Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this year’s Oscar nominations. For the first time, I wasn’t too shocked about any of the nominees.
In 2023, I think we are seeing some top-heavy favorites mixed with some surprise nominations, but they are there.
I do want to talk about the big five awards of the Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees: Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Hong Chau (The Whale), Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jaime Lee Curis (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Stephanie Isu (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
I think all of these actresses in this category are so deserving of these nominations. Angela Bassett put on one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in the MCU, and she becomes the first person ever in the MCU to receive an Oscar nomination for their acting.
Kerry Condon was phenomenal in The Banshees of Inisherin, and I believe she should be highly considered for this award. She put on a masterful performance.
Hong Chau was nominated for her performance in The Whale, a movie I have not been able to go see yet. However, I have heard nothing but great things about her in this movie.
Lastly, Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Isu were both nominated for Everything Everywhere All At Once. I feel like Curtis is the odd woman out in this category, but I loved Isu’s performance as the daughter who feels like the misfit and second thought of her family.
Favorite to win: Kerry Condon, but wouldn’t be surprised by Stephanie Isu
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees: Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin), Bryan Tyree Henry (Causeway), Judd Hirsch (The Fablemans), Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin), Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
The three I want to focus on in this category are Ke Huy Quan, Brendan Gleeson, and Barry Keoghan.
Ke Huy Quan’s performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the best performances I have seen this year. The emotion and heart he brought to this movie was unbeaten. Plus, how can you argue with his comeback to Hollywood? It does nothing but put a smile on your face.
However, I feel Gleeson was fantastic in The Banshees of Inisherin mainly due to his delivery and chemistry with Colin Farrell. You felt like Gleeson was actually the depressed musician who wanted to cement his legacy by any means necessary.
On another hand, I do think that Keoghan’s performance was one of the most underrated of the year. He brought a spark of innocence and pain to a movie that was surprisingly dark in the message it showed.
Favorite to win: Ke Huy Quan
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees: Cate Blanchett (Tár), Ana de Armas (Blonde), Andre Riseborough (To Leslie), Michelle Williams (The Fablemans), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
With this category, I have not been able to see most of the movies that these lovely ladies were in. However, I do know that Michelle Yeoh is one of the best actresses out there and everything she is in is instantly gold. This was no different in Everything Everywhere All at Once. I wish I could have more commentary here on the others but I sadly don’t.
Favorite to win: Michelle Yeoh (mostly because I think it’s going to be hard to beat this performance)
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees: Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Paul Mescal (Aftersun), Bill Nighy (Living)
I think this category is really a two-way race between Brendan Fraser and Colin Farrell. Yeah, I can see Austin Butler coming out of nowhere and stealing this award, but that would be utter bullshit because Elvis was not that good.
Seeing Fraser being nominated is the justice he needed after getting chased out of Hollywood for an awful scandal that was not his fault. To see him win would be one of the best ever stories in the industry.
Farrell put on an amazing performance in The Banshees of Inisherin as a simple, kind man who wants nothing more than to keep his best friend and have his life stay the same as it is.
Favorite to win: Brendan Fraser
Best Picture
Nominees: All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: the Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fablemans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Women Talking
Alright, here is the holy grail and the most important award from the Oscars. The list of these movies is interesting for sure, but I think the four movies with the best chance are Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fablemans, and Elvis.
Elvis could win because of the large campaign push that has been made about this movie, but it has no business doing so. Its first act was genuinely terrible and had the worst acting performance of Tom Hanks’s career.
The Fablemans is a Spielberg movie, so there is always a chance it wins.
Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Banshees of Inisherin are the two best movies I have seen this year.
I don’t think there’s any question about it but I could see Everything Everywhere All At Once losing because of its quirkiness. If that’s the case, fuck that, because this movie was one of the best of the last few years. Plus, if your entire main cast is nominated for an acting award, how could they lose?
The Banshees of Inisherin also has its main cast nominated for acting awards. This movie was phenomenal even though it is not as flashy to mainstream moviegoers. If you haven’t seen this yet, I highly recommend it. This movie is relatable to mostly everyone because everyone wants to leave a legacy behind, but is it worth ruining your friendships in order to do so?
Favorite to win: Everything Everywhere All At Once
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