2021 Oscar Predictions

Once again, my annual Oscar coverage is coming to a close. It's time to predict the winners for tonight's ceremony. For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to leave out commentary and pictures. I know I won't guess every category correctly, but that's part of the fun. I also didn't review most of the nominees before the ceremony, so I'll correct that soon.

2021 Oscar Predictions

Best Picture

"The Father"

"Judas and the Black Messiah"

"Mank"

"Minari"

"Nomadland"

"Promising Young Woman"

"Sound of Metal"

"The Trial of the Chicago 7"

Will Win: "Nomadland"
Could Win: "Trial of the Chicago 7"
Should Win: "The Father," "Promising Young Woman," or "Minari" (All deserving)

Snubs: Another Round, Borat Subsequent MovieFilm, Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, One Night in Miami, Palm Springs, and Soul.

Best Director

Emerald Fennell, "Promising Young Woman"

David Fincher, "Mank"

Lee Isaac Chung, "Minari"

Thomas Vinterberg, "Another Round"

Chloé Zhao, "Nomadland"

Will Win: Chloé Zhao, "Nomadland"
Could Win: Lee Isaac Chung, "Minari"
Should Win: All deserving

Snubs: Regina King, One Night in Miami, Spike Lee, Da 5 Bloods, Christopher Nolan, Tenet, and Florian Zeller, The Father.

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed, "Sound of Metal"

Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

Anthony Hopkins, "The Father"

Gary Oldman, "Mank"

Steven Yeun, "Minari"

Will Win: Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

Could Win: Anthony Hopkins, "The Father"
Should Win: Riz Ahmed, "Sound of Metal," Chadwick Boseman, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and Anthony Hopkins, "The Father"

Snubs: Ben Affleck, The Wayback, Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods, and Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round.

Best Actress

Viola Davis, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

Andra Day, "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"

Vanessa Kirby, "Pieces of a Woman"

Frances McDormand, "Nomadland"

Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman"

Will Win: Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman"
Could Win: Viola Davis, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" or Frances McDormand, "Nomadland"

Should Win: Carey Mulligan, "Promising Young Woman"

Snubs: Cristin Milloti, Palm Springs and Han Ye-ri, Minari.

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen, "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
Daniel Kaluuya, "Judas and the Black Messiah"

Leslie Odom Jr., "One Night in Miami"

Paul Raci, "Sound of Metal"

LaKeith Stanfield, "Judas and the Black Messiah"

Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Could Win: Paul Raci, "Sound of Metal"
Should Win: Daniel Kaluuya, "Judas and the Black Messiah" or Paul Raci, "Sound of Metal"

Snubs: Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods, Alan Kim, Minari, and Bill Murray, On The Rocks.

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova, "Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm"

Glenn Close, "Hillbilly Elegy"

Olivia Colman, "The Father"

Amanda Seyfried, "Mank"

Youn Yuh-Jung, "Minari"

Will Win: Youn Yuh-Jung, "Minari"
Could Win: Maria Bakalova, "Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm"or Glenn Close, "Hillbilly Elegy'
Should Win: Maria Bakalova, "Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm," or Youn Yuh-Jung, "Minari"

Snubs: Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian and Helena Zengel, News of the World.

Best Original Screenplay

"Judas and the Black Messiah"

"Minari"

"Promising Young Woman"

"Sound of Metal"

"The Trial of the Chicago 7"

Will Win: "Promising Young Woman"
Could Win: "Judas and the Black Messiah" or "Minari"
Should Win: "Promising Young Woman"

Snub: Another Round, Da 5 Bloods, Palm Springs, and Soul.

Best Adapted Screenplay

"Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm"

"The Father"

"Nomadland"

"One Night in Miami"

"The White Tiger"

Will Win: "Nomadland"

Could Win: "The Father"
Should Win: "The Father"

Snubs: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Best Film Editing

"The Father"

"Nomadland"

"Promising Young Woman"

"Sound of Metal"

"The Trial of the Chicago 7"

Will Win: "Trial of the Chicago 7"
Could Win: "Sound of Metal" 
Should Win: "The Father" or "Sound of Metal"

Snubs: Tenet.

Best Cinematography

"Judas and the Black Messiah"

"Mank"

"News of the World"

"Nomadland"

"The Trial of the Chicago 7"

Will Win: "Nomadland"
Could Win: "Mank"
Should Win: "Nomadland"

Snubs: Another Round, Da 5 Bloods, and Tenet.

Best Costume Design

"Emma"

"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

"Mank"

"Mulan"

"Pinocchio"

Will Win: "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Could Win: "Mank"
Should Win: "Emma" or "Mank"

Snubs: Promising Young Woman and Wonder Woman 1984.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

"Emma"

"Hillbilly Elegy"

"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

"Mank"

"Pinocchio"

Will Win: "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Could Win: "Pinocchio"
Should Win: "Pinocchio"

Snubs: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.

Best Production Design

"The Father"

"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

"Mank"

"News of the World"

"Tenet"

Will Win: "Mank"
Could Win: "The Father"or "Tenet"

Should Win: "The Father" or "Tenet"

Snubs: Promising Young Woman.

Best Visual Effects

"Love and Monsters"

"The Midnight Sky"

"Mulan"

"The One and Only Ivan"

"Tenet"

Will Win: "The Midnight Sky"
Could Win: "Tenet"
Should Win: "Tenet"

Snubs: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, The Invisible Man, and Mank.

Best Sound

"Greyhound"

"Mank"

"News of the World"

"Soul"

"Sound of Metal"

Will Win: "Sound of Metal"
Could Win: "Greyhound"
Should Win: "Sound of Metal"

Snub: The Invisible Man

Best Original Song

"Fight For You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah"

"Hear My Voice" from "The Trial of the Chicago 7"

"Húsavík" from "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga"

"Io Si (Seen)" from "The Life Ahead"

"Speak Now" from "One Night in Miami"

Will Win: "Io Is (Seen)" from "The Life Ahead"
Could Win: "Fight for You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Should Win: "Speak Now" from "One Night in Miami "

Snubs: "The Plan" from Tenet.

Best Original Score

"Da 5 Bloods"

"Mank"

"Minari"

"News of the World"

"Soul"

Will Win: "Soul"
Could Win: "Minari"
Should Win: "Da 5 Bloods," "Minari," or "Soul"

Snubs: Tenet.

Best Animated Feature

"Onward"

"Over The Moon"

"A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon" 

"Soul"

"Wolfwalkers"

Will Win: "Soul"
Could Win: "Wolfwalkers"
Should Win: "Soul" or "Wolfwalkers"

Best International Feature Film

"Another Round"

"Better Days"

"Collective"

"The Man Who Sold His Skin"

"Quo Vadis, Aida?"

Will Win: "Another Round"

Should Win: "Another Round"

Best Documentary Feature

"Collective"

"Crip Camp"

"The Mole Agent"

"My Octopus Teacher"

"Time"

Will Win: "My Octopus Teacher"

Best Documentary, Short Subject

"Collette"
"A Concerto is a Conversation"
"Do Not Split"
"Hunger Ward"
"A Love Song for Latasha"

Will Win: "A Love Song for Latasha"

Best Short Film, Live Action

"Feeling Through"

"The Letter Room"

"The Present"

"Two Distant Strangers"

"White Eye"

Will Win: "Two Distant Strangers"

Best Short Film, Animated

"Burrow"

"Genius Loci"

"If Anything Happens I Love You"

"Opera"

"Yes People"

Will Win: "Burrow"