Predictions for the 97th Academy Awards

Adrian Brody in the new ad campaign for J.Crew.

To clarify, these aren’t all the films, performers, etc., that I feel deserve to win; these are the smart bets, IMHO. And I am indeed a betting man.

The animated short film Wander to Wonder, which I think deserves to win (though all the shorts in the category are excellent), is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Directed with remarkable vision and crafted with a deep love for animation as an art form, it’s a journey through nostalgia and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy. A must-watch for animation lovers.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Adrien Brody - The Brutalist

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Yura Borisov - Anora

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Demi Moore - The Substance

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Isabella Rossellini - Conclave

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
The Wild Robot

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Wander to Wonder

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dune: Part Two

COSTUME DESIGN
Wicked

DIRECTING
Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Sugarcane

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
The Only Girl in the Orchestra

FILM EDITING
The Brutalist - David Jancso

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Brazil - I'm Still Here

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
The Substance

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Wicked - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Like A Bird from Sing Sing; Music and Lyrics by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada

BEST PICTURE
The Brutalist

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Nosferatu

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
The Last Ranger

SOUND
The Wild Robot

VISUAL EFFECTS
Dune: Part Two

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Conclave - Peter Straughan

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg