Best Supporting Actor: Ciarán Hinds, “Belfast”; Troy Kotsur, “CODA”; Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”; J.K. Simmons, “Being the Ricardos”; Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
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| Troy Kotsur in "CODA" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
Will Win and Should Win: Troy Kotsur, “CODA” - Kotsur is one of this category’s four first-time nominees, and it looks like he’ll be the one to come out on top. For his performance as the patriarch of a culturally deaf family that relies on their daughter (the only hearing member of their family) to help with their fishing business, Kotsur delivered an abundance of warmth and humor in his breakout role. While he didn’t have much luck with the critics associations or the Golden Globes, he nevertheless picked up momentum when he won the Critics’ Choice Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award. Although he might have a little bit of competition with Smit-McPhee, who won the Golden Globe, it’s safe to say Kotsur will be the one walking to the Dolby Theatre stage on Oscar night.
Best Supporting Actress: Jessie Buckley, “The Lost Daughter”; Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”; Judi Dench, “Belfast”; Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”; Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
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| Ariana DeBose in "West Side Story" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
Will Win and Should Win: Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”- Another breakout performance that’ll be recognized, and deservedly so at the Oscars is DeBose’s exuberant and heartbreaking work as Anita, the best friend and sisterly figure for the main character, Maria. DeBose takes the character that was made iconic by Rita Moreno in the 1961 version and breathes new life into it, resulting in powerful, star-making work. Besides a touch of success with the critics associations, DeBose has been barreling through the big awards ceremonies, winning the Critics’ Choice Award, the Golden Globe, the SAG Award, and the BAFTA. If DeBose’s luck continues, she’ll be another first-time nominee who’ll soon be able to call herself an Oscar winner.
Best Actor: Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”; Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog;” Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick…Boom!’; Will Smith, “King Richard”; Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
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| Will Smith in "King Richard" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Will Win: Will Smith, “King Richard” - Despite being one of the biggest movie stars of all time, it’s been 15 years since Smith’s last Oscar nomination, having been nominated for Best Actor for “The Pursuit of Happiness,” and then five years before that in the same category for “Ali.” For his third nomination, be portrays Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, who does whatever he can to make sure the two sisters achieve greatness. While his name wasn’t mentioned often with the critics groups, he’s experienced much more success with the bigger awards, winning the Critics’ Choice Award, the Golden Globe for Best Actor-Drama, the SAG Award, and the BAFTA. With this trajectory, it looks like one of the most-recognizable names in Hollywood will leave the Dolby Theatre on Oscar night with a trophy in hand.
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| Andrew Garfield in "Tick...Tick...Boom!" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Should Win: Andrew Garfield, “Tick…Tick…Boom!” - For his work as aspiring playwright Jonathan Larson, Garfield gave a fireworks-on-the-screen performance that showed he’s not just a talented actor, but also a wonderful and dynamic singer. This is a role to which Garfield provided so much energy and devotion, having you see his fullest commitment in every scene to make sure this musical is presented in endless bursts of life. Although Garfield won the Golden Globe for Best Actor- Musical or Comedy, he hasn’t had luck with the other award shows or many of the critics groups. If he manages to pull off a surprise win, that will be wonderful because this is a performance that deserves every ounce of love from the viewer.
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”; Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”; Penélope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers”; Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”; Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”
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| Jessica Chastain in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Will Win: Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” - Out of the four acting categories, this is the only one that has a good amount of unpredictability. While non of them was nominated at the BAFTAs, Chastain has the highest chance right now at a win, having received the Critics’ Choice Award and the SAG Award. Meanwhile, Kidman won the Golden Globe for Best Actress-Drama, and Stewart has had quite a bit of luck with the critics groups. Although any of these five nominees could end up winning, Chastain has the edge for her performance as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. This is Chastain’s third nomination, and it could very well end up as her first win.
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| Kristen Stewart in "Spencer" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Should Win: Kristen Stewart, “Spencer” - In what was, for me, the best movie of the year, Stewart gave a marvel of a performance that was the most transformative of 2021. In her role as Princess Diana, Stewart gave a deeply poignant portrayal of her character trying to assimilate into the royal family during Christmas of 1991. Stewart shows how much Diana’s isolation impacts her character, showing the intense strain that such a situation has on her as most of the family seems to criticize her at every turn. Stewart has built an admirable career over the last few years, giving one memorable performance after the next, but this is something different all together. The command that she exhibits over this role is unforgettable, and you’ll be left in awe at this newfound depth of her talent.
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza;” Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”; Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”; Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”; Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
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| Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
Will Win: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” - Campion’s only other Oscar nomination for directing came in 1994 for her movie, “The Piano.” For her Western psychological-drama, she has amassed directing accolades at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, the Directors Guild of America Awards, and the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, as well as numerous wins from critics groups. Given everything she has won up until this point, the Oscar is hers.
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| Steven Spielberg, "West Side Story" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
Should Win: Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story” - Leave it to Spielberg to take one of the most famous movie musicals of all time and manage to not only make a spectacular new adaptation, but also one that, in some ways, improves upon the original. He displays a clear passion for the source material throughout the film, bringing emotion and exuberance through the performances, dialogue, and song-and-dance sequences. Spielberg doesn’t try to redo the 1961 version, but instead teams up with his usual collaborators to construct his own vision of the story, and it couldn’t have come out any better. He’s a director whose decades-long career has given us countess masterpieces, and he has accomplished that once again with his latest gift to moviegoers.
Best Picture: “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog,” “West Side Story”
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| "The Power of the Dog" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Will Win: “The Power of the Dog” - Jane Campion’s film, which tells the story of a Montana rancher who comes at odds with everyone around him, started its terrific awards run ever since its premiere at last year’s Venice Film Festival. Since then, it went on to receive acclaim at other fall film festivals, before going on to dominate the critics groups and award shows. It’s the most nominated movie at the Oscars this year, earning 12 nominations. It has won Best Picture from many critics groups, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs. Although “CODA” won the Producers Guild of America Award, an accolade that’s usually a good indicator of what will win Best Picture, “The Power of the Dog” has been too much of a behemoth during the awards season, and I can’t see it being derailed at this point. So, unless the Academy decides to go with “CODA,” expect Campion’s film to win the biggest honor of the night.
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| "West Side Story" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Should Win: “West Side Story” - Even for a director as prolific as Steven Spielberg, making a new “West Side Story” was a daring undertaking, but he managed to capture the old-Hollywood scope of the original, all while fitting it with his filmmaking style. Between the performances, screenplay, production design, costumes, singing, and dancing, everything came together to perfection to tell the story of a man and woman from different backgrounds in Manhattan 1957 who must go against the wishes of their friends and family if they’re love for each other is to survive. Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner kept in all of the elements that we love from the 1961 adaptation, all while adding depth to the central conflict between the Jets and the Sharks, thereby creating even bigger stakes for the characters. It hasn’t had Best Picture success with the critics groups, and its highest honor at the big awards ceremonies has been a win for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, so it doesn’t seem like this will repeat the original’s success at winning Best Picture. However, this movie has so much to love about it, and in time, I’m sure Spielberg’s adaptation will become a classic every bit as much as its 1961 counterpart.
Be sure to check out the 94th Academy Awards this Sunday, March 27, at 8:00 EST on ABC.
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