Anthony Pantalone, Editor

The Academy Awards are here, and The Collegian is here as well to walk you through who should win and who will actually win. Hollywood typically uses this night to pat itself on the back and give out awards to boring Oscar-bait films. This year seems to be different though. There are some great, interesting dramas nominated—like “The Fabelmans” and “Tár”. There are some really exciting blockbusters up for a number of awards—like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water”. There is a foreign film from Germany—”All Quiet on the Western Front”—up for nine Oscars. With a wider variety of movies and multiple fan favorites among the ten Best Picture nominees, this year will prove to be the most exciting Academy Awards since 2019—where a non-English film, “Parasite”, took home the biggest award for the first time.

Best Picture

Nominees:

All Quiet On The Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All At Once

The Fabelmans

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

Triangle of Sadness

Women Talking

My Pick: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Who Will Probably Win: Everything Everywhere All At Once

“Everything Everywhere” is probably the strongest Best Picture frontrunner in the past twenty years—at least since “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” in 2003. The film has so far won a clean sweep at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, SAG Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, Hollywood Critics Association Awards, Producers Guild of America Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Directors Guild of America Awards and Writers Guild of America Awards. If it does not win Best Picture next weekend, I would be genuinely amazed.

Best Actor

Nominees: 

Austin Butler, Elvis

Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brendan Fraser, The Whale

Paul Mescal, Aftersun

Bill Nighy, Living

My Pick: Paul Mescal

Who Will Probably Win: Brendan Fraser

I love Brendan Fraser like everyone else, but I also do not wish to see anything related to Darren Aronofsky or his films be rewarded. I hope Fraser will eventually win an award for his acting skill, because I think he is a great actor. Just not for such a fake-deep Aronofsky movie. Paul Mescal’s performance in “Aftersun” bears so much emotional depth and is even more impressive when realizing that this film is his first ever performance in a leading movie role.

Best Actress

Nominees:

Cate Blanchett, Tár

Ana De Armas, Blonde

Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie

Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once

My Pick: Michelle Yeoh

Who Will Probably Win: Michelle Yeoh

I have not watched “Blonde” or “To Leslie”, so I cannot comment on the performances of either Ana de Armas nor Andrea Riseborough. Michelle Williams was really good in “The Fabelmans. Cate Blanchett gave a career-best performance in “Tár”, and I think she is the only nominee with any chance of beating Michelle Yeoh. The frontrunner, Yeoh, will likely win though and deserves the Oscar. She gives a deep multifaceted performance to which no other performance in this category could compare.

Best Supporting Actress

Nominees:

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Hong Chau, The Whale

Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin

Jaime Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once

My Pick: Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Who Will Probably Win: Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Stephanie Hsu’s performance in “Everything Everywhere” was devastating. Therefore it was really disappointing to see her snubbed time and time again early on in awards season. I am happy to see her nominated and want her to win, but I think the Oscar will likely go to Angela Bassett. The “Wakanda Forever” actress has swept almost every major award this year aside from the SAG Awards—who gave the best Supporting Actress Award to Jaime Lee Curtis.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees:

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway

Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans

Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin

Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once

My Pick: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Who Will Probably Win: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once

This category feels like a lock. Ke Huy Quan’s performance in “Everything Everywhere” is incredible, and this actor has such a feel-good comeback story. Gleeson, Henry, and Keoghan are all good in their roles, yet none stand a chance of beating Quan at this point. The only problem I have with this category is that I wish Paul Dano was nominated for “The Fabelmans” instead of Judd Hirsch.

Best Director

Nominees:

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

Todd Field, Tár

Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

My Pick: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Who Will Probably Win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once

While I would not be mad if Spielberg wins for his movie about his childhood, the Daniels—Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert—have also swept nearly every Best Director Award this year. I would be surprised if they lose the Oscar.

Here are some quick picks and predictions for other Oscar categories:

Best Original Screenplay

Nominees:

The Banshees of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

Tár

Triangle of Sadness

My Pick: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Who Will Probably Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Adapted Screenplay

Nominees:

All Quiet on the Western Front

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Living

Top Gun: Maverick

Women Talking

My Pick: Glass Onion

Who Will Probably Win: Women Talking

Best Score

All Quiet on the Western Front

Babylon

The Banshees of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

My Pick: Babylon

Who Will Win: Babylon

Note: Justin Hurwitz’ score for “Babylon” is easily one of the best scores of the past decade.

Best Production Design

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Avatar

Babylon

Elvis

The Fabelmans

My Pick: Babylon

Who Will Win: Avatar: The Way of Avatar

Best Visual Effects

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Avatar

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Top Gun: Maverick

My Pick: Avatar: The Way of Avatar

Who Will Win: Avatar: The Way of Avatar

Best Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Avatar

The Batman

Elvis

Top Gun: Maverick

My Pick: The Batman

Who Will Win: Top Gun: Maverick

Note: In an ideal world, “Tár” would not only be nominated for Best Sound but win this category.

Best Costume Design

Babylon

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

My Pick: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Who Will Win: Elvis

Best Cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Elvis

Empire of Light

Tár

My Pick: All Quiet on the Western Front

Who Will Win: BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Best Animated Film

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

The Sea Beast

Turning Red

My Pick: Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Who Will Win: Pinocchio

Best Make-Up and Hairstyling

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

The Whale

My Pick: All Quiet on the Western Front

Who Will Win: Elvis

Best Editing

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

My Pick: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Who Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once or Tár 

Who do you think will win? Do you agree with my picks? Let The Collegian know!