So I just wrapped up my last Best Picture nominee. Here is my list of what I liked the best.

1. Past Lives
2. Oppenheimer
3. The Zone Of Interest
4. The Holdovers
5. Poor Things
6. Barbie
7. Killers Of The Flower Moon
8. Maestro
9. Anatomy Of A Fall
10. American Fiction

I think it will largely be a boring ceremony from a winners perspective, as outside of Best Actress, I think all the major awards are locks.

My Precitiions

Best Picture: Oppenheimer

Best Director: Christopher Nolan

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone.
I think she will edge out Emma Stone, but I hope I am wrong. Stone was much better.

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr.
My one issue here is that I felt like his section of the movie was the weakest, but I've only watched it once and Nolan movies usually take multiple viewings.

Best Supporting Actress: Da'vine Joy Randolph

Now these are the two that are lightening rods for me. According to Gold Derby the favorites are:

Best Original Screenplay: Anatomy Of A Fall
Best Adapted Screenplay: American Fiction

WTF? I strongly disagree with both.

Anatomy Of A Fall is just an elevated Law & Order episode. It's pretty dang simple did she/did she not do it, whose strength is in the acting and directing. There is nothing terribly original or special about the premise or the writing. To me Past Lives should win this hands down.

American Fiction? I wrote my review on it's own thread, and maybe the script is great and it was just fumbled, but the movie just doesn't stick the landing. I think it's the weakest of the five nominees.