October 2021
Dune (c) Warner Bros
October is the earliest I am willing to start my Oscars prognostication. At this point, after the New York Film Festival, when most of the main contenders have been seen in some form or another, the guessing game can begin, even though I myself have not seen many of these films. Plus, I've included some at-yet unseen last-minute December-deadline releases of big movies because of their prestige alone. So, take this as my Oscar doodling and fun thoughts about what might make the cut. In November, things will become clearer and I’ll have more to say.
The section to enjoy this month is my “Give Some Love” choices. For any Oscar voters reading this (welcome!), why not take a chance on these selections?
Best Picture
West Side Story (c) 20th Century Studios
Frontrunners:
Belfast
CODA
Dune
The French Dispatch
The Green Knight
King Richard
The Power of the Dog
Spencer
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story
Possibilities:
Being the Ricardos
C'mon C'mon
Encanto
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
Parallel Mothers
Red Rocket
tick, tick…Boom!
Titane
Give Some Love to:
In the Heights
Luca
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Best Actor
Finch (c) Apple TV+
Frontrunners:
Riz Ahmed - Encounter
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog
Michael Keaton - Worth
Will Smith - King Richard
Denzel Washington - The Tragedy of Macbeth
Possibilities:
Andrew Garfield – tick, tick…Boom!
Tom Hanks – Finch
Jude Hill – Belfast
Dev Patel – The Green Knight
Joaquin Phoenix – C'mon C'mon
Give Some Love to:
Peter Dinklage – Cyrano
Udo Kier – Swan Song
Simon Rex – Red Rocket
Best Actress
Parallel Mothers (c) Sony Picture Classics
Frontrunners:
Caitriona Balfe – Belfast
Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
Jennifer Hudson – Respect
Kristen Stewart – Spencer
Possibilities:
Penélope Cruz – Parallel Mothers
Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog
Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
Frances McDormand – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Tessa Thompson – Passing
Give Some Love to:
Cate Blanchett – Nightmare Alley
Emilia Jones – CODA
Lady Gaga – House of Gucci
Best Supporting Actor
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (c) Amazon Studios
Frontrunners:
Corey Hawkins – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
Troy Kotsur – CODA
Jesse Plemons – The Power of the Dog
Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog
Possibilities:
Reed Birney – Mass
Willem Dafoe – Nightmare Alley
Jared Leto – House of Gucci
Stanley Tucci – Worth
Jeffrey Wright – The French Dispatch
Give Some Love to:
Eugenio Derbez – CODA
Richard E. Grant – Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Simon Helberg – Annette
Best Supporting Actress
Swan Song (c) Magnolia Pictures
Frontrunners:
Ann Dowd – Mass
Judi Dench – Belfast
Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
Marlee Matlin – CODA
Ruth Negga – Passing
Possibilities:
Jessie Buckley – The Lost Daughter
Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
Sally Hawkins – Spencer
Dakota Johnson – The Lost Daughter
Rooney Mara – Nightmare Alley
Give Some Love to:
Olga Merediz – In the Heights
Emma Thompson – Cruella
Jennifer Coolidge – Swan Song
Best Director
Belfast (c) Focus Features
Frontrunners:
Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
David Lowery – The Green Knight
Steven Spielberg – West Side Story
Denis Villeneuve – Dune
Possibilities:
Pedro Almodóvar – Parallel Mothers
Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
Guillermo del Toro – Nightmare Alley
Julia Ducournau – Titane
Reinaldo Marcus Green – King Richard
Give Some Love to:
Wes Anderson – The French Dispatch
Jon M. Chu – In the Heights
Pablo Larrain – Spencer
Best Original Screenplay
Luca (c) Walt Disney Pixar
Frontrunners:
Belfast – Kenneth Branagh
C'mon C'mon – Mike Mills
King Richard – Zach Baylin
Licorice Pizza – Paul Thomas Anderson
Parallel Mothers – Pedro Almodóvar
Possibilities:
Being the Ricardos - Aaron Sorkin
Bergman Island – Mia Hansen-Løve
The French Dispatch - Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola
Red Rocket – Sean Baker
Titane – Julia Ducournau
Give Some Love to:
Encounter – Joe Barton, Michael Pearce
Luca – Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews, Simons Stephenson
Spencer – Steven Knight
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Green Knight (c) A24
