Guess Again

Here we are, at the 13th Annual Academy Award Guessing Games®. It's like another, different, kind of trip around the sun. One not always pleasant. Usually for me. 

I haven't done an official count over the years, but I'm feeling that Mike has bested me at this more than I him. It irked me because usually I saw more of the movies than he. This might not be the case this year. That dude sat through Scorseses 3+ hr movie. Even I wouldn't do that for a win. 

I have a hunch that Mike's husband sees most of the movies, or fully through, and fills Mike in afterwards. Though I do know we all saw Maestro and we all know how that turned out {shudder!}

We "planned" to see more of the movies o the list, but it just didn't happen. At least not before this telecast. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda. 

We don't call it a "guessing game" for nothing.  Here we go:

Best Picture American Fiction Anatomy of a Fall Barbie The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things The Zone of Interest

I'm not even sure this one is in question. I don't think Barbie would get this had Gerwig been nominated, This could be a go between the Holdovers, Poor Things (for the upset) but most likely the guy who built the bomb, and I'm not talking Bradley Cooper this time - though Maestro was a detonated POS. 

Best Actress in a Leading Role Annette Bening – Nyad Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan – Maestro Emma Stone – Poor Things 

Benning?  Nada Nyad! At best that should have been an ABC Tuesday Movie of the Week. Mulligan? Yes she was better than her co-stars, but that's like saying 'she was the nicest member of the Manson Family', but no. It's coming down to Gladstone and Stone. Here's hoping I guessed correctly. 

Best Actor in a Leading Role Bradley Cooper – Maestro Colman Domingo – Rustin Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

While I'd like it to be Giamatti - and it could be a weird upset - I think Murphy has it in the bag. Cooper can keep on dreaming. He shouldn't have even gotten a nomination. I'm sure Pauley Shore was in something this year that should have him on this list instead.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role Sterling K Brown – American Fiction Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling – Barbie Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things 

Ruffalo should win all the awards - for just about everything he does. Ok, maybe not Hulk. Ryan, while still adorable, I'm not sure he should even be in this cohort. Not this time. RJD is getting this. 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple America Ferrera – Barbie Jodie Foster – Nyad Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

No one else in this category has won in other award shows. Ferrera did a fine job and I'm glad she's getting work. Foster was the second best thing in Nyad.  Benning was not the first. 

Best Director Justine Triet – Anatomy of a Fall Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest 

You'd think it'd be Nolan - and it might be - but I'm guessing it's Yorgos.  Yes, this will break from best movie, but I'm sticking with it. Nolan is still paying the price for having me sit through Interstellar. Fucker!

Best Writing (Original Screenplay) Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet, Arthur Harari The Holdovers – David Hemingson Maestro – Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer May December – Samy Burch Past Lives – Celine Song

As much as I liked Past Lives and its originality, I think I'm going with the Holdovers. Oddly, I think it will be Anatomy of a Fall that could take me down. ....though Maestro was extremely bad - and that's original. 

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) American Fiction – Cord Jefferson Barbie – Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan Poor Things – Tony McNamara The Zone of Interest – Jonathan Glazer 

I really want Gerwig to get this due to her director snub. And honestly, the female voting body might do just that due to that. That said, I'm going with a WWII upset. 

Best International Feature Film Io Capitano Perfect Days Society of the Snow The Teachers' Lounge The Zone of Interest 

Best Animated Feature Film The Boy and the Heron Elemental Nimona Robot Dreams Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Didn't Spidey win a year or two ago? I'm tired of the webslinger. So. Very. Tired. 

Best Documentary Feature Bobi Wine: The People’s President The Eternal Memory Four Daughters To Kill a Tiger 20 Days in Mariupol 

There is no good follow-up to My Year of Dicks, so if Mike wins, I don't know what t-shirt I'd get him this year. If the one movie here was Blobby Wine, I'd know what he'd be getting......and choosing not to wear. No one wants to wear a shirt from the Ukrainian war.....at least not ironically. 

Best Film Editing Anatomy of a Fall The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Poor Things

I've seen one of these. One.  ....and it wasn't the one I picked. 

Best Cinematography El Conde Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things 

A colour movie that looks makes you think in black & white. Sepia tones. People eat that shit up. I'm too tired to get yet another dig at Maestro. 

Best Music (Original Score) American Fiction Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Poor Things

I want Robbie Robertson to get this posthumously. He's scored like 10 movies for Marty, let Robbie get this one. I'm sure John Williams doesn't need another Oscar (I'm assuming he did Indiana Jones). Robertson was partial Native American, I'm guessing he did a great job on this. Of course, it could be bias, but that is exactly what awards shows are. 

Best Music (Original Song) “The Fire Inside” – Flamin’ Hot “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie (Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt) “It Never Went Away” – American Symphony Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People) – Killers of the Flower Moon “What Was I Made For?” – Barbie (Billie Eilish O’Connell, Finneas O’Connell) 

Ellish won last year - and it's not really singing. Moving on. Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night" from Barbie should have been up for this more than "I'm Just Ken". "The Fire Inside" is what I get after eating dinner at Mike's, so, he might pick that.  I don't know IF "Ken" will win, but I want him too - even though Gosling didn't write it. 

Best Sound The Creator Maestro Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Oppenheimer The Zone of Interest 

Oh, I laugh and laugh and laugh at Maestro even getting a nod for this. The sound and mixing were horrible, at best! Cooper's wrist must have carpal tunnel from all the handjobs he had to give to get this nomination. Oppenheimer has no actual Enola Gay bomb-dropping, you gotta believe it would have had great sound. 

Best Visual Effects The Creator Godzilla Minus One Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Napoleon 

Sometimes you just want to root for the big lizard. ....and no, this time I don't mean Mike. Actually, I've heard good things about Godzilla. 

Best Production Design Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Napoleon Oppenheimer Poor Things 

It was lots of pink and cool Mojo Dojo Casa Houses. 

Best Costume Design Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Napoleon Oppenheimer Poor Things 

I'm just going by some of the clothes I've seen Ruffalo and Stone wearing. 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling Golda Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Society of the Snow 

I see that whomever made Leonard Bernstein's nose got in here. You gotta believe Golda's was better But much like the reason for the above category, I'm going that way. 

Best Animated Short Film Letter to a Pig Ninety-Five Senses Our Uniform Pachyderme War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko 

I'm no fan of John & Yoko's song, but the trailer was gripping to me. More so than the others.  I'm making assumptions Mike will say something about Letter to a Pig and emails that come my way. 

Best Live Action Short Film The After Invincible Night of Fortune Red, White and Blue The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar 

I dunno. It's the only one I saw - and I liked it immensely. And it might be the only way Wes Anderson gets an Oscar. 

Best Documentary Short Film The ABCs of Book Banning The Barber of Little Rock Island in Between The Last Repair Shop Nai Nai and Wai Po

Oh, those crazy Hollywood liberals!

Well, there you have it. I guess we'll all find out on Tuesday to see the results. I think this year we settled on winner getting cookies. Mike can even make it easier and just box up all the Thin Mints he has stored in the guest bedroom. He doesn't even have to bake. 

Song by: Jeff Tweedy