Countdown to Gold: My Predictions for the 96th Academy Awards

With Super Bowl 58 now in the rearview mirror, all eyes in the entertainment world are turning towards the next big event: the 96th Academy Awards. As a fervent film aficionado, I can hardly contain my excitement for Hollywood's most prestigious night, set to unfold at the iconic Dolby Theatre in the heart of Los Angeles, California, on March 10, 2024, at 4 PM PST.

Oscar gold awaits!

With the anticipation building, I find myself immersed in the exhilarating realm of predictions and speculations. Which cinematic gems will clinch the coveted golden statuettes this year? From heart-wrenching dramas to side-splitting comedies, the past year has gifted us with a plethora of cinematic marvels, each deserving of recognition for its contribution to the art of filmmaking.

Join me as I embark on this thrilling journey, refining and updating my predictions in the weeks leading up to the grand event. Be sure to stay tuned for the latest updates, as I'll be revealing my final selections on the eve of the ceremony. Let the countdown to the Oscars begin!

*movies that I have not watched...yet

Best Picture	My Prediction	Winner
American Fiction*
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things*
The Zone of Interest*

DIRECTING	My Prediction	Winner
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE	My Prediction	Winner
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction *

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE	My Prediction	Winner
Annette Bening, Nyad
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Emma Stone, Poor Things*

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE	My Prediction	Winner
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction*
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things *

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE	My Prediction	Winner
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple*
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)	My Prediction	Winner
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
May December
Maestro
Past Lives

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)	My Prediction	Winner
American Fiction*
Barbie
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*
The Zone of Interest

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM	My Prediction	Winner
The Boy and the Heron*
Elemental
Nimona*
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robot Dreams*

Production Design	My Prediction	Winner
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*

Costume Design	My Prediction	Winner
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*

Cinematography	My Prediction	Winner
El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*

FILM EDITING	My Prediction	Winner
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*

Makeup and Hairstyling	My Prediction	Winner
Golda*
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things*
Society of the Snow

Sound	My Prediction	Winner
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest

Visual Effects	My Prediction	Winner
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One*
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)	My Prediction	Winner
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)	My Prediction	Winner
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”)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM	My Prediction	Winner
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory*
Four Daughters*
To Kill a Tiger*
20 Days in Mariupol

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM	My Prediction	Winner
The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany*
Io Capitano, Italy*
Perfect Days, Japan*
Society of the Snow, Spain
The Zone of Interest,” United Kingdom*

ANIMATED SHORT FILM	My Prediction	Winner
Letter to a Pig*
Ninety-Five Senses*
Our Uniform*
Pachyderme*
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko*

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM	My Predictions	Winner
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between
The Last Repair Shop
Nai Nai & Wai Po

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM	My Prediction	Winner
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune*
Red, White and Blue*
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

VISUAL EFFECTS	My Prediction	Winner
THE CREATOR Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould
GODZILLA MINUS ONE Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould
NAPOLEON Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould