April Foolish Pt 5: Best Supporting Actress Possibilities

One thing years of doing the Supporting Actress Smackdown has reminded us of is that though the Academy is sometimes more adventurous with supporting nominations as opposed to leads (in that they'll consider eccentric performances or comic ones slightly more often) they still don't veer too far from their comfort zones of drama, prestige adaptations, heavy tears and the like. But how cool would it be if the Academy really let loose, did something atypical and catapulted themselves into the multiverse ala Everything Everywhere All At Once and found a universe where they would awards stuff like Jamie Lee Curtis's very game, vanity-free, and quite hilarious performance as a IRS auditor. In this same alternate universe they might be more drawn to Nicole Kidman's wilder artistic impulses which are reportedly on display in the backhalf of The Northman, but which they've ignored at the Academy since forever. In the same category of potentially provocative characters, we're on pins and needles wondering what Greta Gerwig will do with her "Babette" role in White Noise.

We're also hoping Whoopi Goldberg (Till), Audra McDonald (Rustin), and Hong Chau (The Whale) have great roles though obviously their parts in these projects could be more tiny and decorative, too. It's all blindfolded conjecture at this point though Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) and Samantha Morton (She Said) feel like solid bets this far out. CHECK OUT THE NEW CHART FOR THE APRIL FOOLISH PREDICTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY

Oscar Charts ALL NEW 
Prediction Index | Supporting Actress | Supporting Actor | Screenplays | Visual Charts | Music Charts | Animated Feature Chart 

April Foolish Oscar Predix Pt 3 - Visual Categories

by Nathaniel R

Will ELVIS get the usual Catherine Martin nominations for a Bazmark production?

The April Foolish predictions continue with the visual categories which means the rest of the week is the highest profile of categories: Actors, Directors, and Pictures. Obviously this is too early for confidence -- especially in below the line categories since many films haven't released a single image yet. Much will change including which films get released but we'd hold up our year in advance prediction records against anyones.  At this point the only thing anyone has to go on is a) previous work from the craftsmen involved, b) whether the film might have a "Most" boost (contemporary set pictures generally struggle in the visual categories even when they're brilliant), c) hunches aka crystal ball projections as to how the film involved might fare overall. Regarding the latter, it's commonly understood that Best Picture heat will help you in every category even though each should be judged on its own merits.

Check out the charts, won'cha? Two items of discussion we wanted to underline follow after the jump...

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April Foolish Oscar Predix Pt 2 - Screenplay, Scores, Song, Sound

Previously: Pt 1 Animated Features

A promo still from SPIRITED © Apple TV+

We're dropping the April Foolish Oscar Predictions daily for a week and that should take us through Cannes when the game shifts again with lots of new information to process. Excuse our sibilant sssssssss today but it's time for the two screenplay categories, and the three sound related categories.

Are There Any Musicals This Year?
Yes but not like last season. 2021 was shocking with 11 musicals released though only three turned into real Oscar players (Encanto, tick tick BOOM!, and West Side Story) This year there are half as many. We're getting a Nicholas Britell scored version of Carmen (directed by Mr Natalie Portman himself Benjamin Milipied), Apple TV+ is releasing Spirited, a new musical take of the constantly retold Scrooge story with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in the leading roles...

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Oscar Volley: Best Actress. You can sit with us.

Team Experience is discussing the various Oscar categories. Here's Nathaniel, Ben Miller, Mark Brinkerhoff and special guest Nick Davis to discuss Best Actress.

NATHANIEL: I've been thinking a lot about what the characters and not the nominated actresses would make of all the competitive hoopla around the Best Actress Oscar this year. Photographer Janis (soulfully embodied by Penélope Cruz) wouldn't quite want all the eyes on her but she'd keep busy and turn her lens on her fellow nominees. She'd stick around for all the events.  Professor Leda (Oliva Colman in all her complexity) and Princess Diana (anxiously inhabited by Kristen Stewart), who I'd never otherwise pair in thought, would both surely acknowledge the honors while eyeing the nearest exit and counting the minutes until they could escape. They would skip anything non-mandatory.  Lucille Ball (surprisingly portrayed by Nicole Kidman) would be the consummate star and pull all the focus... but what would she actually be thinking about in the glow of all the lights? Only Tammy Faye (enthusiastically reincarnated by Jessica Chastain) might truly enjoy it. She would be very extra about campaigning and thoroughly enjoy the circus of it all.

Am I stalling due to utter suspense about who might win? Sure...

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Final Oscar Predictions: Will win? Could win? Should win?

by Nathaniel R

CODA and Power of the Dog face off on Oscar night this Sunday.

Y'all, I'm tired here at TFE HQ. It's been a bear of a couple of years with the pandemic and we pray never again to have Oscar seasons this long. Late April in 2021 and late March in 2022 were ROUGH and by the end of it everyone was exhausted and angry and combative about movies they previously loved. Early February when people are still really obsessed with their favourites (the Parasite year) was perfect! In the final weeks via BAFTA, CCA, SAG, DGA, PGA, and the others guilds we saw top prizes for CODA and for Power of the Dog but lots of mixed messaging. Will Best Actress (the only acting prize with any wiggle room) really go to Chastain? What the hell is going to win Best Editing since there's been absolutely no consensus there?!

Only four things are certain on Oscar night... 

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