The Oscars 2024: My Wishes and Predictions

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I'm so happy to be back writing Oscars posts!

I took a break for the last few years, mainly due to the pandemic, and then found it hard to get back in the groove. But this year I decided to get back into it and I'm so glad!

So as I've done previously, I'll be going through some of the categories (only the ones where I've seen most (if not all) of the nominated movies) and going through what I think will win, what I hope will win, and why.

And as usual, I'll start by ranking the Best Picture nominees according to my personal preference. Click each nominee to be taken to my review of the film.

10. Barbie
1. Poor Things

This year has been a bit of a weird one in that I gave so many of these movies the same, or very similar, scores, so many of these rankings are interchangeable. It's definitely been a great year for movies. And while I think some amazing movies weren't nominated (hello 'All of Us Strangers'), this is still a great list of films. 

Best Picture

Prediction: Oppenheimer

Wish: Poor Things, The Holdovers or Killers of the Flower Moon

I think it's pretty clear Oppenheimer is going to win this award, so I've accepted that. But I would be happy with any of my top 6 winning that award - they were all amazing films. But also, none of them feel like a particular standout, they were just great. So I don't mind too much which wins.


Best Director

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest


Prediction: Christopher Nolan

Wish: Martin Scorsese

This was a hard one. I picked Scorsese because I know Killers probably won't win as much as it deserves on the night, and the directing was amazing. But all of the nominees are more than worthy - plus the award is pretty much Nolan's anyway!


Best Actor

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction


Prediction: Cillian Murphy

Wish: Paul Giamatti

Maybe a slightly controversial opinion, though it can't come as a surprise based on my rankings and reviews that I didn't love Oppenheimer. Both actors did an amazing job with their roles (as did the rest of the nominees), but I didn't connect to Murphy's character as much as I did to Giamatti's, so for that I would wish for Giamatti to win.


Best Actress

Annette Bening, Nyad

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Emma Stone, Poor Things


Prediction: Lily Gladstone or Emma Stone

Wish: Lily Gladstone or Emma Stone

This one is a toss-up in terms of prediction, given that both actresses have won significant awards in the lead-up to the Oscars. I loved both of these performances immensely, and would honestly be equally happy if either of them won.


Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things


Prediction: Robert Downey Jr.

Wish: Sterling K. Brown

This was probably the easiest decision for me. Brown absolutely stole the show in American Fiction, he was the best part of every scene he was in, and when he wasn't on screen, I was just waiting for him to appear again. A couple of the above performances I didn't like, but even the ones I did like didn't feel as integral or enjoyable as Brown's (except maybe Ruffalo). He made the film what it was and I would love to see him walk away with the award.


Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

America Ferrera, Barbie

Jodie Foster, Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers


Prediction: Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Wish: Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Another easy choice, Da'Vine was easily the best of the category (though Danielle Brooks was also incredible), she's won all the awards leading up to the Oscars, and I would be very disappointed if anyone else went home with that award. It's hers.


Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall

The Holdovers

Maestro

May December

Past Lives


Prediction: Anatomy of a Fall

Wish: Past Lives

I will be very happy if Anatomy of a Fall gets the Oscar, because the writing was amazing. But there's something about Past Lives that I can't shake, and that definitely comes down to the writing. It is such a beautiful story, told in a really beautiful way, and it definitely deserves to go home with something. Though I love that May December got a nod here!


Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction

Barbie

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest


Prediction: Oppenheimer

Wish: American Fiction

I've gone with Oppenheimer based on the amount of awards it will probably win, but of these nominees, American Fiction is the one that stood out to me. Probably because I went to see it the day after it won the Screenplay BAFTA, so I was paying more attention, but I thought the writing was amazing. It says so much, manages to inject humour in the best way, and is definitely the stand-out for me.


Cinematography

El Conde

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things


Prediction: Oppenheimer

Wish: Oppenheimer or Poor Things

I'd be happy for Oppenheimer to take this one, but the cinematography for Poor Things was also amazing, so I'd like to see that win too.


Costume Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things


Prediction: Barbie or Poor Things

Wish: Barbie

Poor Things won the BAFTA for this category, so could definitely take the Oscar too. But however I felt about Barbie, the costumes were probably the most prominent aspect of the movie (as well as the production design), and if it deserves to win anything, this is the award that it should take.


Production Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things


Prediction: Barbie or Oppenheimer

Wish: Barbie

I've already mentioned this above, but this is another one that Barbie definitely deserves. The world they created was so creative and unique, so I'd definitely like it to win this one.


Original Song

The Fire Inside, Flamin’ Hot

I’m Just Ken, Barbie

It Never Went Away, American Symphony

Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People), Killers of the Flower Moon

What Was I Made For?, Barbie


Prediction: What Was I Made For?

Wish: What Was I Made For?

I haven't seen two of the films these songs come from, and of the ones that I had seen, I couldn't really remember the songs. So I've just listened to them all and have based my wish on this listen, rather than what the song means in the context of the film. And from the nominees, I do think 'What Was I Made For?' is probably the most worthy winner. But I do think there would be something really funny about 'I'm Just Ken' winning - it's not the best song, but it's definitely the funniest!


And those are my predictions for the Oscars! Will you be watching tonight?



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