Six performers who turned in some of the most acclaimed work of the year sat down for the 2024 Envelope Actors Roundtable. Front left – Colman Domingo (“Rustin,” “The Color Purple”), Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”), Back left – Andrew Scott (“All of Us Strangers”), Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction,” “Rustin,” “Asteroid City”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”). Credit: Jason Armond (via TNS)
As 2023 ends, another great year for film ends with it; awards season, however, is only just beginning. The Academy Awards — more commonly known as the Oscars — are a hot topic during the winter months, especially when theatrical releases tend to stall and filmmakers eagerly await the recognition of their hard work.
Still, for all the glitz and glamor awards offer, they are often accompanied by controversy. In fact, the Oscars have become associated with slaps in the face — both literally and figuratively — as numerous movies, casts and crews are snubbed from winning.
Since the Oscars’ voting members sometimes miss the mark and fail to reward the actual “best” films of a given year, with many of their previous choices aging poorly, I want to weigh in on the following award categories from the perspective of a passionate reviewer. Hopefully, my selections age a little better.
Predicted Best Picture Nominations: “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Poor Things,” “The Holdovers,” “American Fiction,” “Maestro,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “May December” and “The Zone of Interest”
Predicted Best Picture: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “The Iron Claw”
“Oppenheimer” was billed as the biggest release of the year — premiering in July, a prime time for movies — with a perfect blend of seasoned actors, accessible themes and blockbuster status, as is typical of Christopher Nolan’s films.
Even so, picking “Oppenheimer” for Best Picture may not stand the test of time, as more and more spectators are beginning to catch on to Nolan’s subpar dialogue and inability to write dynamic female characters.
Personally, I believe the year’s most commendable release came at the last second in Sean Durkin’s “The Iron Claw,” whose December release likely hindered its award chances significantly.
In a way, “The Iron Claw” does everything “Oppenheimer” does well, but just a bit better: it’s another biopic with phenomenal performances from its leads, stunning cinematography and all the melancholic spectacle of a high-quality tragedy. When all is said and done, “The Iron Claw” will go down as the best film of 2023, even if it lacks some of the cultural influence boasted by “Oppenheimer.”
Predicted Best Director Nominees: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer;” Greta Gerwig, “Barbie;” Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon;” Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest” and Alexander Payne, “The Holdovers”
Predicted Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Who Should Win: Sean Durkin, “The Iron Claw”
Best Picture and Best Director are often tied together, so it makes sense for Nolan to be the Academy’s pick here, though he’ll be locked in a fierce battle with Martin Scorsese.
Voters will likely give Nolan the edge simply because Scorsese already merited the 2007 award for “The Departed.” But Cannes-winning director Durkin deserves the award in actuality, as his direction in “The Iron Claw ” is more focused and cohesive than that of both Nolan in “Oppenheimer” and Scorsese in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Predicted Best Actor Nominees: Bradley Cooper, “Maestro;” Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer;” Paul Giametti, “The Holdovers;” Colman Domingo, “Rustin” and Leonardo DiCaprio, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Predicted Best Actor in a Leading Role: Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
Who Should Win: Zac Efron, “The Iron Claw”
Noticing a theme? “The Iron Claw” shouts are not without reason. Zac Efron — once cast away as nothing more than a Disney Channel original actor — completely transforms himself physically and mentally to play the role of Kevin Von Erich, the second-oldest brother of the legendary Von Erich wrestling family.
Notably, Efron checks a lot of the boxes that will likely hand Bradley Cooper his golden statuette: undergoing physical changes, defying previous typecasts, leading a biopic and exhibiting a vast range of raw emotion. Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer is yet another strong contender.
Predicted Best Actress Nominees: Emma Stone, “Poor Things;” Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon;” Margot Robbie, “Barbie;” Carey Mulligan, “Maestro” and Sandra Huller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
Predicted Best Actress in a Leading Role: Emma Stone, “Poor Things”
Who Should Win: Emma Stone, “Poor Things”
“Poor Things” had its flaws, but Emma Stone’s performance as Bella Baxter was completely flawless. She leads the race with Lily Gladstone from “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Margot Robbie from “Barbie,” but Stone should deservingly take home the trophy.
Predicted Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominees: Ryan Gosling, “Barbie;” Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer;” Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon;” Charles Melton, “May December” and Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”
Predicted Best Actor in a supporting role: Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
Who Should Win: Charles Melton, “May December”
Ryan Gosling, Robert De Niro and Robert Downey Jr. are slated to battle for the Supporting Actor prize, but it’s impossible to advocate for Stone to win Best Actress without also pushing for Melton, who plays a similarly nuanced role as a character who blurs the line between the adult and childish with extraordinary subtlety.
Predicted Best Actress in a Supporting Role nominees: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers;” Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer’” Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple’” Sandra Huller, “The Zone of Interest” and America Ferrera, “Barbie”
Predicted Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
Who Should Win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
“Oppenheimer” is likely to be favored by the Academy, meaning Emily Blunt may be the best bet to win. But Da’Vine Randolph is also set up for victory, seeing as she brought fresh emotional elements to fan-favorite film “The Holdovers.”
Note: Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) is being campaigned for the Lead Actress category at the time of publication, but if she is categorized as Supporting, she almost certainly will win.
Predicted Best Original Screenplay Nominees: “The Holdovers,” “Past Lives,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “May December” and “Asteroid City”
Predicted Best Original Screenplay: “Past Lives”
What Should Win: “Anatomy of a Fall”
The Academy couldn’t go wrong with either choice here, but the script elements seen in “Anatomy of a Fall” — tense courtroom dialogue, diversity in characters’ tones and plot twists galore — were masterfully written, so the slight edge goes to Justine Triet’s film, which she co-wrote with Arthur Harari.
Predicted Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees: “Poor Things,” “Oppenheimer,” “American Fiction,” “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Zone of Interest”
Predicted Best Adapted Screenplay: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “Godzilla: Minus One”
“Oppenheimer” was partially written from a first-person point of view, a gimmick from Nolan that should be enough to woo voters. The film wasn’t, however, this year’s best drama that dealt with guilt in the post-World War II landscape, particularly in relation to the nuclear bomb’s construction.
The title of Best Adapted Screenplay should belong to “Godzilla: Minus One,” which accomplished the already difficult task of creating a structured monster movie while also delivering layered characters and a compelling storyline.
Predicted Best Animated Feature Nominees: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “The Boy and the Heron,” “Elemental,” “Nimona” and “Wish”
Predicted Best Animated Feature: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
What Should Win: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Those who aren’t fans of cliffhangers will likely want “The Boy and the Heron” to win, which wouldn’t be undeserved, but the cultural phenomenon that was “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” should swing by and collect this distinction.
Predicted Best Production Design Nominees: “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Poor Things,” “Napoleon” and “Oppenheimer”
Predicted Best Production Design: “Barbie”
What Should Win: “Barbie”
“Barbie” boasts a set design so intense there was briefly a shortage of pink paint. “Barbie” created a world that felt authentically plastic, and should accordingly win in this category.
Predicted Best Cinematography Nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Saltburn” and “Barbie”
Predicted Best Cinematography: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “The Iron Claw”
“Oppenheimer” supposedly included no CGI, which is a standard for Nolan as a director. While the cinematography was indeed impressive for a significant portion of “Oppenheimer,” particularly when illustrating the titular character’s guilt and the ignition of the nuclear bomb, the gaffing and camera movement involved in the fight sequences in “The Iron Claw” blows away the competition.
Predicted Best Costume Design Nominees: “Barbie,” “Poor Things,” “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” “Napoleon” and “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Predicted Best Costume Design: “Barbie”
What Should Win: “Barbie”
Ann Roth, a legendary costume designer who has already earned two awards in this category — and even made a brief cameo in “Barbie” — impressed this year as head designer for “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” having a chance to become the oldest person to ever win an Oscar at age 92. But it is Jacqueline Durran and her “Barbie” team who are most likely to win, having recreated the beloved garments seen on iconic dolls throughout history with full-scale panache.
Predicted Best Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees: “Maestro,” “Poor Things,” “Napoleon,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” and “Oppenheimer”
Predicted Best Makeup and Hairstyling: “Maestro”
What Should Win: “Priscilla”
The aging transformation of Cooper into Leonard Bernstein is the overwhelming favorite to win in this category, though perhaps the nod should be given to “Priscilla,” in which the 1960s makeup and hairstyling is interwoven into the story itself.
Predicted Best Film Editing Nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Poor Things” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Predicted Best Film Editing: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
The comic book-style flair of “Across the Spider-Verse” is vastly more impressive when taking into account the sheer number of hours needed to cohesively animate the right frames necessary to pull off its transitions, which is something that cannot be said for live-action film “Oppenheimer.”
Predicted Best Sound Nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Maestro,” “Ferrari,” “Barbie” and “The Creator”
Predicted Best Sound: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “Oppenheimer”
This feels pretty self-explanatory, as the sound design within “Oppenheimer” is a marvel worth experiencing in theater seats.
Predicted Best Visual Effects Nominees: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “The Creator,” “Godzilla: Minus One,” “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” and “Society of the Snow”
Predicted Best Visual Effects: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
What Should Win: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Animated features are usually snubbed or overlooked in more technical categories, but “Across the Spider-Verse” will prove again and again to be an exception.
Predicted Best Original Score Nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “American Fiction”
Predicted Best Original Score: “Oppenheimer”
What Should Win: “Oppenheimer”
Daniel Pemberton would also be a worthy winner for his score in “Across the Spider-Verse,” but the commanding number of tempo and key changes in Ludwig Goransson’s “Can You Hear the Music” alone seem almost as impossible as the nuclear bomb’s creation itself.
Predicted Best Original Song Nominees: “Dance the Night” (Barbie), “What Was I Made For” (Barbie),” “Am I Dreaming?” (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), “I’m Just Ken” (Barbie) and “Road to Freedom” (Rustin)
Predicted Best Original song: “What Was I Made For” (Barbie)
What Should Win: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Am I Dreaming” (Metro Boomin, A$AP Rocky, Roisee)
This is another purely subjective category, but I think the honor should be given to Metro Boomin and his ensemble for merging various genres of music into one hit song.
Note: Best International Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Live Action Short were omitted from this opinion piece due to difficulties in accessing a necessary number of films in each category.
