movie.

Seriously, no "Dance The Night"?!

Nothing for Ferrari. Good.

Still haven't joined the public in seeing Saltburn so I can't really feel too bad for it being snubbed.

Oh wow! The Academy didn't care for All Of Us Strangers and Origin?! I'm shocked, shocked!

That about does it. Come back in March for my predictions which I obviously will fail at.

2023 Oscars Predictions

As always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what movie I wish would win.

Best Picture: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Actor: Austin Butler - Elvis

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett - Tár

Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Supporting Actress: Kerry Condon - The Banshees Of Inisherin

Best Director: Steven Spielberg - The Fabelmans

Best Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh - The Banshees Of Inisherin

Best Adapted Screenplay: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, and Ian Stokell - All Quiet On The Western Front

Best Animated Feature Film: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Best International Feature Film: All Quiet On The Western Front

Best Documentary Feature: Fire Of Love

Best Documentary (Short Subject): The Elephant Whisperers

Best Animated Short Film: My Year Of Dicks

Best Live Action Short Film: Le Pupille

Best Original Score: Justin Hurwitz - Babylon

Best Original Song: "Naatu Naatu" - RRR

Best Cinematography: James Friend - All Quiet On The Western Front

Best Film Editing: Paul Rogers - Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Production Design: Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, and Bev Dunn - Elvis

Best Costume Design: Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, and Aldo Signoretti - Elvis

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Catherine Martin - Elvis

Best Sound: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects: Avatar: The Way Of Water

Betting on Everything winning it all in the end but I do see a timeline where All Quiet is announced to the shock and horror of the crowd.

Butler or Fraser. The new hot thing from Elvis that nobody really knows or really trusts as a capable actor versus the likable, bankable former star with a great comeback story until a much better comeback story came around and people actually saw The Whale. What ultimately helped sway me is the sheer fact that biopics do very, very well in Best Actor.

I really want Michelle Yeoh to win. I really, really, really do. But Blanchett is Blanchett and I can easily see us having another Boseman/Hopkins debacle. Plus even I picked someone else over Yeoh when doing my own Best Actress.

Quan still has it in the bag.

Best Supporting Actress has been a toss up in recent weeks. Save for Chau who has no chance of winning. Hsu and Curtis will likely cancel each other out, however the latter has been on an upswing after winning at the SAGs. I would love for Bassett to win but the anti-superhero bias that Academy has, plus the fact that her character/performance is no Ledger Joker, has everyone giving up on her. That's why I think Condon is going to win.

The Academy doesn't really like directing duos. Unless they want to give Everything a big total, I expect Spielberg to be treated to his second Oscar for Best Director.

Everything is pegged to win Best Original Screenplay but I think the Academy would rather treat the award to something less sci-fi/action heavy. I have Banshees winning but I would not be shocked if Triangle of Sadness snatches it instead.

I feel bad for Sarah Polley, even though I like the rest of the world don't really care or want to watch Women Talking. All Quiet is going to eat its lunch when it comes to Best Adapted Screenplay.

I so want Pinocchio to win Best Animated Feature. I regrettably still haven't seen Turning Red despite having an active Disney+ account and a blu-ray of the movie. It might be a great film that I ultimately love but I really don't want Disney/Pixar to keep dominating this category all the time. They have won it here nine out of the last ten years!

No comment needed for Best International Feature.

God damn, the Documentary categories are tough this year. I have to go with my heart and choose Fire Of Love. But the Academy might want to make a political statement this year and give it either to the one featuring the plights of Ukraine (A House Made Of Splinters) or the plight or a Russian opposition leader (Navalny). Of course there's also the "save the birds/Earth" one (All That Breathes) and the "Nan Goldin says fuck the Sacklers" one (All The Beauty and The Bloodshed). But come on, nothing really beats the dangerously beauty of Mother Nature.

As for Doc Short, I went with the animal one. Yeah, Stranger At The Gate has the more interesting American story and big backing behind it but never doubt a doc from Netflix.

Best Animated Short can be really tricky when there isn't a much loved Disney/Pixar entry involved. My Year Of Dicks has stood far out since its nomination and voters most likely would have checked it out simply because of its catchy title. But The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse has big time actors doing voices, was released on Apple+ on Christmas, and has won many awards. Then you have Ice Merchants which also picked up a bunch of awards. I still have to go with Dicks but The Boy is very close at sniping it.

Le Pupille is on Disney+ and it was produced by Alfonso Cuarón. Of course it's winning Best Live Action Short.

Apparently the score in All Quiet had many people talking about it so it could win Best Original Score. But as much as I disliked Babylon, the bombastic score for it is pretty good, not to mention it's one of the few scores that stayed with me from last year.

I enthusiastically wish for "Naatu Naatu" to win Best Song. Rihanna bore me to tears, Lady Gaga had beautiful music but shitty lyrics, I and everybody else don't really remember the Everything song (plus I love David Byrne but he already has an Oscar), and Diane Warren is only here because of all of her friends in the Academy.

I mean come on, Everything has to win Best Editing. All that handling of the timelines, that amazing moment with the multiple overlaying Michelle Yeohs, the big finale, etc.

Elvis is clearly going to get a lot of the tech awards though I'm still standing my ground on Best Cinematography. As much as I wish for a woman to finally win in the category, this time being Mandy Walker, I expect the voters to forgo making history chiefly in order to award yet another pretty looking "war is hell" movie.

I was originally going to have Avatar be shut out of all categories. However, after watching an official Oscars video on the Visual Effects nominees, as well as hearing people's opinions on the sci-fi sequel that I still haven't seen, I had to dash that hope. It will most likely win Best Visual Effects, even though I wish it would go to Top Gun: Maverick.

See you on Monday with my reaction to the awards and the ceremony itself.

Initial Reaction to the 2023 Oscar Nominations

Once again, I'm back in the saddle to react to the Oscar noms. No big emotions either way on any of them. They were all pretty much what I expected.

I am glad Everything Everywhere All At Once got the headlines with the most Oscar nominations (11) but I do kinda feel that it will not win Best Picture. It thankfully will not suffer a shutout as Quan is a definite lock for Best Supporting Actor. I was very happy that Jaime Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu got in for Best Supporting Actress

Dear lord, I've been monitoring the awards train for All Quiet On The Western Front as it prepared to make its final stop at the Academy but I didn't expect it to transform into a Thomas The Tank Engine-like superbeast! It didn't get the most nominations (tying with Banshees with 9) but it felt like it was nominated in every single category. That's what happens when your movie title starts with an A!

Babylon go rightfully shafted. I chuckled whenever I read or heard from the "awards experts" saying it would definitely get in for Best Picture. People actually need to see it, like it and like Damien Chazelle again before that could have happened. In fairness, I am glad it got in for Production Design, Costume Design, and Score. Sucks that Margot Robbie didn't get Best Actress but we will get to that category in a bit.

Oh no, the shock, the horror at Black Panther 2 not getting a Best Picture nom! Seriously, the movie is popular but not Top Gun: Maverick popular. It made a lot of money but there really wasn't any truly meaningful conversation about the movie itself outside of Angela Bassett. Please let her finally get an Oscar!

Women Talking was highly talked about all through last year among critics. Unfortunately for the movie, those were the only people who really cared about it quite frankly. I knew it was too dark and depressing for the Academy but hey at least they got in for Best Picture.

Now, as for the controversy surrounding Best Director. Yes, it does suck that there is not a single female director nominated after two back-to-back wins in the category. It would have been cool if someone like Sarah Polley was there. But you must always remember that the Oscars is and always will be a popularity contest amongst a closed knit industry. Though there should be diversity in the big name categories, that doesn't mean the Academy must always leave a spot open just for the sake of a token appearance.

James Cameron didn't get a nom for Best Director. The fact that that snub is being talked about in the same breath as the no women directors discourse is so unbelievably hypocritical.

I'm happy for the somewhat surprise success of Triangle of Sadness. I wish Charlbi Dean or Woody Harrelson would've gotten nominated though. And yes, I would rather have Dean in contention over Dolly de Leon.

Hooray for Paul Mescal getting in for Best Actor. And though he's in the traditional British actor/career thespian nom slot, I'm happy that Bill Nighy finally got to be noticed by the Academy. Where were they after Love Actually came out?

No Tom Cruise for Best Actor but that was expected.

Ana de Armas?! She's one of my favorite actresses working today but come on, the Academy. We as a true blue American society have tried to forget that Blonde was ever a thing.

Oh, Andrea Riseborough got nominated. Interesting.

Yeah, I'm not really shocked about the Riseborough nom. If you were following Hollywood news and gossip lately, you would have already heard about the sudden and very loud social media praise she was getting in the last couple of weeks, most notably from many very big actors and actresses.

The Woman King completely snubbed, including Viola Davis. This despite that movie being one of the very, very few profitable awards season movies last year. No Danielle Deadwyler for Till also sucks.

Please let this not be the only time Brian Tyree Henry gets Oscar love.

I do pour one out for Paul Dano losing out in Best Supporting Actor but Judd Hirsch is just so great in the few scenes he's in.

No Janelle Monae! Okay, I take back the "no big emotions" remark. That's some bullshit right there.

Surely, the Oscars would give a lot of love to Jordan Peele and Nope, right? Insert Dean Ambrose/Jon Moxley gif here. Honestly, I knew the Academy would not treat that movie well, to the point that I just plain forget that it was snubbed until some critics pointed it out in their reaction articles. I roll my eyes at anyone who really though Keke Palmer had a chance but the fact that the movie didn't get a nom for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound is pretty astounding.

No Inu Oh or Mad God for Best Animated Feature. Kinda prefer one of those over Puss In Boots 2.

Decision To Leave, Saint Omer, Plan 75, The Quiet Girl and Bardo all missed out in Best International Feature. Shame about that. Well, except for Bardo of course.

No RRR for Best International Feature is a complete shocker, considering all of the hype and chatter it had last year. At least it's there for Best Song. Which leads too...

No Taylor Swift! Hooray! Now if only Rihanna and Lady Gaga weren't there as well. Seriously though, I like/love those three but their movie songs all had issues.

Of course Diane Warren found a way to get in. Remember what I said about the Oscars being a popularity contest?

My Year of Dicks. What a title! And what a great audience break for that during the nomination reveals. Only for it to get better when it is followed by An Ostrich Told Me The World Is Fake And I Think I Believe It.

No Top Gun: Maverick for Best Cinematography! Are you freaking kidding me?! Look, I love Roger Deakins, but Empire of Light being nominated over Top Gun is ridiculous.

Hey, remember She Said? No? The Academy didn't either.

That about does it. Come back in March for my predictions which I obviously will fail at.

2022 Oscars Predictions

As always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what movie I wish would win.

Best Picture: The Power of the Dog

Best Actor: Will Smith - King Richard

Best Actress: Olivia Colman - The Lost Daughter

Best Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur - CODA

Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose - West Side Story

Best Director: Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Best Original Screenplay: Adam McKay and David Sirota - Don't Look Up

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sian Heder - CODA

Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto

Best International Feature Film: Drive My Car

Best Documentary Feature: Flee

Best Documentary (Short Subject): Audible

Best Animated Short Film: Robin Robin

Best Live Action Short Film: The Long Goodbye

Best Original Score: Jonny Greenwood - The Power of the Dog

Best Original Song: "No Time To Die" - No Time To Die

Best Cinematography: Ari Wegner - The Power of the Dog

Best Film Editing: Peter Sciberras - The Power of the Dog

Best Production Design: Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos - Dune

Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell - West Side Story

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras - House of Gucci

Best Sound: Dune

Best Visual Effects: Dune

Oh boy, I can't wait the most unanticipated Oscars of all time, which is sure to net its worst television ratings of all time!

Seriously though, I so don't really care for this year's Oscars even as a diehard fan. The rest of America will be more vicious and not even bother to watch or care.

Yeah, I know I just copied-pasted the two previous lines from my predictions last year but it is still true. Like seriously, Wanda Sykes = Ratings Success?! Fuck no!

As many an Oscar podcaster have stated, either this will be a small bump up from last year or be a complete debacle. Everyone in Hollywood save for ABC and the delusion Oscar producers are royally pissed off at the subtraction of 8 awards from being fully broadcasted, the show seriously starting a hour before it goes live to the nation, the rumored presence of non-Hollywood people such as Tony Hawk, Shaun White and Kelly Slater, the addition of a "We Don't Talk About Bruno" number despite it not being nominated or having a chance to be because Disney royally fucked up, and plenty more.

I'm fine with Regina Hall as a host but Wanda Sykes is true X-Pac heat for me. Seriously, her getting such a major gig in 2022 despite doing nothing of true worth since the early 2000's? As for Amy Schumer, I don't really care for her much anymore. She's long past her peak stardom, Hollywood gave up on her after several failures and she has mostly been doing a cooking show. It would be nice for her to get a second chance but her recent very serious/not really funny crack that she wants Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to participate has made a lot of people shake their heads.

I predict the television ratings to be somewhere between 7.85 and 9.65 million viewers. And that's me being generous. If you think I'm being too cynical, look up the recent data on the viewership numbers for all of the Best Picture nominees.

Speaking of Best Picture, it is all down to The Power of the Dog or CODA to win the big cheese. CODA is a crowd pleaser but I thought last year the Academy would want a crowd pleaser to win and that prediction failed. Plus, the Academy is now more open and international so unless Drive My Car pulls a Chariots of Fire, Dog will surely win.

But man, if Netflix fails again and Apple becomes the first streaming service to win Best Picture, that will be so soul-crushing.

Campion is a lock for Director. No discussion.

My gut has been on Cumberbatch winning Best Actor but all of the voices and recent award wins for Will Smith has me second guessing. I very much could see another Best Actor fiasco like last year's but I think the Academy wants to finally reward Smith, similar to how they rewarded DiCaprio.

Best Actress is so incredibly hard to predict. Chastain is the favorite, especially with all of the campaigning she did, but I hear a lot of people saying it might go to Colman or Cruz. Kidman has no chance in hell and Stewart is a dark horse but I'm going with Colman. People love her as much or even more than Chastain right now.

Kotsur has eaten Smit-McPhee's lunch recently at many awards so he and DeBose are locks for the Supporting categories.

The screenplay awards are also so difficult to predict. Original Screenplay will either be Don't Look Up or The Worst Person in the World but Adapted Screenplay can go to any of them except for Dune.

I really, really, really want The Mitchells vs. The Machines or Flee to win Best Animated Feature but the Disney collective in the Academy is still too strong and Encanto has been too big in the American pop culture to ignore. Luca and Raya and the Last Dragon will surely not split the votes for Disney to win here.

However, I really can see Flee making history by winning Best Documentary. Summer of Soul has been the heavy favorite but this is an once-in-a-lifetime event, something an Academy member would be a fool to pass up on helping make history.

Drive My Car is a lock for International Feature. No chance for the yak.

Expect Netflix to pick up two of the short categories and for Riz Ahmed to finally earn an Oscar albeit for his live-action short instead of his acting.

Best Score, which so stupidly is not going to be performed and awarded live on television, is down between Hans Zimmer and Jonny Greenwood. It's either going to be part of The Power of the Dog's grand collection or part of Dune's potential sweep of the tech categories.

Similar as to when Sam Smith won, I expect another Bond song to "surprisingly" win Best Original Song. Lin-Manuel Miranda is just going to have to continue waiting for his EGOT.

After being famously almost snubbed, I will laugh when it is announced that House of Gucci won Best Makeup and Hairstyling over The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

Much to the horror of your parents, Belfast is going to be shut out.

And no, I don't give two shits about the Oscar Fan Favorite vote.

See you on Monday with my reaction to the awards and the ceremony itself.

Initial Reaction to the 2022 Oscar Nominations

So I'm back in the saddle to react to the Oscar noms but I'm not starting off my raves and rants first with a major snub. Sure, I'm not super jazzed about Belle not getting into Best Animated Feature (more on that category later) but everything was pretty much expected for the most part.

7 out of 10 for the predictions for Best Picture. My bet on Drive My Car paid off but The Lost Daughter; tick, tick... BOOM!; and The Tragedy of Macbeth lost out to King Richard, Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley.

Really surprised but not totally shocked at Nightmare Alley getting in for Best Pic. That's largely because of all the news and Hollywood gossip I've been hearing about how hard Guillermo del Toro has been campaigning for it in L.A.

If you really, truly, deeply thought that the Academy would give Spider-Man: No Way Home a nom for Best Picture, you really need to get out of the echo chambers you locked yourself in and see the sun again.

I should be really mad at Denis Villeneuve getting snubbed for Best Director but I honestly don't care that much. Still a shocking surprise though.

I really thought the Academy was going to do two women directors again but alas, nothing for Maggie Gyllenhaal. I somehow thought Paul Thomas Anderson had no chance but at least Ryusuke Hamaguchi got in after having a stellar 2021.

Best Actor noms were easy picks yet I stupidly thought Javier Bardem would go to Best Supporting Actor, with Joaquin Phoenix for C'mon C'mon taking his place.

Let's face it here and now: Will Smith will lose to Benedict Cumberbatch come Oscar night.

Jessica Chastain and Nicole Kidman locked in with ease despite my apathy for their deliberate Oscar ploys. Glad Olivia Colman, Penelope Cruz, and Kristen Stewart got in. But holy crap, no Lady Gaga?! And no Rachel Zegler?!!

I really thought Kirsten Dunst should have been included for Best Actress but she at least got in for Best Supporting Actress.

Not shocked at all for Judi Dench being included for Best Supporting Actress. I always had her as a spoiler though I really wanted Rita Moreno instead. I feel really bad Ruth Negga and Ann Dowd got snubbed (Caitriona Balfe as well to a lesser degree) but I was shocked by the inclusion of Jessie Buckley.

No Jared Leto! Hallelujah!!!

Also no Ben Affleck as well? Huh, many people in Hollywood must really loathe him.

Very happy Jesse Plemons got in for Best Supporting Actor. And wow at J.K. Simmons getting in. From the clips I've seen of Being The Ricardos, he is his usually great self. He more than likely got in due to being a favorite actor in the industry plus having Aaron Sorkin as his writer/director.

I really liked Colman Domingo in Zola but he had no chance to break through the pack.

More big acting snubs: Nicolas Cage for Best Actor; Bradley Cooper for both Best Actor and Supporting Actor; Alana Haim, Frances McDormand, and Jennifer Hudson for Best Actress; Jamie Dornan, Mike Faist, and Tony Leung for Best Supporting Actor; Marlee Matlin for Best Supporting Actress.

Of that pile of acting snubs, I'm really confused at the amount of people who honestly thought Jennifer Hudson would have been included. Respect was no Ray, not with the critics nor with the public.

God damn the Disney Machine! They got all three of their films in for Best Animated Feature with ease, leaving Belle in the dust. Damnit, Sing 2, you were supposed to take Luca out of the competition! It's up to Flee and The Mitchells vs. The Machines to try and stop Encanto from winning which sadly is a hard hill to climb.

Also, congrats to Flee for making history as a nom for Best Animated Feature, Best International Feature, and Best Documentary Feature.

No A Hero for Best International Feature. The hell?! Like Best Actor, everyone expected the obvious five noms but instead Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom took its spot. Upon investigating, i.e. checking Wikipedia, this film was already submitted and disqualified at last year's Oscars yet was able to re-submit for this year's. Again, the hell?!!

Got 4 out of 5 with Best Original Song. I wonder how many people of Twitter will be mad at "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure" from Encanto not getting nominated despite the sheer fact that Disney never submitted them to the Academy.

Freaking Van Morrison for Best Original Song. I would have liked it if I didn't have to suffocate on all of his other songs in Belfast.

Diane Warren got another nomination! Seriously, she's the Susan Lucci of the Oscars. The Academy and all of Warren's friends: Either shit or get off the pot!

I just realized that West Side Story wasn't nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. That really sucks considering the effort put forth by Tony Kushner but that's a pretty stacked five.

Oh wow, The French Dispatch was completely snubbed. Same for Annette, Petite Maman, Zola, Red Rocket, Shiva Baby, Last Night In Soho, and The Card Counter.

And the biggest snub of all goes to... Paw Patrol: The Movie for Best Animated Feature!

That about does it. Tune in next month for my predictions which I obviously will fail at.