Over the past week, MovieManifesto has analyzed all 20 feature categories (sorry, short subjects, no offense intended) at this year’s Oscars. In the interest of service journalism, we’re compiling all of our predictions and preferences into this omnibus post. Click on the links to access our write-up for a particular category.
Best Actor
Will win: Will Smith—King Richard (confidence: 4/5)
Should win: Benedict Cumberbatch—The Power of the Dog
Worst omission: Simon Rex—Red Rocket
Best Actress
Will win: Jessica Chastain—The Eyes of Tammy Faye (confidence: 1/5)
Should win: Olivia Colman—The Lost Daughter
Worst omission: Rebecca Hall—The Night House
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will win: CODA—Siân Heder (confidence: 2/5)
Should win: The Power of the Dog—Jane Campion
Worst omission: The Last Duel—Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon
Best Animated Feature
Will win: Encanto (confidence: 4/5)
Should win: Luca
Best Cinematography
Will win: Dune—Greig Fraser (confidence: 3/5)
Should win: West Side Story—Janusz Kaminski
Worst omission: Old—Mike Gioulakis
Best Costume Design
Will win: Cruella (confidence: 3/5)
Should win: Cruella
Worst omission: Last Night in Soho
Best Director
Will win: Jane Campion—The Power of the Dog (confidence: 5/5)
Should win: Steven Spielberg—West Side Story
Worst omission: Edgar Wright—Last Night in Soho
Best Documentary Feature
Will win: Summer of Soul (confidence: 3/5)
Best Film Editing
Will win: Dune—Joe Walker (confidence: 2/5)
Should win: The Power of the Dog—Peter Sciberras
Worst omission: The French Dispatch—Andrew Weisblum
Best International Feature
Will win: Drive My Car (Japan) (confidence: 5/5)
Should win: Drive My Car (Japan)
Worst omission: Undine (Germany)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Will win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye (confidence: 3/5)
Should win: Cruella
Worst omission: The Green Knight
Best Original Score
Will win: Dune—Hans Zimmer (confidence: 2/5)
Should win: The Power of the Dog—Jonny Greenwood
Worst omission: Cyrano—Bryce Dessner & Aaron Dessner
Best Original Screenplay
Will win: Don’t Look Up—Adam McKay (confidence: 1/5)
Should win: The Worst Person in the World—Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
Worst omission: Nine Days—Edson Oda
Best Original Song
Will win: “No Time to Die”—Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (from No Time to Die) (confidence: 2/5)
Should win: “Dos Oruguitas”—Lin-Manuel Miranda (from Encanto)
Worst omission: “So May We Start”—Sparks (from Annette)
Best Picture
Will win: The Power of the Dog (confidence: 1/5)
Should win: West Side Story
Worst omission: The French Dispatch
Best Production Design
Will win: Nightmare Alley (confidence: 1/5)
Should win: Nightmare Alley
Worst omission: The French Dispatch
Best Sound
Will win: Dune (confidence: 5/5)
Should win: Dune
Worst omission: The Humans
Best Supporting Actor
Will win: Troy Kotsur—CODA (confidence: 4/5)
Should win: Kodi Smit-McPhee—The Power of the Dog
Worst omission: Vincent Lindon—Titane
Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Ariana DeBose—West Side Story (confidence: 5/5)
Should win: Ariana DeBose—West Side Story
Worst omission: Riley Keough—Zola
Best Visual Effects
Will win: Dune (confidence: 4/5)
Should win: Dune
Worst omission: The Matrix Resurrections
Jeremy Beck is the editor-in-chief of MovieManifesto. He watches more movies and television than he probably should.