The Oscars annual picks
Overall, 2022 was a pretty good year for movies. It was also a year where we were able to enjoy going back to the theatre instead of limiting ourselves to streaming services.
I usually spend the last month of every calendar year and first two months of a New Year watching as many of the Oscarnominated films as possible. It makes Oscar night a lot more fun when you’re familiar with the nominated performances.
TV ratings have tanked the last several years but I’m expecting a spike in viewership on Sunday because there’s three movies nominated for best picture that most people have actually seen – Elvis,
Top Gun Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water.
Unfortunately for fans of these movies, the statues will be more than likely limited to technical categories.
I haven’t missed a ceremony since 1978 and even managed to win a major pick-thewinners contest in the mid-1980s. So here goes, Miller’s annual picks for who will win on Sunday night. The envelope please.
Best Picture: At Christmas, it appeared to be Steven Spielberg’s year with The Fabelmans – the closest thing he’s ever come to being autobiographical – as the frontrunner for best picture and director. It’s not his best work, but it was pleasant. In the past month, Everything Everywhere All At Once has been gaining steam and nothing will stop it. All Quiet on the Western Front, also nominated for best international feature and recent winner of the BAFTA award, will win in that category.
Best Director: They often go hand-inhand with the best picture so look for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert to beat Spielberg.
Best Actor: This is by far the most competitive category with Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Brendan Fraser (The
Whale) all in contention. I’m calling the upset – Butler will win. This is more about honouring the legacy of Elvis Presley who made dozens of movies, but was never nominated for an Academy Award. (If you saw any of his movies, you’d know why.)
Butler did it all, you believed you were watching Elvis and not a second-rate tribute artist. Fraser was rock solid as the tragic figure in The Whale, but the movie was controversial and horribly depressing to watch. Farrell was also terrific in a subtle, quiet and sad performance.
Best Actress: Again, another competitive category. Cate Blanchett was great in Tar, but she’s won twice, setting the stage for Michelle Yeoh as the protagonist in Everything Everywhere All At Once to take home the gold.
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once). I’d be shocked if he didn’t win. Like Fraser in The Whale, this is a comeback story, a former child star from The Goonies who never expected to score another major role, let alone one in a film as good as this one. You can’t help but cheer for this guy.
Best Supporting Actress: Another close race but I’m picking Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once). She’s done stellar work for years and, surprisingly, this is her first nomination. Angela Bassett (Black Panther Wakanda Forever) has done well in awards season but … it’s a Marvel movie.
Screenwriting: The Banshees of
Inisherin is just too good of movie to leave the awards empty handed. Martin McDonagh (who also directed) will win in the original screenplay category. In adapted screenplay, Canadian Sarah
Polley should win for Women Talking (which she also directed). Her film was almost entirely dialogue with elaborate narration. The other movies in this category aren’t nearly as strong as Women Talking.
Animated Feature Film: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. As hard as this is to believe, it’s even darker than the 1940 Disney version.