I kind of slayed
Many unpredictable things happened at the 2022 Academy Awards, most not having to do with the awards that were given out throughout the night. In my opinion, this year’s controversies and action-packed moments surpassed the previous most talked about recent Oscars incident, the La La Land Best Picturegate of 2016. However, I made it my mission this year to watch all of the Best Picture nominees, so here are my predictions and who actually won.
Best Picture
Prediction: The Power of the Dog
Winner: CODA
Thoughts: Okay, not the best start ever, but to be fair this was an upset given the rest of this awards cycle.
Best Director
Prediction: Jane Campion
Winner: Jane Campion
Thoughts: And she didn’t say anything questionable in her speech either!
Best Actor
Prediction: Will Smith
Winner: Will Smith
Thoughts: There is a lot to unpack with this one. It’s well deserved for Smith, as his portrayal of the ever-high strung and triumphant Richard Williams was praised throughout this awards cycle. Of course, second to his performance as the Genie in that live-action Aladdin movie no one asked for.
Best Actress
Prediction: Kristen Stewart
Winner: Jessica Chastain
Thoughts: My heart breaks as the resident backbone of lesbians everywhere remains without an Oscar. However, Chastain is good as Tammy Faye Bakker.
Best Supporting Actor
Prediction: Kodi Smit-McPhee
Winner: Troy Kotsur
Thoughts: I just wanted one of this year’s Oscar winners to have a melancholic hula hooping scene, but we can’t always get what we want.
Best Supporting Actress
Prediction: Ariana DeBose
Winner: Ariana DeBose
Thoughts: Something about Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose winning the same award for the same role just means there is something cosmically right in the universe.
Best Original Screenplay
Prediction: Belfast
Winner: Belfast
Thoughts: No thoughts, Kenneth Branaugh can write.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Prediction: The Power of the Dog
Winner: CODA
Thoughts: I was truly gooped by this one, but I understand why the Academy chose this over Campion.
Best Animated Feature Film
Prediction: Encanto
Winner: Encanto
Thoughts: This award came with a surprise Megan Thee Stallion appearance, so I cannot complain.
Best International Feature Film
Prediction: Drive My Car
Winner: Drive My Car
Best Documentary Feature
Prediction: Summer of Soul
Winner: Summer of Soul
Best Documentary Short Subject
Prediction: The Queen of Basketball
Winner: The Queen of Basketball
Best Live Action Short Film
Prediction: The Long Goodbye
Winner: The Long Goodbye
Thoughts: Riz Ahmed!
Best Original Score
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Thoughts: Hans Zimmer didn’t even need to be in attendance, but his presence was there.
Best Original Song
Prediction: No Time to Die
Winner: No Time to Die
Best Sound
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Thoughts: I once heard that the loudest movie always wins the sound awards, and this is an example of that hypothesis succeeding.
Best Production Design
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Best Cinematography
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Thoughts: Greig Fraser, you will always be famous.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Prediction: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Winner: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Thoughts: If there is any kind of prosthetic, the Oscar is basically already awarded.
Best Costume Design
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Cruella
Best Film Editing
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Best Visual Effects
Prediction: Dune
Winner: Dune
Thoughts: Lastly, as I predicted Dune not only walked, but sprinted away with all the technical awards.
Overall, my record is 17 out of 22, which is pretty good if I do say so myself. I did miss some key heavy hitters, but this year’s Oscars mostly continued the trend of a pretty mundane and sometimes egregious awards ceremony with spontaneous moments of public shock and awe. I wonder what next year will look like. Hopefully Robert Pattinson will be there.