Our film critics have shared their personal Oscars shortlists and the winner should be announced.

Wendy Ide

Best picture

The list of my top choices (with my first choice being the winner)

• The Zone of Interest

• The Anatomy of a Fall

  Structure of a Descent

• Past Lives

• Poor Things

• Priscilla

In a different universe, the Academy recognized and praised bold creativity and artistic bravery. Rather than the usual predictable nominees, we might have seen the unpredictable courtroom thriller Anatomy of a Fall or the hilariously insane Poor Things with a strong chance of winning. However, my personal choice would be Jonathan Glazer’s haunting and powerful film, The Zone of Interest, which has stayed with me since I first saw it eight months ago.

Best director

• Justine Triet – Anatomy of a Fall

• Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest

• Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things

• Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer

• Sofia Coppola – Priscilla

Christopher Nolan is a leading contender for his forceful style in depicting Oppenheimer. And why not? The film is filled with intense and assertive direction. However, I would prefer to recognize a director who doesn’t constantly hit the audience: the subtlety of Sofia Coppola’s handling of Priscilla or the understated intelligence of Justine Triet’s captivating Anatomy of a Fall.

Best actor

• Andrew Scott is a writer whose work includes the book “All of Us Strangers.”

  Andrew Scott is an author whose repertoire includes the novel “All of Us Strangers.”

• Actor

  Jeffrey Wright is an actor known for his work in American fiction films.

• Nicolas Cage – Dream Scenario

• Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

• Colman Domingo – Rustin

I am disappointed that awards voters often overlook the comedic performances, which is why I am eagerly anticipating Nicolas Cage’s amusing and genuine performance in Dream Scenario to be recognized, or for Jeffrey Wright to receive recognition for his perfectly sharp and sarcastic delivery in American Fiction. However, my choice for this category is Andrew Scott, whose portrayal in All of Us Strangers truly touched my heart throughout the entire film.

Best actress

• Emma Stone – Poor Things

• Teyana Taylor – A Thousand and One

• Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall

• Natalie Portman – May December

• Greta Lee – Past Lives

Once again, the category for best actress is highly competitive. Up-and-coming talents Greta Lee, who charmed audiences in Past Lives, and the exceptional Teyana Taylor in A Thousand and One, will face off against established names such as the brilliantly malicious and artificial Natalie Portman in May December and the impressive Sandra Hüller. However, Emma Stone triumphs with her daring portrayal in Poor Things.

Supporting actor

• Charles Melton – May December

• Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers

• Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry

• Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

• Paul Mescal stars in the film “All of Us Strangers.”

In the categories for supporting actors, we often find new talent like Dominic Sessa, whose performance in The Holdovers showcases his considerable abilities. We also see familiar faces in new roles, such as Glenn Howerton from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, who is hardly recognizable in BlackBerry. My personal choice, however, is Charles Melton from Riverdale, whose heart-wrenching portrayal of a man haunted by childhood trauma in May December is truly impressive.

Supporting actress

• Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

• Sandra Hüller – The Zone of Interest

• Julianne Moore – May December

• Claire Foy – All of Us Strangers

• “The Three Musketeers” starring Eva Green

Sandra Hüller and Julianne Moore both give exceptional performances as morally reprehensible characters – a Nazi wife and a child abuser. Eva Green is captivatingly deceitful as the seductive Milady in the recent Three Musketeers adaptations. However, my top pick for this category is the outstanding Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who brings heart and soul to Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers.

Best documentary

• Four Daughters

• Beyond Utopia

• Apolonia, Apolonia

• 20 Days in Mariupol

• The Eternal Memory

This year, it is challenging to predict the winner of the best documentary award from the shortlist that was announced beforehand. One film that stands out to me is Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, a bold documentary that combines different styles to explore the effects of radicalization on a Tunisian family. However, I also greatly enjoyed Madeleine Gavin’s Beyond Utopia, a gripping true story about North Korean defectors, and was intrigued by the close bond between filmmaker Lea Glob and her painter subject in Apolonia, Apolonia.

Mark Kermode

Best picture

• Past Lives

• Anatomy of a Fall

• Enys Men

• Poor Things

• Infinity Pool

During the Academy Awards ceremony, the top contenders for the Best Picture award will likely be Oppenheimer, Poor Things, and Killers of the Flower Moon. My personal favorite, Past Lives, has a small chance of being among the ten nominated films, which would be satisfying. Unfortunately, Enys Men has no chance of being nominated (disappointing!), and other British films like Rye Lane and How to Have Sex are not eligible for consideration this year.

Director

• Celine Song – Past Lives

• The movie “Anatomy of a Fall” by Justine Triet.

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  Unable to reword.

• Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer

• Greta Gerwig – Barbie

Following his success at the Golden Globes, it appears that Chistopher Nolan is on track to finally receive the best director Oscar he deserves. While French filmmaker Justine Triet deserves credit for her Palme d’Or winning film Anatomy of a Fall, my personal vote goes to Celine Song, a Korean-Canadian director who debuted with Past Lives and showcases a level of confidence typically seen in seasoned directors. A rising star has emerged!

Best actor

• Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

• Teo Yoo – Past Lives

• Barry Keoghan – Saltburn

• Jeffrey Wright is a prominent figure in the world of American fiction.

• Rewritten: The artist known as Andrew Scott has released a work entitled “All of Us Strangers.”

Cillian Murphy is rightfully the bookies’ favourite for his extraordinarily nuanced title role in Oppenheimer – a performance captured in giant-screen closeup that turns his face into a vast landscape of complex micro-expressions. Plaudits, too, to German-South Korean star Teo Yoo for his devastatingly understated role in Past Lives, proving the maxim that great acting is all about reacting.

Best actress

• Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

• Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall

• The movie “Poor Things” stars Emma Stone.

• Mary Woodvine – Enys Men

• Greta Lee – Past Lives

Lily Gladstone’s performance in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon has captured the hearts of Academy voters and viewers worldwide. Sandra Hüller’s impressive multilingual performance in Anatomy of a Fall showcases her exceptional talent, and Emma Stone delivers a stellar performance in Poor Things. Special recognition goes to Mia Goth for her incredibly unique performance in Infinity Pool.

Best supporting actor

• Charles Melton – May December

• Ryan Gosling – Barbie

• Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

• John Magaro – Past Lives

• al Actor

  Reworded: Sterling K Brown is an American actor known for his roles in fiction.

Following his highly praised victory at the Golden Globes, Robert Downey Jr (playing Oppenheimer) is currently the leading contender to win the Oscar. However, I believe that Alaska-native Charles Melton deserves the award, as he confidently holds his own among accomplished screen stars Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in Todd Haynes’s hauntingly understated drama May December.

Best supporting actress

• Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

• Sandra Hüller stars in the film “The Zone of Interest”.

• Penélope Cruz – Ferrari

• Viola Davis – Air

• Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple

Another vote for Sandra Hüller, for a very different performance in Jonathan Glazer’s icily disturbing The Zone of Interest. But it’s Golden Globe winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph who deserves Oscar success for the warmth and depth she brings to Alexander Payne’s bittersweet retro charmer The Holdovers. Also, hooray for Penélope Cruz, who really fires the engines of Ferrari.

Best original score

• I am not able to reword.

• Mica Levi – The Zone of Interest

• Daniel Pemberton – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

• This book, written by Robbie Robertson, is titled “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

  The author of this book is Robbie Robertson and its title is “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

• Laura Karpman – American Fiction

In 2023, the score I listened to the most was the ambient accompaniment by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen for Past Lives. It reminded me of Eiko Ishibashi’s soundtrack for Drive My Car from 2021. While Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score for A Haunting in Venice was eligible, it was not included in the shortlist announced last month. Fortunately, British musician Jerskin Fendrix has been shortlisted for Poor Things – his music captures the emotional essence of Lanthimos’s peculiar masterpiece.

Guy Lodge

Best picture

• The Zone of Interest

• Cannot reword.

• Anselm

• Beau Is Afraid

• Showing Up

Selecting only five candidates was challenging, but declaring a victor was simple. After attending Cannes, The Zone of Interest has remained in my thoughts and has had a profound effect on me: Jonathan Glazer’s perfectly crafted depiction of a Nazi family residing on the opposite side of the Auschwitz barrier presents the Holocaust in a way that has never been captured before, with immense horrors made even more powerful by being hidden and disregarded behind flower gardens.

Best director

• Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest

• Ari Aster’s Film “Beau Is Afraid”

• Yorgos Lanthimos’ film, “Poor Things.”

• Hlynur Pálmasson – Godland

• Alice Rohrwacher – La Chimera

I will not protest if Christopher Nolan is awarded his highly anticipated Oscar for his film “Oppenheimer.” This film showcases his skillful use of science in filmmaking and his fascination with toxic masculinity. However, Glazer surpassed him in precise formal techniques and striking historical context. Additionally, I was captivated by other imaginative directorial visions last year, such as Rohrwacher’s earthly magical world, Lanthimos’s ornate Frankenstein-inspired fantasy, and Aster’s nightmarish absurdity.

Best actor

• Franz Rogowski – Passages

• Riz Ahmed – Fingernails

• Reworded: Josh O’Connor stars in the film “La Chimera.”

• Thomas Schubert – Afire

• Reworded: The author of “All of Us Strangers” is Andrew Scott.

This was a banner year for queer lives on film, normalised without being shorn of complexity and pathos. For me, best actor is a virtual coin-toss between two extraordinary versions of this brief. Playing a gay man isolating himself in the past, Scott’s is an aching study in solitude, whereas Rogowski is both incandescent and infuriating as a polysexual artist who either loves too much or not all.

Best actress

• Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall

• Julianne Moore – May December

• Unfortunately, Emma Stone’s latest film, “Poor Things,” was not as successful as anticipated.

  Regrettably, “Poor Things,” the most recent movie by Emma Stone, did not achieve the expected level of success.

• Sorry, I am not familiar with the term “Tia Nomore – Earth Mama” and cannot reword it. Please provide more context or information for me to rephrase.

• Renowned actress Michelle Williams – Consistently Present

The distinction between lead and supporting roles may be subject to debate. Lily Gladstone, who is considered a top contender for the best actress award, delivers a powerful performance in Killers of the Flower Moon, but is often not present in the film. Many believed she would be classified as a supporting actress. In May December, Julianne Moore’s character is not necessarily supporting Natalie Portman’s, despite being campaigned as such. I personally believe she deserves more recognition. However, there is no question that Sandra Hüller’s performance is a standout in the film.

Best supporting actor

• Jamie Bell – All of Us Strangers

• Jacob Elordi – Saltburn

• David Krumholtz – Oppenheimer

• Daniel Henshall – The Royal Hotel

• The title “Beau Is Afraid” belongs to Nathan Lane.

The selection of actors from a group can seem arbitrary. While Robert Downey Jr received a Golden Globe for his exceptional portrayal as a villain in Oppenheimer, I would also consider his co-stars Matt Damon, Jason Clarke, or the highly underrated Krumholtz. Paul Mescal won the British independent film award for All of Us Strangers, but it was Jamie Bell’s finely nuanced performance as a father coming to terms with his emotional distance that truly moved me.

Best supporting actress

• Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses

• , Speaking Up

  Hong Chau – Being Present and Using Your Voice

• Kerrie Hayes is known for her role as Blue Jean.

• Marin Ireland – Eileen

• Patti LuPone – Beau Is Afraid

The Academy has become more inclusive in its selections recently, thanks to its increased membership from around the world. While Hollywood is still prevalent, non-English films and performances are now given more consideration. However, the success and recognition of these works largely rely on the distributor’s resources and efforts. For example, Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s critically acclaimed film About Dry Grasses did not receive much attention or discussion, despite its powerful and award-winning portrayal by Dizdar.

Best international feature

• Godland

• Perfect Days

• The Taste of Things

• Tótem

• The Zone of Interest

The French Oscar selection committee has chosen the romantic film The Taste of Things as their entry, making it a strong contender in the race. However, the absence of the highly acclaimed Anatomy of a Fall, which won both the Palme d’Or and Golden Globe, creates an opportunity for other films. One potential underdog is the Icelandic film Godland, a dark and powerful colonial saga that I am personally rooting for.

Ellen E Jones

Best picture

• Occupied City

• Rephrase: We are all unfamiliar to each other.

• Barbie

• Poor Things

• The Zone of Interest

Although the Academy has become more daring after the success of Parasite, it is still unlikely that they will choose a four-and-a-half hour Holocaust documentary as the best film. However, Steve McQueen’s Occupied City truly stands out as one of the greatest films of the year. Similar to Glazer’s powerful The Zone of Interest, it captures the essence of both our past and present with a sense of urgency that sets it apart from the other contenders. That being said, I wouldn’t be disappointed if Barbie were to win either.

Best director

• Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers”

• Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest

• Greta Gerwig – Barbie

• The film “Poor Things” was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

• Celine Song – Past Lives

This is an exciting time to be alive and watching movies! Glazer, Lanthimos, and Gerwig, who are all talented directors, are currently at the top of their game. Additionally, Song’s first film is remarkably confident, and Haigh’s choice to film his mystical family drama in his childhood home shows bold vulnerability in the name of filmmaking. This is why I believe All of Us Strangers deserves to win.

Best actor

• Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers of the Flower Moon

• Jussi Vatanen – Fallen Leaves

• Colman Domingo – Rustin

• Jeffrey Wright is an author of American fiction.

• Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

Murphy’s intense glare could be deemed a deserving victory, but Bradley Cooper’s self-indulgent portrayal of a maestro would not. In an ideal scenario, I would love to see Leonardo DiCaprio receive a second Oscar. He skillfully utilizes his fading good looks to capture not just one disheveled Romeo, but also the essence of white America. This marks Scorsese’s most powerful partnership with an actor since Taxi Driver.

Best actress

• Emma Stone – Poor Things

• Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall

• Natalie Portman – Age Gap Romance

• Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

• Greta Lee – Past Lives

Stone is likely to emerge as the victor for her original steampunk character, which showcases impressive technical skills and exudes a sense of joy and positivity. However, if not, a win for Gladstone would serve as a positive addition to the Academy’s past tendency to disregard Native American success (evident in the Sacheen Littlefeather incident in 1973). This could also potentially aid in securing a distribution deal for Gladstone’s other film from last year, Fancy Dance, which was made by Native filmmakers.

Supporting actor

• Ryan Gosling – Barbie

• Paul Mescal – All of Us Strangers

• Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer

• Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

• The artist, Zoe Terakes, invites conversation.

Gosling’s portrayal is a satirical take on the “supporting male” archetype, but it may not be enough in comparison to Robert Downey Jr’s stellar performance and the thought-provoking representation of gender by non-binary Australian actor Terakes. Additionally, many of us cannot deny our affection for Mark Ruffalo’s mustached misogynist character in Poor Things. How we wish Terry-Thomas could still be here to present the award.

Supporting actress

• Sandra Hüller – The Zone of Interest

• Katherine Waterston – The End We Start From

• Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple

• Rosamund Pike – Saltburn

• Da’Vine Joy Randolph stars in the film “The Holdovers.”

Rosamund Pike is the only awards-worthy aspect of Emerald Fennell’s overhyped pseudo class satire, but she is very very good in it, deserving an Oscar for her Britpop banter alone. Katherine Waterston is the ideal friend in a climate crisis, but doesn’t have the industry momentum. Hüller, on the other hand, could just nab it, with two inscrutably icy performances in one year.

Best costume design

• Jacqueline Durran – Barbie

• David Crossman and Janty Yates were the costume designers for the film “Napoleon”.

• Holly Waddington – Poor Things

• Eunice Jera Lee explains the process of detonating a pipeline.

• Eunice Jera Lee – Bottoms

Barbie possesses the patent pink bag. Jacqueline Durran transformed the dress-up toy into a symbol of real-world fashion, influencing moviegoers to don their own playful fuchsia outfits. Credit should also be given to up-and-coming costume designer Eunice Jera Lee, whose contributions to various engaging indie films capture the current organic style of Gen Z.

Source: theguardian.com