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2023 Academy Awards: Who Will Win and Who Should Win
The 2023 Academy Awards are here! Despite hardly ever agreeing with who wins at the Oscars and the constant controversy surrounding the nominees and the show in general, I always get excited about Oscar night. Like most years, some categories seemed locked up based on precursors and awards-season wins. But there are quite a few categories that are still wide open or down to a battle between a couple of nominees, which should make for a fun and exciting night.
The big question at this year’s Oscars is, how many awards will Everything Everywhere All at Once win? Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s multiversal action-comedy has taken awards season by storm, sweeping all major awards throughout the entire season. Will the sweep continue on Oscar night? Or will the Academy try and spread the wealth like they’ve been known to in the past? It’s an exciting narrative that we haven’t had in a long time. Here are my predictions for who I think will win and who I think should win at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
TÁR
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking
Everything Everywhere All at Once has swept all precursors this season, winning PGA, DGA, SAG, Critics Choice, Indie Spirits, and many critics awards. It’s a juggernaut, unlike anything we’ve seen in years. If there is a film that could upset it, maybe Top Gun: Maverick or All Quiet on the Western Front, but those are huge long shots.
Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Should Win: The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Director
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, TÁR
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert won the DGA and are behind the most-awarded film of the year. I can’t imagine anyone stopping them now.
Will Win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Should Win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Actor
Austin Butler, Elvis
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Bill Nighy, Living
Easily one of the toughest battles of the night. Austin Butler became the King and led his film to a Best Picture nomination. Brendan Fraser has the comeback story of the year. The two have been the frontrunners over the last month, with Colin Farrell hanging around to play spoiler. Who will come out on top? A key stat that I’m looking at: the winner of Best Actor has starred in a Best Picture-nominated film every year since 2011.
Will Win: Austin Butler, Elvis
Should Win: Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
This is a battle between Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett. They’ve both won key precursors, are in beloved films, and are loved in the industry. If the Academy wants to spread the award’s wealth, this would be TÁR‘s best chance at a win. But, if Everything Everywhere All at Once sweeps the evening, Yeoh could easily take this. It’s a coin-flip between two deserving performances.
Will Win: Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Should Win: Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Best Supporting Actor
Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Ke Huy Quan has all but swept the awards season for his performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once and his incredible run will culminate in an Oscar win. Get ready for one of the best speeches of the night
Will Win: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Should Win: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau, The Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Another acting battle on our hands. Bassett is a legend and won the Golden Globe, Curtis is a legend and won SAG, and Condon gave a breakout performance and won BAFTA. Any of the three could win and would be a great winner.
Will Win: Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Should Win: Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Adapted Screenplay
Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, and Ian Stokell, All Quiet on the Western Front
Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Kazuo Ishiguro, Living
Screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie, story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks, Top Gun: Maverick
Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Sarah Polley’s excellent work on Women Talking should get rewarded here. But don’t be surprised if All Quiet on the Western Front takes this, as it has grown in momentum over the last couple of months.
Will Win: Women Talking
Should Win: Women Talking
Best Original Screenplay
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, TÁR
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness
Every Best Picture winner over the last decade has won a screenplay award with it. If Everything Everywhere All at Once is cleaning house, it should also win here. If it loses, though, it could make for an interesting finish.
Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Should Win: The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Animated Feature Film
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
The Sea Beast
Turning Red
Despite a great field of nominees, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has swept awards season and is the undeniable favorite.
Will Win: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Should Win: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Best International Feature Film
All Quiet on the Western Front
Argentina, 1985
Close
EO
The Quiet Girl
All Quiet on the Western Front earned the Best Picture nomination, signaling it is a favorite amongst the Academy.
Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Should Win: EO
Best Documentary Feature
All That Breathes
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Fire of Love
A House Made of Splinters
Navalny
It’s a two-horse race between the thrilling Navalny and the stunning Fire of Love. Both would be great winners, but I’m predicting Navalny because of its win at the PGA.
Will Win: Navalny
Should Win: Fire of Love
REST OF THE CATEGORIES
Best Film Editing
Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, The Banshees of Inisherin
Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond, Elvis
Paul Rogers, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Monika Willi, TÁR
Eddie Hamilton, Top Gun: Maverick
Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Cinematography
James Friend, All Quiet on the Western Front
Darius Khondji, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Mandy Walker, Elvis
Roger Deakins, Empire of Light
Florian Hoffmeister, TÁR
Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Should Win: TÁR
Best Costume Design
Mary Zophres, Babylon
Ruth E. Carter, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Catherine Martin, Elvis
Shirley Kurata, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Jenny Beavan, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
Will Win: Elvis
Should Win: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová, All Quiet on the Western Front
Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, and Mike Fontaine, The Batman
Camille Friend and Joel Harlow, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, and Aldo Signoretti, Elvis
Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Anne Marie Bradley, The Whale
Will Win: Elvis
Should Win: The Batman
Best Production Design
Christian M. Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper, All Quiet on the Western Front
Dylan Cole, Ben Procter, and Vanessa Cole, Avatar: The Way of Water
Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino, Babylon
Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, and Bev Dunn, Elvis
Rick Carter and Karen O’Hara, The Fabelmans
Will Win: Babylon
Should Win: The Fabelmans
Best Music (Original Song)
“Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, music and lyrics by Dianne Warren
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, music and lyrics by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, music and lyrics by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Goransson
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR, music by M.M. Keeravaani, lyrics by Chandrabose
“This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne, and Mitski, lyrics by Ryan Lott
Will Win: “Naatu Naatu” from RRR
Should Win: “Naatu Naatu” from RRR
Best Music (Original Score)
Volker Bertelmann, All Quiet on the Western Front
Justin Hurwitz, Babylon
Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Son Lux, Everything Everywhere All at Once
John Williams, The Fabelmans
Will Win: Babylon
Should Win: The Fabelmans
Best Sound
Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel, and Stefan Korte, All Quiet on the Western Front
Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, and Michael Hedges, Avatar: The Way of Water
Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray, and Andy Nelson, The Batman
David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, and Michael Keller, Elvis
Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, and Mark Taylor, Top Gun: Maverick
Will Win: Top Gun: Maverick
Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Visual Effects
Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank, and Kamil Jafar, All Quiet on the Western Front
Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett, Avatar: The Way of Water
Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands, and Dominic Tuohy, The Batman
Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White, and Dan Sudick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson, and Scott R. Fisher, Top Gun: Maverick
Will Win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Should Win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Best Animated Short Film
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
The Flying Sailor
Ice Merchants
My Year of Dicks
An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake, and I Think I Believe It
Will Win: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Should Win: Ice Merchants
Best Live Action Short Film
An Irish Goodbye
Ivalu
Le Pupille
Night Ride
The Red Suitcase
Will Win: An Irish Goodbye
Should Win: The Red Suitcase
Best Documentary Short
The Elephant Whisperers
Haulout
How Do You Measure a Year?
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Stranger at the Gate
Will Win: The Elephant Whisperers
Should Win: Haulout
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