With Oscar nominations announced for this years award show, here are our predictions for some of the awards. PHOTO CREDIT: nbcnews.com
The Oscars is one of the most prestigious events and most-watched award ceremonies in the U.S., and with the lineup of nominees this year, it will most likely be an exciting one.
While there are a plethora of awards, the three most important awards are Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Leading Role and Best Picture. The 94th Oscars will be held at Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center on Sunday, March 27.
Actor in a Leading Role- The nominees in this category are Javier Bardem in “Being the Ricardos,” Andrew Garfield in “tick, tick…BOOM!,” Will Smith in “King Richard,” Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Power of the Dog” and Denzel Washington in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. I think that either Will Smith or Andrew Garfield will take home the award. Will Smith has always been an incredible powerhouse actor and his work is loved by so many. However, Andrew Garfield’s performance was outstanding and surprising to me at the same time. I never knew he could sing before and he has an amazing voice. I would like to see him take home the award because I loved hearing him sing.
Actress in a Leading Role- The nominees in this category include Jessica Chastain in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Olivia Colman in “The Lost Daughter,” Kristen Stewart in “Spencer,” Nicole Kidman in “Being the Ricardos” and Penélope Cruz in “Parallel Mothers.” Now, I’m very biased, and I love Princess Diana, so I’d love to see the award go to Kristen Stewart. However, Olivia Colman has worked so hard in her career and established a strong presence in films and television. Her work on “The Crown” as Queen Elizabeth is one of her most notable works, as well as Anne, Queen of Great Britain in “The Favourite.” She’s very good at playing royalty. So, if Kristen Stewart doesn’t win, I’d love to see the award go to Olivia Colman. However, I truly believe that Kristen Stewart will get this award for her dedication to portraying Princess Diana.
Animated Feature Film- Now, as for the nominees for Animated Feature Film, it could go several different ways. The nominees are “Encanto,” “Luca,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Flee” and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines.” The way I foresee it is that it will be a battle between “Encanto,” “Luca,” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.” All three films are Disney animated films, and have received massive recognition after their release. However, in the end, I think that “Encanto” will take home the award because of how popular it became after its release. The original song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which is about the main character, Mirabel and her mysterious Uncle Bruno, is stuck in everyone’s head, even people who haven’t seen the film. I loved this film, it was very sweet, so I hope it wins the award because everything from the detailed animation, to the catchy songs made it one of my favorite Disney films.
Directing- The nominees are Kenneth Branagh for “Belfast,” Ryusuke Hamaguchi for “Drive My Car,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “Licorice Pizza,” Jane Campion for “The Power of the Dog,” and Steven Spielberg for “West Side Story.” I feel as though it’ll be a close call between Paul Thomas Anderson and Steven Spielberg, but I think that Spielberg will take home the award for “West Side Story.” Steven Spielberg has been one of the most prestigious directors in the film industry, and him receiving the Oscar makes total sense in my mind, so I believe that the award will go to him. Not everyone likes remakes of original films and plays, but this was a good example of a strong remake, and they even brought in Rita Moreno who played Anita in the original film. Spielberg did a good job with directing this film, so I hope he takes home the award for it. Paul Thomas Anderson also did a fantastic job with “Licorice Pizza” The film was directed incredibly well and was a great watch
Best Picture- The Best Picture category is the most important category for the entire night and event in my opinion. The nominees for this category are “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “The Power of the Dog,” “West Side Story” and a handful of other pictures. Each of these films was excellent in its own way. “Dune” would be most likely to take home the Oscar due to the positive feedback it received from fans. “Drive My Car” is also a front-runner, in my opinion, as it received a high Rotten Tomatoes rating and a lot of people really enjoyed the film. I thought that the acting in all of these movies was phenomenal, and the dedication to each role was perfect. I’m bringing up dedication a lot, but it’s really important for an actor to get into their role and truly be their character. The directing and writing for these movies were amazing as well.
I am excited to see the Oscars and witness who brings home the award for each of the categories.