Allan Predicts The 97th Academy Awards

Ahh, the Oscars. As I was lecturing my 18-month-old daughter this morning, it truly is the biggest night in Hollywood. All of the stars will be dressed in their very best while we all pretend the world isn’t burning around us. This has been a really fun awards season, with twists and turns as we approached the grand-finale celebration of the best in film from 2024.

There are a few guarantees as we head into the 97th Academy Awards. Conan is going to kill the hosting gig. The supporting categories feel like a given to go to Kieran Culken and Zoey Saldaña, Best Adapted Screenplay already has Conclave’s name on the statue, and Karla Sofia Gascón’s presence will bring the most uncomfortable moments of the evening. Months ago it seemed like it would be a victory lap for Gascón during the awards season, but her horrifically racist comments about previous Oscar ceremonies have thrown cold water on the entire Emilia Perez parade (it doesn’t help that everyone agrees the movie is unworthy of its 13 nominations). 

The biggest mysteries will surround some of the biggest awards. Best Picture, which odds-makers have Anora as the favorite, but The Brutalist and Conclave feel ripe for a win. Best Actor will come down to Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet, yet the “Conclave Cuties” online feel a Conclave sweep is possible, which means Ralph Fiennes would win his first Oscar on his third try. For my money, the most exciting award will be Best Actress, as Demi Moore and Mikey Madison have gone blow-for-blow all season long. Moore winning would be celebrated by longtime fans and horror-faithful alike, while many believe Madison truly gave the best performance of the year in the feverish Anora. 

Below are my predictions, which is what I think will win, and then also my picks for who I believe should win. Some categories I am not as read up on, so my picks will be on vibes. 

The Predictions

Best Picture - The Brutalist: It won the Golden Globe and feels like the most “Oscars” type film of the year. Anora is favored, but that would be a unique choice for the Academy. For me, Nickel Boys (review coming soon) is the greatest film achievement of the year.

• Anora

• The Brutalist

• A Complete Unknown

• Conclave

• Dune: Part Two

• Emilia Pérez

• I'm Still Here

• Nickel Boys - Allan’s choice

• The Substance

• Wicked

Best actor - Adrien Brody: Brody is magnificent as László Tóth in The Brutalist. AI accent controversy aside, it is a heavyweight performance worthy of praise. He would be my choice as well. 

• Adrien Brody - The Brutalist - Allan’s Choice

• Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

• Colman Domingo - Sing Sing

• Ralph Fiennes - Conclave

• Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice

Best actress - Demi Moore: Anyone who thinks this is a lifetime achievement award is crazy. Moore goes all in in one of the craziest films and performances I have ever seen. Mikey Madison is great, but Moore would be my choice as well.

• Cynthia Erivo - Wicked

• Karla Sofía Gascón - Emilia Pérez

• Mikey Madison - Anora

• Demi Moore - The Substance - Allan’s Choice

• Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here

Best supporting actress - Zoe Saldaña: Two things can be true at once - Saldaña’s performance was award-worthy, and the movie is trash. For me, I can’t believe Ariana Grande’s performance has not garnered more praise. It is tough to reinvent a beloved character, and she does it marvelously. 

• Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown

• Ariana Grande - Wicked - Allan’s Choice

• Felicity Jones - The Brutalist

• Isabella Rossellini - Conclave

• Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez

Best supporting actor - Kieran Culkin: The fact that Culken has virtually swept the awards seasons against this great group of nominees is a credit to how singular he was as Benji in A Real Pain. It is my favorite film of 2024, and my favorite performance of the year. 

• Yura Borisov - Anora

• Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain - Allan’s Choice

• Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown

• Guy Pearce - The Brutalist

• Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice

Best director - Brady Corbet: The Brutalist is flawlessly made. Even though I found Baker’s Globes speech to be a bit much, I agree that this should be a testament to why filmmakers should have the freedom to execute their vision. Look out for Sean Baker here, but Corbet would be my pick as well. 

• Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez

• Sean Baker - Anora

• Brady Corbet - The Brutalist - Allan’s Choice

• Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

• James Mangold - A Complete Unknown

Best adapted screenplay - Conclave

• A Complete Unknown - Jay Cocks and James Mangold

• Conclave - Peter Straughan

• Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard

• Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes - Allan’s Choice

• Sing Sing - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Best original screenplay - Anora

• Anora - Sean Baker

• The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

• A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg - Allan’s Choice

• September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David

• The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Best original song - “El Mal”

• Never Too Late - Elton John: Never Too Late

• El Mal - Emilia Pérez

• Mi Camino - Emilia Pérez

• Like A Bird - Sing Sing - Allan’s Choice

• The Journey - The Six Triple Eight

Best original score - The Brutalist

• The Brutalist - Allan’s Choice

• Conclave

• Emilia Pérez

• Wicked

• The Wild Robot

Best international feature - I’m Still Here

• I'm Still Here - Brazil - Allan’s Choice

• The Girl with the Needle - Denmark

• Emilia Pérez - France

• The Seed of the Sacred Fig - Germany

• Flow - Latvia

Best animated feature - The Wild Robot

• Flow

• Inside Out 2 - Allan’s Choice

• Memoir of a Snail

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

• The Wild Robot

Best documentary feature - No Other Land

• Black Box Diaries

• No Other Land

• Porcelain War

• Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

• Sugarcane

Best costume design - Wicked

• Wicked - Allan’s Choice

• Nosferatu

• A Complete Unknown

• Conclave

• Gladiator II

Best make-up and hairstyling - The Substance

• A Different Man

• Emilia Pérez

• Nosferatu

• The Substance - Allan’s Choice

• Wicked

Best production design - Wicked

• Wicked - Allan’s Choice

• The Brutalist

• Dune: Part Two

• Nosferatu

• Conclave

Best sound - Dune: Part Two

• A Complete Unknown

• Dune: Part Two

• Emilia Pérez

• Wicked - Allan’s Choice

• The Wild Robot

Best film editing - Anora

• Anora

• The Brutalist - Allan’s Choice

• Conclave

• Emilia Pérez

• Wicked

Best cinematography - The Brutalist

• The Brutalist - Allan’s Choice

• Dune: Part Two

• Emilia Pérez

• Maria

• Nosferatu

Best visual effects - Dune: Part Two

• Alien: Romulus - Allan’s Choice

• Better Man

• Dune: Part Two

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

• Wicked

Best live action short - The Man Who Could Not Remain

• Anuja

• I'm Not a Robot

• The Last Ranger

• A Lien

• The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best animated short - Wander to Wonder

• Beautiful Men

• In the Shadow of the Cypress

• Magic Candies

• Wander to Wonder

• Yuck!

Best documentary short - The Only Girl in the Orchestra

• Death by Numbers

• I Am Ready, Warden

• Incident

• Instruments of a Beating Heart

• The Only Girl in the Orchestra - Allan’s Choice