The Official MPM 94th Academy Awards Preview
This year’s Best Picture nominees, clockwise from top left: Belfast, CODA, Don’t Look Up, Drive My Car, Dune, King Richard, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, The Power of the Dog, and West Side Story.
Hey, hopefully you want to hear our very opinionated opinions on the Oscars tonight! Let us know what you think about the awards! Let’s get right to it! Thank you for supporting us with your readership, we do this for fun and hope you have fun disagreeing with us!
Best Visual Effects
Dune
Free Guy
No Time to Die
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Tom Wants: Actually haven’t seen a couple of these, but loved Dune. I’d be OK with any of the others winning because Dune is going to win a lot of these awards and the others aren’t nominated for anything else. But I want Dune because of the sandworms and the shields and Stellan Skarsgard’s bathtub of tar or whatever that was.
Tom Thinks: Dune.
Erin Wants: I didn’t see enough of these to really make a super educated decision (wow bad first category for me here) but I will probably go with Dune because even though it had two of my enemy settings (sand and space) I still think it was visually stunning.
Erin Thinks: Dune!
Best Film Editing
Hank Corwin - Don’t Look Up
Joe Walker - Dune
Pamela Martin - King Richard
Peter Sciberras - The Power of the Dog
Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum - Tick, Tick… Boom!
Tom Wants: I cannot believe Don’t Look Up was nominated for editing. Hank Corwin’s editing in the Adam McKay movies makes my head hurt. I feel like Dune’s gonna take this one too, but I really loved the frenetic energy of Tick, Tick… Boom! so I want that one.
Tom Thinks: Duuuuuune.
Erin Wants: I have no clue but I think that Tick, Tick…Boom! should have more nominations so let’s go with that one for editing!
Erin Thinks: Dune probs again.
Best Costume Design
Jenny Beavan - Cruella
Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran - Cyrano
Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan - Dune
Luis Sequeira - Nightmare Alley
Paul Tazewell - West Side Story
Tom Wants: Unfortunately we weren’t able to catch Cyrano, but the others were all fantastic in terms of the costumes. I’d be cool with any of them winning, but I think I want Cruella because it isn’t going to win anything else.
Tom Thinks: It’s probably going to go to West Side Story. I mean, come on. Just watch the movie. If nothing else, the costumes and the set design are as on point as it gets.
Erin Wants: Oh wow okay some of these are great choices! I love the costumes in Nightmare Alley and Cruella had beautiful outfits as well but I think I liked the color and spin-worthy dresses in West Side Story the most.
Erin Thinks: West Side Story.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Mike Marino, Stacey Morris, and Carla Farmer - Coming 2 America
Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne, and Julia Vernon - Cruella
Donald Mowat, Love Larson, and Eva von Bahr - Dune
Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh - The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock, and Frederic Aspiras - House of Gucci
Tom Wants: Missed out on Coming 2 America and House of Gucci, but besides them, I think I’m in for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Would love to see a Cruella win here too.
Tom Thinks: The Eyes of Tammy Faye takes this one - they made Jessica Chastain somehow look just like Tammy Faye Bakker and Andrew Garfield look like her completely trash husband Jim. Without the makeup and hairstyling, the movie doesn’t click and Chastain doesn’t get a Best Actress nomination. It was important.
Erin Wants: The Eyes of Tammy Faye! I was amazed that they really made Andrew Garfield have Jim Bakker’s truly wild jawline.
Erin Thinks: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Cinematography
Greig Fraser - Dune
Dan Laustsen - Nightmare Alley
Ari Wegner - The Power of the Dog
Bruno Delbonnel - The Tragedy of Macbeth
Janusz Kamiński - West Side Story
Tom Wants: Phew. Five strong contenders for cinematography this year. I don’t know, man. The Tragedy of Macbeth was a little more unheralded than I thought, maybe because it was on Apple TV, but the cinematography in that was excellent. It was a strength of The Power of the Dog too. But as I mentioned in my review of Dune, it took so much skill and talent to make Frank Herbert’s world feel real, and Dune did just that.
Tom Thinks: Duuuuuuuuuuune.
Erin Wants: Twitter is all about West Side Story’s cinematography and it was lovely, but I am going with The Tragedy of Macbeth. The cinematography and lighting basically created the entire setting, and it felt very “Shakespeare’s plays are still made today in part because of the lack of stage direction, so you can really put your own vision into it” to me. What, is that not a common saying?
Erin Thinks: Oh gosh, probably Dune, right? Maybe The Power of the Dog…but whatever I predict Dune.
Best Production Design
Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos - Dune
Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau - Nightmare Alley
Grant Major and Amber Richards - The Power of the Dog
Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh - The Tragedy of Macbeth
Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo - West Side Story
Tom Wants: The same five nominees as the above category and I have very similar feelings on them all. They all have memorable set designs, and while I again think Macbeth is criminally underrated in the run-up to these awards, I want Nightmare Alley. Guillermo is a master.
Tom Thinks: Duuuuuu—nah, forget it. Let’s go with Nightmare Alley.
Erin Wants: I am team Nightmare Alley for this, and wrote all about it in my review. Guillermo del Toro is the best at world building.
Erin Thinks: NIGHTMARE ALLEY! It’s just too good to not pick it.
Best Sound
Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather, and Niv Adiri - Belfast
Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill, and Ron Bartlett - Dune
Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey, and Mark Taylor - No Time to Die
Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie, and Tara Webb - The Power of the Dog
Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson, and Shawn Murphy - West Side Story
Tom Wants: We didn’t get around to No Time to Die, but Dune was a spectacle of sound - there was so much. The flutter of the ornithopters, the rumble of the sandworms, the crashing of the sandstorms, the whirring of the energy shields, and more. It was a total clinic in sound engineering.
Tom Thinks: Again, Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune.
Erin Wants: I literally don’t care about this at all. <3
Erin Thinks: Dune literally because I need to make a prediction.
Best Original Song
“Be Alive” by Beyonce and DIXSON - King Richard
“Dos Oruguitas” by Lin-Manuel Miranda - Encanto
“Down to Joy” by Van Morrison - Belfast
“No Time to Die” by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell - No Time to Die
“Somehow You Do” by Diane Warren - Four Good Days
Tom Wants: Death, taxes, and Diane Warren being nominated for Best Original Song for some random movie no one has ever heard of and not winning the award. I re-listened to all of these songs (or, in the case of “Somehow You Do,” listened to it for the first time), and I probably think “Down to Joy” fits its movie the best, but since I do not like Van Morrison as a person, I’m going to say that I want “Be Alive.” Even though I am not a fan of movies winning in this category when they’re only in the credits of the movie!!!!! The Billie Eilish song hits too.
Tom Thinks: It’s going to be “Dos Oruguitas” so that Lin-Manuel Miranda gets his EGOT, even though that song isn’t even in the top three on the Encanto soundtrack. But never count out Beyonce and never count out a Bond song.
Erin Wants: I think I liked “Dos Oruguitas” the most here. It added so much to the film and made my eyeballs tear up a little bit.
Erin Thinks: Hmmm maybe “No Time to Die?” Why not?
Best Original Score
Nicholas Britell - Don’t Look Up
Hans Zimmer - Dune
Germaine Franco - Encanto
Alberto Iglesias - Parallel Mothers
Jonny Greenwood - The Power of the Dog
Tom Wants: Nicholas Britell is my god just from the Succession, Moonlight, and Beale Street scores, but I can’t support him here. Encanto is cool. Dune is unique but it’s still very Zimmery and I’m kinda over his style. Parallel Mothers and The Power of the Dog, for different reasons, stood out to me as the most creative scores this year. I want either of them to win.
Tom Thinks: This is a win for Dune that I probably won’t agree with.
Erin Wants: Blah blah blah I actually don’t have any standouts for me this year. So I really dk.
Erin Thinks: Hmm Jonny Greenwood.
Best Animated Short Film
Affairs of the Art
Bestia
BoxBallet
Robin Robin
The Windshield Wiper
Tom Wants: Uhhhh….the only one I really liked here was Robin Robin and I can’t wait for my child to be old enough to watch it with me. Loved it.
Tom Thinks: It better be Robin Robin.
Erin Wants: No clue.
Erin Thinks: Whatever Tom says!
Best Live Action Short Film
Ala Kachuu - Take and Run
The Dress
The Long Goodbye
On My Mind
Please Hold
Tom Wants: Like Nicholas Britell, Riz Ahmed is my other god (I’m polytheistic, it’s fine), and The Long Goodbye is worth every bit of the 19-minute runtime and more. It’s the only one in this category (besides maybe Ala Kachuu) that I’ll think about again after this.
Tom Thinks: The Long Goodbye.
Erin Wants: No IDEA!
Erin Thinks: WHATEVER TOM SAYS!!
Best Documentary Short Subject
Audible
Lead Me Home
The Queen of Basketball
Three Songs for Benazir
When We Were Bullies
Tom Wants: Audible. It was like Cheer but shorter and focused on a Deaf high school football team. Can’t recommend it enough.
Tom Thinks: I’m good with The Queen of Basketball. Its subject, Luisa Harris, who was the first woman ever drafted into the NBA, recently passed away, and I will be fine with that one getting this.
Erin Wants: I DON’T KNOW
Erin Thinks: Tom?
Best Documentary Feature
Ascension
Attica
Flee
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Writing with Fire
Tom Wants: Hit me with anything Questlove and I’m on board. I adored Summer of Soul. Ascension gets an honorable mention here just because it was one of the more interesting documentary styles I’ve ever seen, but let’s go Questlove!
Tom Thinks: Summer of Soul, but watch out for Flee - this is the only category of its three nominations in which it has a chance and the Academy may want to give it some recognition.
Erin Wants: I didn’t see all of these but really liked the two I saw: Flee and Summer of Soul. I probably would pick Summer of Soul for the win.
Erin Thinks: Sticking with Questlove!
Best International Feature Film
Drive My Car (Japan)
Flee (Denmark)
The Hand of God (Italy)
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)
The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
Tom Wants: Drive My Car and The Worst Person in the World would both have made my personal Best Picture list, and The Hand of God and Flee were both really strong. I would be happy with a split between Drive My Car and Worst Person because I can’t pick which one I liked more.
Tom Thinks: Yes, Drive My Car has the Best Picture and Best Director nomination, but I think I’m going to go with an upset here - The Worst Person in the World!
Erin Wants: I liked all three of these that I saw! I’m also surprised that Parallel Mothers wasn’t nominated. I say it would be fun for a The Worst Person in the World win.
Erin Thinks: Drive My Car.
Best Animated Feature Film
Encanto
Flee
Luca
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Raya and the Last Dragon
Tom Wants: Erin and I watched The Mitchells vs. the Machines while we were on our honeymoon (because what else would MPM do on its two-week vacation seeing the natural beauty of Yellowstone and Colorado and the western side of the country besides watch a Netflix animated movie). We both loved it so much. That’s the one I want, but this was one of my favorite categories this year top to bottom.
Tom Thinks: It’s going to be Encanto because Disney/Pixar has a stranglehold on this category. I like Encanto more than I liked Soul last year, though.
Erin Wants: The Mitchells vs. The Machines is SO GOOD!!! I liked all of these though! Good year for animated movies.
Erin Thinks: I think Encanto as well.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Sian Heder - CODA
Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe - Drive My Car
Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, and Eric Roth - Dune
Maggie Gyllenhaal - The Lost Daughter
Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog
Tom Wants: I’d like to see Gyllenhaal take this one, I think. Or Hamaguchi and Oe. Having recently read the “Drive My Car” short story, I think that the film’s take is far more compelling, deep, and complex, even though I love Haruki Murakami’s writing. But The Lost Daughter was another one that was really thoughtful, and even though it wasn’t the easiest watch, Gyllenhaal (and Olivia Colman) kept me rapt with attention waiting for what came next. And CODA was awesome from start to finish. But I think I want Drive My Car.
Tom Thinks: This is a toughie and one of the categories I’m looking most forward to. Even though Sian Heder has picked up some momentum as of late, and Gyllenhaal is a strong possibility, I think Jane Campion’s expected big night begins here, and deservedly so. The Power of the Dog is a cold, calculated film that all comes together in the end and lends itself strongly to a second viewing. Campion is a master of the craft.
Erin Wants: I want CODA because it was the most emotionally affecting of the group.
Erin Thinks: CODA because why not pick the ones I want to win?
Best Original Screenplay
Kenneth Branagh - Belfast
Adam McKay and David Sirota - Don’t Look Up
Zach Baylin - King Richard
Paul Thomas Anderson - Licorice Pizza
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier - The Worst Person in the World
Tom Wants: I really loved the screenplay for Belfast because it was a tug-at-the-heartstrings subgenre of a Dad Movie and it did so really well, but I’m all about the underdog and I also adored The Worst Person in the World. I’m going with Worst Person.
Tom Thinks: I think this one might be more of a toss-up? I’m lean toward Branagh. I considered Anderson, just because Licorice Pizza seems like a movie that wins a Screenplay Oscar only to set Twitter ablaze, and it’s about Hollywood itself, which is a little Oscar-baity. But I have to make a choice, and that choice is Branagh.
Erin Wants: Crying every second at Belfast soooo I’m going with that wee lad.
Erin Thinks: Kenneth Branagh!
Best Supporting Actress
Jessie Buckley - The Lost Daughter as Young Leda Caruso
Ariana DeBose - West Side Story as Anita
Judi Dench - Belfast as Granny
Kirsten Dunst - The Power of the Dog as Rose Gordon
Aunjanue Ellis - King Richard as Oracene “Brandy” Price
Tom Wants: Ariana DeBose is going to win this award, and deservedly so. She’s my pick. But I just wanted to point our how good Jessie Buckley was in The Lost Daughter. She wasn’t quite well-cast physically as a younger Olivia Colman, but her performance showed why Maggie Gyllenhaal had to cast her in the role. She was excellent.
Tom Thinks: Ariana DeBose is as close to a lock as there is at the awards this year.
Erin Wants: I would have REALLY wanted Caitriona Balfe but since she was majorly snubbed…why not stick with the favorite—Ariana DeBose? She was great!
Erin Thinks: Ariana DeBose.
Best Supporting Actor
Ciaran Hinds - Belfast as Pop
Troy Kotsur - CODA as Frank Rossi
Jesse Plemons - The Power of the Dog as George Burbank
J.K. Simmons - Being the Ricardos as William Frawley
Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Power of the Dog as Peter Gordon
Tom Wants: Listen, if either Hinds or Kotsur takes this one, I’m beside myself with joy. In a category which I think is one of the worst-chosen this year (Plemons and Simmons should not be nominated), Hinds and Kotsur gave two of my favorite performances of the year. If I had to pick, I want Kotsur.
Tom Thinks: Troy Kotsur! The man has all the momentum! That dang Kodi Smit-McPhee could take it too. And he was great. But I’m rolling with Troy.
Erin Wants: I really really want a Troy Kotsur win, and I am hopeful I’m gonna get it.
Erin Thinks: Troy Kotsur plz.
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye as Tammy Faye Bakker
Olivia Colman - The Lost Daughter as Leda Caruso
Penelope Cruz - Parallel Mothers as Janis Martinez Moreno
Nicole Kidman - Being the Ricardos as Lucille Ball
Kristen Stewart - Spencer as Diana, Princess of Wales
Tom Wants: The only one I would be disappointed with here is Nicole Kidman. She was fine enough, but the rest (particularly Colman, Stewart, and Cruz) did some of the best work I’ve seen in a very long time. Colman has won before. I think Erin’s going to pick Cruz. So I’m pledging fealty to my new queen, Kristen Stewart, who should also get a retroactive Oscar for Adventureland.
Tom Thinks: The most WIDE OPEN category in quite a while here. Each has won a major precursor award (except for Cruz, who astonishingly wasn’t even nominated for any of them), with Chastain having won the most recent one (Critics’ Choice, and she also won the SAG) and therefore having the most momentum. But I’m going with the spoiler — Penelope Cruz. She was unreal in Parallel Mothers.
Erin Wants: This race is wild! I don’t even know who I want—so many fabulous performances. I was really struck by Penelope Cruz so I’m going with her.
Erin Thinks: Cruz! I’m sticking with my “I want it so I’m willing it to be” vibes.
Best Actor
Javier Bardem - Being the Ricardos as Desi Arnaz
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog as Phil Burbank
Andrew Garfield - Tick, Tick… Boom! as Jonathan Larson
Will Smith - King Richard as Richard Williams
Denzel Washington - The Tragedy of Macbeth as Lord Macbeth
Tom Wants: I was a little disappointed with the lack of love for Tick, Tick… Boom! because I thought it was an entertaining, enthralling, frenetic ride. To this point, I have never been a major Andrew Garfield stan but this one changed that. I want him to win. But shoutout to Denzel for generally being the greatest actor of his generation and also making me understand at least 1/3 of what the heck they were saying in Macbeth. Love him.
Tom Thinks: If it’s not gonna be Garfield (it’s not), just give it to Will Smith! I think he did just enough transcending of his typical “I’m Will Smith as X character” persona in King Richard. Also, because the movie released on HBO Max instead of just theaters, he cut checks to the rest of the cast from his own pocket, which I thought was cool. It helps that he’s a multi-multimillionaire, but it’s still a nice gesture. I guess this is more of a “want” than I thought, but I think Smith is going to take it.
Erin Wants: I want an Andrew Garfield win, although I really doubt that’ll happen this year. He was wonderful as the late Jonathan Larson.
Erin Thinks: It is probably going to Will Smith. Which is fine!
Best Director
Kenneth Branagh - Belfast
Ryusuke Hamaguchi - Drive My Car
Paul Thomas Anderson - Licorice Pizza
Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog
Steven Spielberg - West Side Story
Tom Wants: Oh man, Branagh or Hamaguchi. I want Hamaguchi. In case you didn’t read my review, spoilers: Drive My Car touched my soul.
Tom Thinks: Campion probably has this locked up. Which is cool. She’s the first woman to be nominated for Best Director twice. Way too late, but better late than never I guess. Though she lost for 1992’s The Piano, I think she’s got it here.
Erin Wants: Hmm Kenneth Branagh?
Erin Thinks: Jane Campion I think.
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
Tom Wants: You’re really going to make me choose who I want, aren’t you? This hurts. Whatever. I’ll rank the movies in order of how much I enjoyed them, from least to most. Don’t Look Up is last, then West Side Story, then King Richard, then Nightmare Alley, then Licorice Pizza, then The Power of the Dog, then Dune…you can’t make me pick between my top three…ughhhh…Belfast is third…but I can’t choose my favorite…I just can’t…fine. Drive My Car gets the silver medal. The movie I want to win is CODA. Love you CODA.
Tom Thinks: It’s weird. The Power of the Dog has been the presumptive favorite for months now, taking that mantle from Belfast, but all of a sudden, out of nowhere…CODA is sprinting up in the rear-view mirror, picking up a lead in the Best Supporting Actor category (with Kotsur now the favorite over Smit-McPhee) and it even notched a surprise Best Film victory at the Producer’s Guild awards recently. Is it enough to overtake Power of the Dog? I don’t think so, but it’s no fun to root for the favorite - I think CODA wins it! (It can’t be Don’t Look Up. It just can’t be. Don’t blame me if it is.)
Erin Wants: Wow wow wow I gotta say, this was a wonderful year of movie watching for us! I want either Belfast or CODA to win. If I have to pick my favorite, it was Belfast but not by much!
Erin Thinks: CODA!!! Let’s make it happen people!