Sort by:
Showing 20 items
Decade:
Rating:
List Type:

Best Picture
The Fabelmans (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

It's Babylon, Triangle of Sadness or Women Talking for 10th, and the image above already tells you where I'm at. Sarah Polley's searing drama has had a fairly rough season, going from a seeming lock to a longshot, at best. The good news for it is, there doesn't seem to be a consensus at #10, and the films also in contention don't have the broad critical support that it does. It also got a lifeline nomination at SAG, and is still likely getting in for adapted screenplay (if not winning it). It's really, really close, but I'm going down with the Women Talking ship.
Other Possibilities
11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Director
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Luhrmann's Elvis is a bona fide smash, with a high ceiling come nomination morning. It's also a film with a clear directorial eye. Throw in the fact that he's never been nominated here (they snubbed him for Moulin Rouge), and you've got a potential surprise. He just never showed up at any of the precursors that matter, despite the film's apparent love. DGA would've been a strong indicator, but he missed, and the film did great at BAFTA, but he was snubbed again. He's possible, but unlikely, to me.
Cameron's possible, but Avatar just doesn't seem to have that big of a fan base in the industry this year (he's scored no guild noms). Unfortunately, it's looking like this will be a woman-less field this year. Sarah Polley was seen as a favorite but, despite my prediction that Women Talking gets the BP nod, her chances here feel DOA. Prince-Blythwood did score a BAFTA nomination, but it was likely a juried selection, and The Woman King just never scored all that well (it should've been a contender at PGA and/or SAG; it was not).
That takes us the the foreign language film crop, where there has been at least one nominee from for the past four years. RRR is loved by many, and it's an epic that this branch loves, so Rajamouli has a legit shot, but it's never caught much heat this year outside of Song (India submitted another film for International film). Chan-wook got a BAFTA nod, but it was likely juried and Decision to Leave hasn't garnered much broad appeal outside of International Feature. All Quiet on the Western Front, however, has become a major player, and Berger's brutal, unflinching vision is key to that. While he's not a major name here, especially compared to the other major contenders here, I think his work will appeal to both the auteur, niche loving voters, and broad, quality devoted voters.
Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.


Best Actress
Till (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.


Best Actor
The Whale (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.


Best Supporting Actor
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Supporting Actress
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Original Screenplay
Tár (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Adapted Screenplay
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Documentary Feature

Best Animated Feature

Best International Feature

Best Original Song
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Other Possibilities
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Best Original Score
Women Talking (2022)
1.
He was snubbed by First Man after winning the Globe, but Babylon's music is much less experimental than that film. Most likely the favorite.
2.
Do not buy into the post-BAFTA paranoia; the academy is not snubbing John fuckin' Williams.
3.
4.
5.
I feel like a bum taking Women Talking. I drone on about stats some much but ignoring them here, picking the Globes five nominees. Since 1970, when the Oscars separate their music awards between score and song score, never have they correlated 5/5. BAFTA swapped Fabelmans and Women Talking for All Quiet on the Western Front and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Fabelmans isn't missing, so Guðnadóttir is probably the wobbliest, most likely to All Quiet, or possibly The Woman King (Terence Blanchard has scored two nominations in the past five years). I feel like if EEAAO was a legit player here, it would've popped already. I'm still taking Women Talking though, because Guðnadóttir is previous winner, has two notable scores this year (she was ineligible for Tár, though she still won a Critics' Choice Award for it), is the only woman in contention (it can't not be a factor to some voters), and some lingering love for a film that's had a rough season (maybe a last ditch effort on some of the fans parts). It's a very close one, though.
Other Possibilities
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
BradWesley123's rating:


Best Cinematography
The Batman (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

I'm pulling a true chump move and snubbing Roger Deakins, a man tied for the third-most nominations ever in this category (15, with two wins). With that said, this is possibly the strongest that this category has been in years, with genuine variety amongst the guilds and major voting bodies. ASC took #1, #3 and #4, along with Bardo and Empire of Light, while BAFTA took all of the top four and Deakins. While it'd be simplistic to call Bardo's nom a fluke, Darius Khondji's much more popular among DP's than Oscar voters, with three at ASC and only one for Oscar (Bardo, Evita and Seven at ASC, only Evita for Oscar). Add to the fact that the film really hasn't factored in too much, and I just don't see an overlap.
Regarding Deakins; it's typically strong work, but Empire of Light has had so little heat all season, that I just think this is the one that misses for him. Even his other single-film nominations, The Man Who Wasn't There and Prisoners, had some other possible nomination and more heat (he won ASC for Man). Comparatively, The Fabelmans has. Kaminski is another favorite here, with seven nomination and two wins, including a nod for last year's West Side Story, work that ASC and BAFTA snubbed him for. Also of note is the Spielberg factor; 12 nominations for his films, three wins. I think the story of his young life will warrant some respect votes, and the image above clearly illustrating that this is, also, a very well-shot film.
Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Production Design
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

This puts The Way of Water and Wakanda Forever at a disadvantage, despite their high ranking on prediction websites. The general thinking for voters would be something along the lines of, "been there, done that". I think that hurts Wakanda Forever more than Way of Water. Cameron directed eight films prior to his most recent, four of them receiving production design noms, with two wins (Avatar and Titanic). I think Way of Water's designs are different enough, from the new villages to the lush beauty of the ocean, that it'll be able to overcome the staleness that might set in otherwise with a nomination. Wakanda Forever has to contend with not much differentiation from the original (it's still strong work but, outside Namor's kingdom, there's not much new here), and a win just four years ago. I think it misses, and Cameron's latest scores.
5.

If you take them out, as well as Wakanda Forever, that more or less leaves Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Fabelmans (if Top Gun sneaks in here, it might just win Picture). EEAAO has a lot of passion and some interesting sets, Spielberg films have such a strong history here with 12 nominations and three wins (including for another collaboration with Rick Carter, 2012's Lincoln; Carter also won for Avatar), and it's subtle, period detail that can often do well here. It's always a safe bet banking on history over fantasy here.
Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Costume Design
The Woman King (2022)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BradWesley123's rating:


Best Film Editing
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
1. Paul Rogers- Everything Everywhere All at Once
2. Eddie Hamilton- Top Gun: Maverick
3. Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond- Elvis
4. Sven Budelmann- All Quiet on the Western Front
5. Mikkel E. G. Nielsen- The Banshees of Inisherin
Other Possibilities
6. Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner, John Refoua and James Cameron- Avatar: The Way of Water
7. Michael Kahn and Sarah Brosher- The Fabelmans
8. Tom Cross- Babylon
9. Monika Willi- Tár
10. Bob Ducsay- Glass Onion
2. Eddie Hamilton- Top Gun: Maverick
3. Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond- Elvis
4. Sven Budelmann- All Quiet on the Western Front
5. Mikkel E. G. Nielsen- The Banshees of Inisherin
6. Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner, John Refoua and James Cameron- Avatar: The Way of Water
7. Michael Kahn and Sarah Brosher- The Fabelmans
8. Tom Cross- Babylon
9. Monika Willi- Tár
10. Bob Ducsay- Glass Onion
BradWesley123's rating:


Best Sound
Elvis (2022)
1. Top Gun: Maverick
2. Avatar: The Way of Water
3. Elvis
4. All Quiet on the Western Front
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Other Possibilities
6. The Batman
7. Babylon
8. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
9. Moonage Daydream
10. Pinocchio
2. Avatar: The Way of Water
3. Elvis
4. All Quiet on the Western Front
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once
6. The Batman
7. Babylon
8. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
9. Moonage Daydream
10. Pinocchio
BradWesley123's rating:


Best Makeup and Hairstyling
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


Best Visual Effects
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Possibilities
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


The Banshees of Inisherin: 9
Everything Everywhere All at Once: 9
Elvis: 8
The Fabelmans: 8
Top Gun: Maverick: 6
Avatar: The Way of Water: 4
Tár; 4
The Whale: 4
Babylon: 3
The Batman: 3
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: 3
Women Talking: 3
Living: 2
Pinocchio: 2
Till: 2
Triangle of Sadness: 2
The Woman King: 2
Added to
People who voted for this also voted for
Albums I listen for the first time in 2023
Film within film (Metacinema)
My Favourite Female Directed Films
2024 Film Diary
Albums - Listened to in 2022
2024 Movie Diary
Movies of 2023
A24
2020 - TV shows and Movies watched
Best TV episodes of 2020
Favorite Albums
Favourite Film Outfits and Costumes: 10’s
Listened to in 2023: Albums
'23 Watched
Top 10 Movies of the 2010's
2024 Oscar Nomination Predictions
Academy Award for Best Cinematography: 2020s
Predicting the Winners of the 2022 Emmys
Predicting the Winners of the 2021 Oscars
Academy Award for Best Makeup & Hairstyling: 2020s
Predicting the Winners of the 2022 Oscars
2022 Emmy Nominations Predictions