With the 94th Academy Awards already here–yeah, that’s today–I thought I’d discuss with you my picks for each of the six major categories (at least what I consider to be the six major categories). I’ve watched each and every one of the following films (with the exception of Parallel Mothers due to its lack of availability–but I’ve done my due diligence regardless), and I have thoroughly analyzed each of them. You can read my thoughts on these films in their entirety by clicking on any of them–as below you will find a brief summary of my picks to win big at this year’s Academy Awards.
Those six categories are as follows:
Actor in a Leading Role
Actor in a Supporting Role
Actress in a Leading Role
Actress in a Supporting Role
Animated Feature Film
Best Picture
Below you will find a comprehensive list of each of the nominees for each of those aforementioned categories, my pick for the winner of each category, and a brief explanation as to why I feel the way I do about my hopeful winner.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Javier Bardem - Being the Ricardos
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog
Andrew Garfiled - tick, tick…BOOM!
Andrew Garfield sits among a group of actors that possess a tremendous amount of talent. Heck, Smith and Washington could be considered two of the best actors of the past fifty years–maybe even ever. However, Garfield so beautifully embodies Jonathan Larsson (who wrote the play of which this film is about), and he creates emotion throughout the entirety of the film. He makes everyone around him better, his vocal ability is impeccably strong, and he resonates with viewers on a deep, meaningful, and emotional level. From beginning to end Garfield never relents throughout tick, tick…BOOM!, and as a result of all that he brings to the table in this emotional sense, he is my pick to win Best Actor in a Leading Role at this year’s Academy Awards.
Will Smith - King Richard
Denzel Washington - The Tragedy of Macbeth
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Ciarán Hinds - Belfast
Troy Kotsur - CODA
Actor in a Supporting Role is a difficult award to dissect this year. There were so many wonderful actors in supporting roles in 2021, but the one that stands out to me the most in Kotsur. The deaf actor from Mesa, Arizona has a pretty modest resume, and last year was his opportunity to let his abilities shine brightly, while showcasing for the entire world how incredibly talented he truly is. CODA is a film consisting of a number of deaf individuals, and Kotsur is the most impressive of them all. He exhibits emotion primarily using his body, and opposite some of the other truly talented individuals, Kotsur helps to wrap the emotional prowess of CODA up into something tidy and accessible. He’s everything that Hollywood needs right now, and he’s a prime example of how tenacity and determination can afford you great opportunities. Kotsur has stiff competition for this award, but I don’t believe that there is anyone more deserving than him.
Jesse Plemons - The Power of the Dog
J.K. Simmons - Being the Ricardos
Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Power of the Dog
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman - The Lost Daughter
For me, this may have been the closest call of any major category this year. I have to express how wonderfully impressive Kristen Stewart was in Spencer, and if she were to win the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role I certainly wouldn’t be upset. Colman, however, is the primary reason that The Lost Daughter is as entertaining as it is. Colman plays a very convoluted and multidimensional character, and she’s tasked with bringing sentiments of love, loss, hatred, and manipulation to life throughout the course of the film. Colman appears unassuming, but her prowess, and the control that she has of her tone of voice, her facial expressions, and her body language make her the frontrunner for this year’s Actress in a Leading Role.
Penélope Cruz - Parallel Mothers
Nicole Kidman - Being the Ricardos
Kristen Stewart - Spencer
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Jessie Buckley - The Lost Daughter
This was, without a doubt, the easiest category for me to break down. Buckley plays opposite Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter, but she plays the same character as Colman as well. In every way Buckley is tasked with supporting Colman on her journey through the film–and that’s why she’s found herself in this position–nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She embodies something uniquely deep within her that allows her to take a character that may be less-than-admirable and have viewers appreciate her. She’s incredibly suave in her performance throughout The Lost Daughter, and without her playing the younger version of Colman’s Leda, the film doesn’t hold up quite as well as it does. Buckley is beautifully talented, and she pulls at viewers’ heartstrings throughout the entirety of the film. This is one of the best performances of 2021.
Ariana DeBose - West Side Story
Judi Dench - Belfast
Kirsten Dunst - The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis - King Richard
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Encanto - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino, & Clark Spencer
First of all, I’m incredibly surprised to see that Disney has three nominations for the category of Animated Feature Film (not that they aren’t deserving, and not that it hasn’t happened in the past–but I feel as if mainstream cinema can often take a backseat to the more artsy films each year). Regardless of that, however, Encanto feels like the obvious winner for this category, as its relevance alone is enough to warrant it recognition of this nature. From catchy songs, relatable characters, an emotionally riveting narrative, and truly wonderful vocals and voice acting, Encanto checks quite literally every box needed to call it the best animated feature film of the year. From the opening moments of the film I was captivated by all that this talented cast and crew has to offer. Headed by Stephanie Beatriz, this film never relents, never stops warming the cockles of your heart, and never veers from the exceptional nature of what Disney has been known to offer. While I obviously have favorites in each category, there are multiple nominees in each that I’d accept as the winner of their respective award–but Encanto, without a doubt, should be the winner of Best Animated Feature Film; no ifs, and, or buts about it.
Flee - Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen, & Charlotte De La Gournerie
Luca - Enrico Casarosa & Andrea Warren
The Mitchells vs. the Machines - Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, & Kurt Albrecht
Raya and the Last Dragon - Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer, & Peter Del Vecho
BEST PICTURE:
Belfast - Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, & Tamar Thomas, Producers
CODA - Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, & Patrick Wachsberger, Producers
Don’t Look Up - Adam McKay & Kevin Messick, Producers
Drive My Car - Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer
Dune - Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve, & Cale Boyter, Producers
King Richard - Tim White, Trevor White, & Will Smith, Producers
Licorice Pizza - Sara Murphy, Adam Somner, & Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
Nightmare Alley - Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale, & Bradley Cooper, Producers
The Power of the Dog - Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, & Roger Frappier, Producers
In a loaded category, The Power of the Dog deserves to sit atop the rest of the wonderful films present and nominated for Best Picture. Everything from acting to cinematography allows The Power of the Dog to enthrall viewers from beginning to end, and had any one of those elements been eliminated, there are still so many wonderful things that I believe the film would still find success. The Power of the Dog is a bit of a thinker, even existential at times, and it requires viewers to dig deep and attempt to dissect it as it plays out. The film is fun, beautifully constructed, and full of incredibly talented actors. With twelve Oscar nominations (including this one for Best Picture), there’s no doubt in my mind that The Power of the Dog should take home the gold and be recognized as 2021’s best film.
West Side Story - Steven Spielberg & Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Well, that’s it–those are my picks for the six major categories at this year’s Academy Awards. There were so many great films in 2021, some that didn’t even make the list for the Oscars this year. Again, you can click on any of the titles listed above and read my full review of each film. A complete list of this year’s Oscar nominees can be found HERE, and if you’re interested in reading my other reviews, you can find them all by clicking HERE.
Drop me a line and let me know what you think about my reviews, my comments above, and who and what you believe deserves to be recognized at the 94th Academy Awards. Art is subjective, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. So, don’t be shy, talk to me!
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