We’ve knocked down the acting and writing categories. We’ll do Best Director and Best Picture later this week. But let’s do ALL OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES right now! Let’s party!
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: This is an incredibly great set of nominees this year, but I see Encanto being the film to take it home, mostly due to an impressive late surge that will keep it fresh in the minds of voters.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Again, no wrong choice here as every one of these films looks amazing. I’m predicting a win for Ari Wegner and Power Of The Dog, who really found a way to make New Zealand feel like Montana and make that all feel exciting and scary all at once.
COSTUME DESIGN: I think these will be the categories where Dune reigns,and Jacqueline West & Robert Morgan will be taking home some trophies Sunday night.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Again, great films here. I’m going with my heart and choosing the debut film from Questlove, Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), which tells the story of the greatest music festival you probably didn’t even know existed.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Following the lives of deaf high school seniors, Audible is so moving and powerful. Check it out on Netflix before it wins.
EDITING: I’ve seen people say that this is where Don’t Look Up could take home a win, but I’m betting on Power Of The Dog and Peter Sciberras to get the prize.
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM: As a good rule of thumb, if something is nominated for Best Picture and Director, it’s gonna win International Feature. Drive My Car all the way.
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING: Donald Mowat, Love Larson, and Eva von Bahr make the characters in Dune look amazing and feel otherworldly, even if one character is fucking named Duncan Idaho.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE): Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood scored a few films this year and did an amazing job with all of them, but it’s what he adds to Power Of The Dog that makes the film so heartbreaking and harsh and cruel.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG): Another heart vote here, because I think Dianne Warren is going to win, but I’ll predict a victory for “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto because it’s just such a goddamned beautiful work.
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Do not be surprised if Power Of The Dog takes this one home, but I think it’s another win for Dune with Patrice Vermette for production design and Zsuzsanna Sipos for set design.
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION & ANIMATED): No one ever watches there, so you just go with whatever catches your ear the right way. For me, that’s The Long Goodbye for Live Action Short & Robin Robin for Animated Short.
SOUND: Again, expect a sweep of technical awards for Dune. I’m legitimately surprised it did not get Denis Villenueve a directing nomination for bringing it all together (more on that later).
VISUAL EFFECTS: I predict Dune winning five Oscars, all technical, including this one, and they’ll be deserved. No more Dune talk.
Fancy Boys Club 