The wait is almost over. Soon Oscar statuettes will be handed out by Hollywood (often) to Hollywood in an annual celebration of cinema that sometimes gets it right. I can’t wait. This year, it certainly looks like the stars have aligned for Everything Everywhere All at Once, one of the very best films of 2022. But, and this will be interesting, how many awards will the current Oscars favorite go home with once the night is over and done with? Can SAG-winner Michelle Yeoh still win, even though Cate Blanchett appears to be the industry favorite? Will AMPAS go for the young star in Austin Butler or the comeback king in Brendan Fraser? Well, here’s what I think will happen on the biggest night in Hollywood.
Best Picture
Prediction: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Could we see a surprise here? Sure, I just don’t see it happening. BAFTA Best Film-winner All Quiet On The Western Front could theoretically repeat at the Oscars, and, I guess, there is a slight chance something like The Fabelmans or Top Gun: Maverick has more #1 votes in the Academy than we all presume. But, ultimately, with Everything Everywhere All at Once‘s SAG, WGA, DGA, PGA, and Indie Spirit wins, it should be more than just the frontrunner. It should win. It should win a lot of these categories.
Best Director
Prediction: The Daniels — Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven Spielberg or Todd Field could nab this one, but all of the Guilds wins for EEAAO have pretty much locked this up, right?
Best Actress
Prediction: Michelle Yeoh — Everything Everywhere All at Once
Look, a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve gone for Cate Blanchett here, and there is an excellent chance that she’ll win here. Some would probably say that she ‘should’ win given all of her precursors. But Yeoh won the SAG award and Blanchett doesn’t seem to have campaigned as hard as she ought to if she really wanted to win. I’m guessing that AMPAS is ready to give Yeoh her first Oscar.
Best Actor
Prediction: Austin Butler — Elvis
This could get interesting. While my personal pick would probably be Colin Farrell, I think this is a pretty tight race between the comeback king Brendan Fraser (in a film that isn’t wildly loved) and Austin Butler, the young up-and-comer who, ahem, played ‘the King of Rock n’ Roll’. The SAG win could have locked this up for Fraser, and I’d be delighted for him if he won (a long-time favorite of mine), but I just have this feeling that AMPAS will once again opt for the music biopic in this category.
Best Supp. Actress
Prediction: Kerry Condon — The Banshees of Inisherin
I really don’t know. It could be Bassett. It could be Condon. It could be Curtis. I just don’t know. Right now I’m leaning towards the excellent Condon because I want that film to win something, but this could also be Marvel’s first acting Oscar (for Bassett’s deserving performance). I like Curtis quite a bit in the film, but it has never screamed ‘awards-worthy’ to me. I’d be happy for her if she won.
Best Supp. Actor
Prediction: Ke Huy Quan — Everything Everywhere All at Once
Looking forward to his speech. I think it’ll make me very emotional to see him up there getting the moment he deserves.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Prediction: Women Talking
Could very well be All Quiet on the Western Front.
Best Original Screenplay
Prediction: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Cinematography
Prediction: All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Costume Design
Prediction: Elvis
Best Film Editing
Prediction: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Prediction: Elvis
Best Production Design
Prediction: Babylon
Best Score
Prediction: Babylon
Best Song
Prediction: RRR – “Naatu Naatu”
Best Sound
Prediction: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Visual Effects
Prediction: Avatar: The Way of Water
Best Animated Feature
Prediction: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Best Documentary Feature
Prediction: Navalny
Best International Film
Prediction: All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Animated Short
Prediction: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Best Documentary Short
Prediction: The Elephant Whisperers
Best Live-Action Short
Prediction: Le Pupille
– Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 