2024 Oscar Predictions

The 2024 Oscars have been controversial ever since nominations were released. Moviegoers are aghast that the Academy cheated Greta Gerwig and many other deserving people of their respective nominations. Will people still feel as though they’ve been swindled when awards are received and who do Blazers believe should win?

Best Picture

Nominees: “The Holdovers,” “American Fiction,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Past Lives,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Maestro,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Our pick: Anatomy of a Fall

While most of the films were phenomenal, there was one that stole our hearts. “Anatomy of a Fall” is the entrancing story of a German woman living in France who must defend herself in court after her husband mysteriously dies. It follows her and her son through the year-long court case and while there is no action, the writing, acting, music, and cinematography do an amazing job of creating suspense, forcing the audience to choose a side. All aspects of the film worked together to create an amazing viewing experience. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” while an important story that needs to be told, was hard to follow. It jumped from scene to scene, throwing in random clips of people getting killed. “Anatomy of a Fall,” on the other hand, was easy to follow, engaging, had beautiful cinematography, and amazing acting. For that reason, we want “Anatomy of a Fall’’ to win the Oscar award for Best Picture. 

A Blazer’s Pick: Killers of the Flower Moon

Junior Samantha Ross keeps up with the Oscars every year. Ross shares a different view and hopes that “Killers of the Flower Moon '' will win over the other nominations, but is worried that there are others that will take its place. “Killers of the Flower Moon tells a much more moving story. It's a period piece… It’s in my heart. I want it to win, but I know that Barbie is probably more deserving,” Ross explains.

Best Actor

Nominees: Bradley Cooper, "Maestro," Colman Domingo, “Rustin,” Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers,” Cillian Murphy “Oppenheimer,” and Jeffery Wright, “American Fiction.”

Our pick: Paul Giamatti

If you haven’t watched “The Holdovers” yet, stop what you are doing, grab a computer, and watch it. Paul Giamatti phenomenally portrays an old, curmudgeonly teacher who warms up to a closed off student after being stuck together over the school’s winter break. The emotions Giamatti expresses throughout the movie are Oscar-worthy. Through funny, sweet, and sad scenes, Giamatti portrays all emotions perfectly and, in the final scene, leaves the audience feeling bittersweet.  

A Blazer’s Pick: Cillian Murphy

For freshman Hana Sor, Cillian Murphy stole the spotlight. “I think all the attention that he got was well deserved… [It was] just memorable, the way he expressed his emotions,” Sor says. Cillian Murphy does an amazing job of portraying “Oppenheimer,” a person who has accomplished great things but is ridden with guilt. Murphy has played other roles similar to that of J. Robert Oppenheimer, like the character Tommy Shelby in “Peaky Blinders.” The way Cillian Murphy expresses those emotions with subtlety and skill is Oscar-worthy. 

Best Actress

Nominees: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Sandra Huller, “Anatomy of a Fall,” Carey Mulligan, “Maestro,” Emma Stone, “Poor Things,” and Annett Benning, “Nyad.”

Our pick: Sandra Huller

Simultaneously a mother, widow, and murder suspect, Sandra Huller from “Anatomy of a Fall” artfully portrays an expansive range of emotions: from anger to grief, love to resentment, and worry to relief. The subtlety with which Huller expresses emotions draws viewers into an immersive alternate reality, one where they feel every emotion that she does. Huller absolutely deserves the Oscar for Best Actress. 

A Blazer’s pick: Lily Gladstone

Ross also feels as though Lily Gladstone, from “Killers of the Flower Moon,” should win best actress. “Lily Gladstone… [is], if I'm not mistaken, the first-ever Native American woman to win a Golden Globe a couple of months ago,” Ross points out. She is also the first-ever Native American woman to be nominated for the Best Actress award. Gladstone perfectly portrays a range of emotions from sadness to pity to acceptance. Her acting was phenomenal, real, and extremely skillful and gave the movie the majority of its substance. 

Best Director

Nominees: Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest,” Yorgos Anthimos, “Poor Things,” Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall.”

Our pick: Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is at the top of our list for Best Director. While “Oppenheimer” was not our favorite movie, it made a huge boom when it was released, topped only by “Barbie.” It is nominated for the most Oscars in 2024, 13 to be exact. Nolan has never won an Oscar for Best Director and now seems like the best time. Nolan’s directing skills are what made the movie so big. Nolan’s artistic choices throughout the movie truly help it come to life. Our personal favorite was choosing to film in black-and-white as well as color in order to represent factual moments from subjective ones. Nolan’s directing was truly fantastic and deserves to be honored. 

A Blazer’s pick: Yorgos Lanthimos

Sor is hopeful that Yorgos Lanthimos will win for “Poor Things” but is hesitant. She feels that other directors like Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan are outshining Lanthimos. Sor loved the movie and believes Lanthimos deserves the Oscar. “I just really like colorful movies and the way [Lanthimos] got all of that [color] and still incorporated this drabness [of] Emma Stone in her acting [was amazing],” Sor says.

Best Animated Feature

Nominees: “Nimona,” “Robot Dreams,” “The Boy and the Heron,” “Elemental,” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

Our pick: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Spider-Man deserves this win. It’s one of the most beautifully animated films of recent years with authentic comic-book-esque fight scenes, creative characters, and a catchy playlist. The movie shares representation of both Black and Puerto Rican culture and it's comforting to see minority superheroes.

The movie did lack one thing though: a solid ending. The movie built up to a major fight scene and cut it before it even began which made the ending feel unfinished. We know there’s a third movie, but we wished the movie hadn’t built so much suspense just to leave us hanging. 

Another issue is its popular competition, “The Boy and the Heron” directed by Hayao Miyazaki who also directed popular Japanese films such as “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro.”